Kathryn Joosten - wikipedia Kathryn Joosten Kathryn Joosten Kathryn Joosten at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony Kathryn Rausch ( 1939 - 12 - 20 ) December 20, 1939 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. June 2, 2012 ( 2012 - 06 - 02 ) ( aged 72 ) Westlake Village, California, U.S. Cause of death Lung cancer Occupation Actress Years active 1973 -- 2012 Known for Karen McCluskey, Dolores Landingham Television Desperate Housewives, The West Wing Children Jonathan Joosten and Timothy Joosten Awards Primetime Emmy Awards ( 2005, 2008 ) Kathryn Joosten ( December 20, 1939 -- June 2, 2012 ) was an American television actress. Her best known roles include Dolores Landingham on NBC 's The West Wing from 1999 to 2002 and Karen McCluskey on ABC 's Desperate Housewives from 2005 to 2012, for which she won two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2005 and 2008. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Health 4 Death 5 Filmography 6 References 7 External links Early life Joosten was born Kathryn Rausch in Chicago, Illinois to Dutch - German parents. Her first career was as a psychiatric nurse at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, living in nearby Lake Forest, Illinois, where she married a psychiatrist and raised two sons. Following her 1980 divorce, she began acting in community theater in 1982, at age 42. Career In 1992, she was hired as a street performer working for Disney World in Orlando, Florida. In 1995, she moved to Hollywood, where she took guest roles in television series such as Roseanne, Home Improvement, Picket Fences, Murphy Brown, ER, Seinfeld, Frasier, Just Shoot Me !, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dharma & Greg, Las Vegas and The Drew Carey Show. In a 1997 episode of Frasier, `` Roz 's Turn '', Joosten appeared as Vera, the mother and personal secretary of Frasier 's conniving agent, Bebe Glazer, played by Harriet Sansom Harris. The pair would later be reunited to play opposite neighbors in Desperate Housewives. In 1999, Joosten took the role of Mrs. Landingham, personal secretary to President Josiah Bartlet ( played by Martin Sheen ) in The West Wing. Joosten played the role for two seasons, until her character 's death in a car crash in 2001, and returned to the show twice more in flashback appearances. Her role on The West Wing gave her an entrance into more significant guest roles on notable television series. Since 2001, she appeared in such shows as Scrubs ( appearing in `` My Old Lady '', which won a Humanitas Prize as well as reappearing in two later episodes ), My Name is Earl, Spin City, The X-Files, Judging Amy, Monk, Charmed, Will & Grace, Malcolm in the Middle, Grey 's Anatomy, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Reba, So Little Time, Gilmore Girls, The Closer and a recurring role as one of the less intimidating incarnations of God seen by the title character ( played by Amber Tamblyn ) on the TV series Joan of Arcadia. In 2005, Joosten appeared in the film Wedding Crashers, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Joosten had a recurring role on Desperate Housewives as Karen McCluskey. For this role, Joosten won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005 and 2008 and once again was nominated for 2010, and appeared as a presenter at the 2005 and 2008 Emmy Awards telecasts. She received Screen Actors Guild Award nominations with the rest of the cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series from 2006 -- 2008. She was promoted to a member of the regular cast in Season 6. However, the Emmys still billed her as a `` Guest Actress '' when she was nominated for a third time for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the 2010 Emmys. She was then nominated for a fourth Emmy, this time for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2012. She played Aunt Jackie in Alvin and the Chipmunks : The Squeakquel in 2009. In 2009, Joosten and Lily Tomlin were in talks to star in a Desperate Housewives spin - off. The spin - off was given a preliminary green light to proceed. However, the series did not proceed. Health