Actress Liz Sheridan, best known for playing the comical, loving mother to Jerry Seinfeld‘s Jerry on his eponymous show, has died. The New York native died at 93 years old of natural causes at 2:30 am on Friday, TMZ reports.
“Liz was always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for,” the comedian began in a heartfelt tribute on Twitter. “Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her.”
Liz was always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for. Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her. pic.twitter.com/ae9TDHQILU
— Jerry Seinfeld (@JerrySeinfeld) April 15, 2022
Liz starred as Jerry’s hilariously overprotective yet loving mother Helen Seinfeld from 1990 to 1998. She was featured in 21 episodes of the series, and was the only member of the cast apart from the four main leads who had a part in nine seasons of the hit ’90s comedy.
Coincidentally, her death comes just two weeks after another Seinfeld mom, Estelle Harris, who was also 93. The equally hilarious actress, who played George Costanza‘s mom, Estelle, also received a touching tribute from her TV son on Twitter. “One of my favorite people has passed – my tv mama, Estelle Harris. The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat. I adore you, Estelle. Love to your family. Serenity now and always,” he wrote.
Jerry and George often vented to each other about their overbearing New York mothers on the show — with love of course.
In addition to Seinfeld, Liz also had a recurring role as Raquel Ochmonek on the NBC sitcom ALF, which ran from 1986-1990. Before her run on TV, Liz began working as a dancer in Big Apple nightclubs in New York City where she met then-up-and-coming actor James Dean before he hit it big with Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden. She wrote a book, Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean: A Love Story, detailing how they were each others’ first romantic love in 1952 New York.
“We had great times […] we didn’t want to be apart,” she wrote. “We found a place and lived together… [b]efore he really hit it big.” When a sure plan for their future wasn’t in place as Dean pursued Hollywood, their relationship ultimately ended. “He was being hauled away into this career, and I couldn’t follow him,” she said in an interview.