Conchata Ferrell, who played the housekeeper, Berta, alongside Charlie Sheen on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, has passed away.
Ferrell reportedly passed away on Monday (October 12) afternoon at Sherman Oaks Hospital in Los Angeles, California.
Ferrell died from complications following a cardiac arrest, according to Deadline.
She reportedly died surrounded by her family.
Ferrell experienced declining health for months before she died
Ferrell was admitted to the ICU earlier in May after battling an illness originally caused by an infection for months.
In July, Ferrell’s husband, Arnie, said she had been transferred to a long-term care facility after spending weeks at the hospital.
She suffered a cardiac arrest in July and was placed on dialysis and a respirator. Her husband was unable to visit her due to the restrictions put in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tributes pour in on social media
People have been paying tribute since the news of Ferrell’s death broke.
“An absolute sweetheart, a consummate pro, a genuine friend,” Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen tweeted. “A shocking and painful loss. Berta, your housekeeping was a tad suspect, your ‘people’ keeping was perfect.”
“She was a beautiful human. Berta’s gruff exterior was an invention of the writers,” Two and a Half Men star Jon Cryer also tweeted. “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.”
Conchata Ferrell bio
Ferrell was born in March 1943, in the Loudendale community, near Charleston, West Virginia.
She attended West Virginia University and Marshall University. She graduated from Marshall with a degree in history education.
Ferrell started her career off-Broadway. She was a member of the Circle Repertory Theater.
She played Gertrude Blum in The Sea Horse by Edward J. Moore. She portrayed April Green in the off-Broadway hit, The Hot l Baltimore by Lanford Wilson.
She also appeared in several other theatre productions, including William Inge’s Picnic and Tennessee Williams’ Battle of Angels (aka Orpheus Descending).
Ferrell was best known for playing Berta, Charlie Sheen’s witty housekeeper, on the popular sitcom Two and a Half Men. The series aired on CBS for 12 seasons, from September 2003 to February 2015.
She won multiple awards as a stage actress, including a Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Award, and an Obie Award for Best Actress.
In 1992, she received her first Primetime Emmy nomination for playing Susan Bloom on L.A. Law, a legal drama series that aired on NBC for eight seasons, from September 1986 to May 1994.
In 2005 and 2007, she received two more Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Two and a Half Men.
She also appeared on other TV shows during her career, such as The Love Boat, Matlock, Good Times, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grace and Frankie, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Friends. Ferrell popped up on the Netflix sitcom, The Ranch, for five episodes as Shirley. That reunited her with another Two and a Half Men co-star, Ashton Kucher.
In addition to the stage and TV, Conchata Ferrell also had roles in many movies, including Edward Scissorhands, Krampus, Mystic Pizza, and Erin Brockovich.
According to her IMDb profile, Ferrell’s final credited role will be in 2021’s Deported as Betsy.