Two and a Half Men Star Conchata Ferrell Passes Away at 77

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Two and a Half Men Star Conchata Ferrell Passes Away at 77

Conchata Ferrell, stage and TV veteran best known for her role as the housekeeper Berta on Two and a Half Men, has passed away at the age of 77.

Conchata Ferrell, stage and TV veteran, best known for her role as the housekeeper Berta on Two and a Half Men, passed away at the age of 77 on Monday. Ferrell was born on March 28, 1943 in West Virginia. She grew up in the state and attended Marshall University in her 20s, getting her first taste of the stage in the city while reading for her degree in History Education.

The early part of Ferrell's career continued in New York City, where she was an early member of the Circle Theater company, earning plaudits and awards for her appearances Off-Broadway in the city. She started working in film and TV in the 1970s and first gained wide recognition for playing Susan Bloom on L.A. Law, a role which saw her nominated for an Emmy. But to most TV fans, she will always be known as Berta, Charlie's (Charlie Sheen) tough-talking, no-nonsense housekeeper. A recurring character in season 1, Ferrell's performance made her a hit with audiences of the smash TV show, and Berta joined the main cast through the rest of the show's 12-season run, outlasting two of the three original stars, with Sheen and Angus T. Jones (Jake) both leaving the sitcom before the end of its run. She most recently starred in Netflix's The Ranch in 2017 and had appeared on Grace and Frankie in 2015.

Today, Deadline announced that Ferrell had passed away from complications following a cardiac arrest she had suffered in May. She had reportedly been under care since the incident and passed away on Monday. Her Two and a Half Men co-stars, Sheen and Jon Cryer, who played Charlie's hapless brother and unwanted house guest Alan, tweeted their memories of her from the show. Sheen called her a "sweetheart," "consummate pro," and "genuine friend," while Cryer called her "a beautiful human" and posted a long thread of tweets recounting many stories from his time working with her. Adam Sandler, who worked alongside Ferrell in Mr. Deeds, also paid tribute, sending his condolences to her family. You can read their tributes to Ferrell below:

Ferrell wasn't just known for her TV roles. Her movie roles were just as extensive, frequently collaborating with Tim Burton- appearing as Helen in Edward Scissorhands and lending her voice to his 2012 full-length animated film Frankenweenie - and playing strong supporting roles in a number of well-regarded dramas, including Erin Brokovich, Mystic Pizza, and K-Pax.

Her breakout movie role, though was as a tough frontier woman in 1979's Homeland, opposite Rip Torn. Based on a true story, Ferrell lent heart and emotional depth to the performance, proving that her stage acumen would translate well to film. Ferrell left her mark on stage, on TV, and in movies over a five-decade career, and she will be greatly missed.

R.I.P. CONCHATA FERRELL: MARCH 28, 1943-OCTOBER 12, 2020