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Helen Siff, Veteran Character Actress of Film and TV, Dies at 88

Her family said she died in Los Angeles from complications after surgery for a long illness.

Overview

  • Siff died on Dec. 18 in Los Angeles following postoperative complications, according to a family statement reported by major outlets.
  • Across five decades and more than 70 screen credits, she appeared in The Karate Kid, Hail, Caesar!, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, Will & Grace and Modern Family.
  • Her family remembered her as a kind professional who brought dedication to every set and had a rare gift for making small roles memorable.
  • She originated the role of Helga in the 1993 Off-Broadway comedy Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral, after early work that included a 1976 Subaru commercial with her twin and a 1981 Lou Grant appearance.
  • Her final credited performance was a 2023 guest role on Apple TV+’s High Desert; she is survived by sisters Carol Infield Sender and Janet Maffei, five children and seven grandchildren, and was predeceased by her husband Marshall and son Bruce.