Betty White Recalls Late Georgia Engel as Being the ‘Absolute Best’ in a Statement

Betty White paid tribute to her longtime friend and fellow co-star, Georgia Engel, as she passes away at 70.

Georgia Engel, 70, passed away last Friday in Princeton, New Jersey. The star with a unique voice made her stand out during her days as part of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” where she was cast as Georgette Franklin.

Her good friend, Betty White, whom she worked with on the show, and later again on “The Betty White Show” and “Hot in Cleveland,” paid homage to Engel in a statement last Monday, where she said:

“Georgia was one of a kind and the absolute best.”

Last July, Engel was able to drop a few words about White at a Television Critics Association panel, where she was able to describe their friendship.

“Betty is one of my dearest friends, and so it was a special joy when I got to be on ‘Hot in Cleveland’ with her,” she said.

“After ‘Moore’ ended… everybody went off to do their own spinoffs, and I found out later Betty said, ‘Well, what about Georgia?’” Engel added.

“And so she took me along with her. It was a short-lived series, but it just speaks to Betty’s self-forgetfulness.”

The cause of death is yet to be determined as she did not consult doctors, says her friend and executor, John Quilty. She is survived by her sisters Robin Engel and Penny Lusk.

Engel is a famous award-winning actress known for her remarkable performances which have garnered her two Emmy Award nominations and a Prism Award. She is most known for her work in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 56 episodes, but also made appearances in the film “The Outside Man,” “The Betty White Show,” “The Love Boat,” “A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story” and “Rhoda,” which is a spinoff of “The Mary Taylor Moore Show,” among many others.

She was also part of the American Light Opera Company after she graduated, and stayed there until it closed down in 1968. From there, she joined broadways and made it to acting on screen.