The Heartbreaking Death Of Sopranos Star Rae Allen
Rae Allen died in her sleep on Wednesday morning, news that was passed on to People by the 95-year-old actress' manager, Kyle Fritz of Kyle Fritz Management.
As noted by the outlet, Allen was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1926, and she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1955, she landed the role of Gloria Thorpe in "Damn Yankees," for which she earned a Tony Award nomination. Three years later, she reprised the role in the film version of this musical. She would go on to earn another Tony nomination for her work in "Traveller Without Luggage." In this way, she laid down the framework for future stars to make their big breaks, including Anna Kendrick, by earning Tony nominations early in their careers.
Throughout the years, she also appeared on television shows such as "The Patty Duke Show," "All in the Family," "Scarecrow and Mrs. King," "Seinfeld," "Joan of Arcadia," and "Grey's Anatomy." Moreover, her IMDb page lists her last credit as Carlina Grigiono in 2011's "Vampire Mob." Additionally, she was featured as Ma Keller in the cast of "A League of Their Own" and Aunt Quintina Blundetto on "The Sopranos."
Two end-of-life celebrations will be held for this Tony Award-winning star
Deadline reports that the survivors of Rae Allen, who was born as Rae Julia Theresa, include nieces Laura and Betty Cosgrove and adopted family members, as well as April Webster and Lisa Ann Gold, who are listed as close, personal friends of Allen. In addition, ComicBook.com writes that Allen was married twice in her life: once to John M. Allen and then to Herbert Harris, a politician.
After passing away due to natural causes, the actress' life will be duly celebrated, as Deadline reports that services will be held on both the East and the West Coasts. At the time of writing, no details about the celebrations have been revealed.
She will be remembered for her decades of work on the stage, in well-known TV shows, and on the big screen, work that also earned her a Tony Award for "And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little," as she was named the best featured actress in a play in 1971. Ultimately, though, it just might've been her "The Sopranos" role that made her so beloved by the masses.