Actors Mary Fickett (L) & Ralph Bellamy as Eleanor & Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt in scene fr. play Sunrise at Campobello.
Getty ImagesLongtime All My Children actress Mary Fickett died Thursday of Alzheimer’s disease. She was 83.
Fickett was an original cast member on the ABC soap and played nurse Ruth Martin from 1970 to 1995, and again from 1998 to 2000.
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She won an Emmy Award in 1973 for an episode in which her character expressed her misgivings about the Vietnam War.
ABC said in a statement, “We at ABC were very saddened to learn about the passing of one of All My Children’s original cast members, Mary Fickett.
As we honor All My Children’s 41 years on ABC, we cannot help but recognize and remember Mary’s wonderful depiction of Pine Valley’s revered Ruth. Ruth’s marriage to chief of staff Dr. Joe Martin provided the bedrock upon which the town of Pine Valley was built. Their marriage was always a stabilizing force that represented “home” for many.”
The network will dedicate the Sept. 21 episode, which specifically focuses on the fictional Martin family, to Fickett. All My Children‘s last episode airs Sept. 23.
In addition to All My Children, Fickett also acted in theater, film and primetime television in projects such as Sunrise at Campobello, The Nurses, CBS’ morning 1960s morning show Calendar.
Survivors include daughter Bronwyn Congdon and son Kenyon Congdon, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, notes the Los Angeles Times.
