Character Actress Helen Siff Dead at 88

Longtime character actress Helen Siff, who filled small roles in dozens of films and shows throughout her multi-decade career, has died.

The performer’s Thursday, Dec. 18 death was announced by her family, who told The Hollywood Reporter she’d died from complications from a surgery for a “long, painful illness.”

Siff was born in Woodmere, New York, in 1937, and she began acting professionally nearly 40 years later, when she appeared in a commercial for Subaru in 1976.

She went on to play small roles in numerous films throughout the 1980s, including “The Karate Kid” and “Big Top Pee-Wee.”

Siff continued well into the 2000s, filling parts in movies like “Hail, Caesar!” and “You Don’t Mess With The Zohan.”

Siff also appeared in scores of television shows, including “Will & Grace,” “Modern Family,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” as well as various stage productions.

Her family said she had the ability to make “even the smallest part memorable.” She’s survived by two sisters, five of her children, and seven grandchildren.

Siff was 88.