| Katherine Helmond | |
| |
| Date of Birth | July 5, 1929 |
| Date of Death | February 23, 2019 |
| Character | Lois Whelen |
| First Appearance | "In-Laws" |
| Number of episodes | 14 |
Katherine Helmond (July 5, 1929 – February 23, 2019) was an American actress who played Lois Whelen, the mother of Debra Barone.
Biography[]
Katherine Marie Helmond was born on July 5, 1929, in Galveston, Texas. After her parents divorced, she was raised by her mother, Thelma (nee Malone) Helmond, and her maternal grandmother, both of Irish Catholic descent. She attended Catholic school, and appeared in numerous school plays and pageants. She took a job at a local theater while still in high school, hammering and sawing the scenery, cleaning the bathrooms and pulling the curtain.