Mary Pat Gleason, who appeared in more than 100 films and television shows over the years of her career, has passed away. The actress, a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, was known for TV shows like Will and Grace and Mom among many others. She was 70-years-old at the time of her death.
News of Mary Pat Gleason's death was revealed via a Facebook post that paid tribute to her as both an actress and a person. She died on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Variety confirms via Gleason's manager that she passed away after a battle with cancer, saying that "she was a fighter to the end."
Mary Pat Gleason is likely best-known recently for her contributions to Will & Grace's first and only revival on NBC and CBS' Mom, but she has a whopping 174 credits to her name, with one project still yet-to-be released. She was a figure in several Shonda Rhimes series, including Scandal, How To Get Away with Murder, and Grey's Anatomy. Other big shows featuring Mary Pat Gleason include Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, and NCIS: Los Angeles.
On the film front, she's likely best known for playing Eleanor in 2004's A Cinderella Story, but she also played the memorable Martha Corey in The Crucible in 1996, to name only two of the many movies she appeared in. Her credits go all the way back to 1980. Her final role before her death was in the film Pencil Town.
Although primarily known for her work as an actress (as evidenced by the 174 credits to her name), Mary Pat Gleason is also an Emmy-winner for work behind-the-scenes of a TV show. In 1986, Gleason won a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for her writing contributions to the CBS soap opera Guiding Light.
Take a look at the Facebook message courtesy of actor and writer Ron Fassler that both announces Mary Pat Gleason and pays tribute to her:
Following the news of Mary Pat Gleason's death some of her costars from over the long years of her prolific career took to social media to share their feelings and honor the actress. Mimi Kennedy, who appeared with Gleason on CBS' Mom, shared an image and a message:
George Steeves worked with Mary Pat Gleason on Pencil Town, and he too has some touching pictures to go along with his tribute to her:
Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the friends, family, and loved ones of Mary Pat Gleason in this difficult time. The actress leaves behind a strong legacy on the large and small screens alike, and she won't be forgotten for as long as TV fans are watching her many shows, which should be a very long time.
