Just heartbroken to wake up to the news that Valerie Harper has terminal brain cancer. The minute I read in her memoir that she was a "lung cancer survivor," I was immediately nervous. (Is there really such a thing?) A friend and I were just talking about how surprising it was that all but one of the original "Mary Tyler Moore" cast members were still alive. (Ted Knight died in 1986 at 62.) But that Rhoda -- whose costars include Betty White (b. 1922), Cloris Leachman (b. 1926) and Ed Asner (b. 1929) -- would be likely to pass next seems unfathomable. Such a sweet woman who has brought me countless hours of joy. You will be missed, Valerie. You will be missed but will live on forever as the ultimate best friend to Mare and all of us.
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At the 2007 Tony Awards
At the 2007 Tony Awards