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Three-time Emmy winning actress and comedienne Nanette Fabray has died. Fabray passed away on Thursday in her Palos Verdes, Calif. home, her son reported to the New York Times. She was 97 years old.
Fabray collected three Emmys in two years, winning two in 1956 for Best Comedienne and Best Actress in a Supporting role for Caesar's Hour. Her third came in 1957 again for Caesar's Hour in the Best Continuing Performance by a Comedienne in a Series category. Fabray also won a Tony Award in 1948 for Best Actress in a Musical for starring in Love Life.
The comedienne's other notable credits includeOne Day at a Time where she played Grandma Katherine Romano (the role played by Rita Moreno in Netflix's reboot), The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Love Boat.
Fabray suffered from otosclerosis --a disease of the bones of the middle and inner ear -- as a teenager, which caused her to struggle in school. Though she was able to eventually get surgery to correct the issue and prevent her from losing her hearing entirely, Fabray remained an advocate for the hard-of-hearing community. On an episode of The Carol Burnett Show, she sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" using sign language. And she signed "I love you" each time she appeared on the game show The Hollywood Squares.
Besides her son, Ms. Fabray is survived by two grandchildren.