Actress Conchata Ferrell tragically passed away on October 12 after complications
following a cardiac arrest. The Two and a Half Men star was 77.
Ferrell might have been best known as Berta, the no-nonsense housekeeper for the Harpers.
"If the kid doesn't want to go, don't make him go."
"Yeah."
"He's 10, he's old enough to work."
"What?"
But the actress had a long career as an accomplished star of stage and screen.
Alongside her two Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy nominations for playing Berta,
Ferrell was nominated for an Emmy for her role as Susan Bloom on L.A. Law.
She also appeared in Edward Scissorhands, Mystic Pizza,
and the Oscar-winning film Erin Brockovich, as well as having guest roles on dozens of shows
including The Ranch, Grace and Frankie, Judging Amy, and Touched by an Angel.
As a young actress, Ferrell cut her teeth as an original member of the Off-Broadway Circle
Repertory Theatre. The theater's founding artistic director, Marshall W. Mason,
remembers her early star talent, saying:
"Conchata Ferrell was exactly the kind of artist for whom we created our theater – a
deeply honest performer who would inspire our playwrights to create roles for her.
She was our first home-grown star."
She got a slew of award recognition for her role as Gertrude Blum in Edward J.
Moore's The Sea Horse, including a Drama Desk Award,
a Theatre World Award and an Obie Award for Best Actress in 1974.
Ferrell's friends and co-stars have shared emotional posts honoring the beloved actress.
Jon Cryer tweeted:
"She was a beautiful human. Berta's gruff exterior was an invention of the writers.
Chatty's warmth and vulnerability were her real strengths.
I'm crying for the woman I'll miss, and the joy she brought so many."
He remembered Ferrell's first day on set,
when she wouldn't believe him as he gushed over what a big fan he was of hers, adding:
"She could have two lines in a scene and walk away with it.
I wasn't exaggerating when I said I was lucky every day."
Actress Melanie Lynskey, who played Rose on Two and a Half Men, tweeted:
"Lovely, brilliant Chatti. I'm weeping. She was the warmest, most gracious lady. Her husband Arnie
came to every single taping of Two And A Half Men and sat in the audience, beaming with pride.
Her sweet daughter Samantha was often there too. Oh, she was loved. She will be missed."
Former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen also took to Twitter to share his condolences, writing:
"An absolute sweetheart, a consummate pro,
a genuine friend. Berta, your housekeeping was a tad suspect, your 'people' keeping was perfect."
Fans have also chimed in remembering Ferrell. One tweeted:
"Crushed to hear about the loss of Conchata Ferrell, an incomparable character actress."
We'll all be thankful for the many laughs Ferrell has given us throughout the years.
"I have to take care of my body 'cause it's my instrument."
"Mine too. Three beers and a bratwurst and my ass turns into a French horn."
Of course, it isn't just celebrities and fans grieving the comedy icon.
Conchata Ferrell is survived by her husband, Arnie Anderson, and daughter Samantha. Anderson also
worked in Hollywood behind the scenes as a sound mixer. In addition, he was a professor who taught
sound-mixing at Los Angeles City College. Anderson and Ferrell were married for decades, though they
became a family well before they exchanged vows. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 1991,
Ferrell revealed that she and Anderson didn't tie the knot until seven years
after they started dating, when their daughter Samantha asked them to. According to People,
Ferrell was surrounded by her family in her final days.
Ferrell was inspired to go into acting by her father, Luther Ferrell. He was a West
Virginia factory worker, and though he felt lucky that he didn't have to work in the coal mines,
he advised his daughter to choose a job that she loved.
While Ferrell got her college degree in education, after appearing in a comedy revue,
she was inspired to move to New York City and pursue a career on the stage. Her prodigious
talent led her to success onstage and eventually on screen. As she told The A.V. Club in 2014:
"I mean, I fulfilled my dad's desire for me. I love what I do."