Valerie Harper, Known for Star Turn as Rhoda on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' Dies at 80
Source: KTLA
Valerie Harper, who achieved fame as Rhoda on the classic sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and continued as the character in a popular spinoff series, has died after a long battle with cancer, her daughter Cristina Cacciotti told CNN. She was 80.
Deanna Buskey, a friend of the family for more than 20 years, confirmed Harper’s death and said the family was not “providing details at this time.” Buskey, who first met Harper and her husband while working with them on her theater production of “All Under Heaven,” helped launch a GoFundMe account for Harper’s care earlier this summer.
In July, Harper’s husband, Tony Cacciotti, posted a message on Facebook saying he would not follow the advice of his wife’s doctors and put her in hospice care, despite her worsening condition. He said he would “do my very best in making Val as comfortable as possible.”
ristina Cacciotti said her mother died at 10:06 a.m. Friday.
Harper was cast as Mary Richards’ wisecracking best friend, Rhoda Morgenstern, and became so popular that she was spun off into her own show, “Rhoda,” midway through the flagship program’s run. She won four Emmys for the role. The Rhoda character was originally conceived as an antagonist to Moore’s Mary, but was eventually fashioned into her outspoken friend. Harper recalled MTM executive Grant Tinker fighting to maintain those qualities in the face of early network concerns that Rhoda was too abrasive.
Read more: https://ktla.com/2019/08/30/valerie-harper-known-for-star-turn-as-rhoda-on-the-mary-tyler-moore-show-dies-at-80/
Wanted to add that I used to watch Rhoda and this is such a loss. R.I.P. to her.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Had no idea she was 80. I loved those shows. RIP 
with Mary, Ted Knight, Georgia Engel waiting to greet her...
She'll be missed by those still with us, including Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman, the irreplaceable Bette White, Gavin MacLeod, and others throughout her career.
A candle for Valerie:
My condolences to her family. May Valerie rest in peace.
R.I.P., Ms Harper.
In addition of all the TV roles, I saw her on stage as Golda. She was good.
She fought a long and brave road:
Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009, bravely battling the disease, in addition to leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition in which cancer cells spread to the membranes surrounding the brain.
In 2013, Harper was given three months to live as a result of the latter diagnosis, but continued her fight through chemotherapy treatments, even appearing on a season of Dancing With The Stars.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Stage-and-Screen-Star-Valerie-Harper-Passes-Away-At-Age-80-20190830
R I P Valerie
That was a wonderful character.
Worth celebrating her life. ❤️
"Moi name is rhoda moygenshtayrn"
At least that's my recollection lol ...
She was great ... RIP Valerie Harper