Joosten appeared in numerous television commercials such as those for V8 and Fiber One. In 2007, in an appearance on The View, she revealed that she was in remission from lung cancer, after many years of chain smoking ( which she had by then quit ). She offered some tips on how to beat the habit of smoking. Coincidentally, her guest roles on My Name is Earl and Grey 's Anatomy revolved largely around her character attempting to quit smoking. In 2001, she quit her 45 - year smoking habit when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. In September 2009, Joosten was diagnosed with lung cancer for a second time. She subsequently underwent surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy, and was found to be cancer - free in January 2010. Joosten made a guest appearance on The Bold and the Beautiful on February 7, 2011, as part of the show 's 6000th episode, which featured several other real - life lung cancer survivors discussing their experiences with two of the show 's characters, played by Susan Flannery and Jack Wagner, who were dealing with lung cancer. Joosten was named the national spokesperson for the Lung Cancer Profiles campaign on behalf of Pfizer. Death Joosten died of lung cancer on the morning of June 2, 2012, after an 11 - year battle with the disease. She was survived by her two sons, two grandchildren and a brother. Coincidentally, her death occurred twenty days after the onscreen death from cancer of her Desperate Housewives character, Karen McCluskey. Poignantly, viewers in the United Kingdom first saw her onscreen death the day after her real life passing. Filmography Year Title Role Notes Sable Waitress 1 episode 1995 Pointman Lois 1 episode Family Matters Grocery checker 1 episode Picket Fences Waitress 1 episode Grace Under Fire Ida Reilly 1 episode 3rd Rock from the Sun Cafeteria lady 1 episode ER Lois 1 episode Roseanne Carol / Supermarket customer 2 episodes ( separate roles ) Goode Behavior Unknown 1 episode Murphy Brown Secretary # 83 1 episode Boston Common Mrs. Schuster 1 episode Seinfeld Warden Betsy Episode : `` The Little Jerry '' Frasier Vera 1 episode Profiler Morganna Styles 1 episode Men Behaving Badly Saleswoman 1 episode NYPD Blue Mrs. Prows 1 episode Life with Roger Mrs. Mitchell 1 episode Brooklyn South Mrs. Mariah Westbrook 2 episodes 1998 Prey Landlady 1 episode Just Shoot Me ! Mrs. Pierce 1 episode Nanny, The The Nanny Ward nurse 1 episode 1998 -- 2003 Drew Carey Show, The The Drew Carey Show Natalie / Ruth 2 episodes ( separate roles ) 1998 -- 2001 Dharma and Greg Claire 7 episodes ( recurring role ) 1999 Home Improvement Thelma McCreedy 1 episode Thanks Mrs. Sturges 3 episodes Tracey Takes On... Waitress 1 episode 1999 -- 2001 Providence Mrs. Nielsen / Miss O'Meara 2 episodes ( separate roles ) 1999 -- 2002 West Wing, The The West Wing Dolores Landingham 30 episodes ( recurring role ) 2000 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Genevive Holt 1 episode Becker Mrs. Goldsmith 1 episode Hellraiser : Inferno Mother Ally McBeal Sister Alice 1 episode Arli $ $ Kirby 's mother 1 episode Dead Last Nurse 1 episode Raising Dad Unknown 1 episode Spin City Sister Agnes 1 episode 2001 -- 09 Scrubs Mrs. Tanner 3 episodes : 1 uncredited 2002 X-Files, The The X-Files Agent Edie Boal episode : `` Trust No 1 '' Titus Betty 1 episode Division, The The Division Constance `` Connie '' Langtry 1 episode So Little Time Louise Van Horn 1 episode Even Stevens Edna Manning 1 episode 2002 -- 03 General Hospital Ida Warren 5 episodes 2003 Judging Amy Judge Drabowsky 1 episode A.U.S.A. Ginny Romano 2 episodes Hope & Faith Funeral guest Uncredited Charmed Magician 's wife / assistant 1 episode Less Than Perfect Old lady 1 episode Strong Medicine Mrs. Nolan 1 episode King of Queens, The The King of Queens Maureen 1 episode 2003 -- 05 Joan of Arcadia Elderly woman ( incarnation of God ) 8 episodes 2003 -- 08 Monk Neysa Gordon / Nurse Stempel separate roles : 2 episodes Curb Your Enthusiasm Woman at reception 1 episode 10 - 8 : Officers on Duty Mrs. Utenberger 1 episode Will & Grace Felicia 1 episode Yes, Dear Claire Atkinson 1 episode Life with Bonnie Phyllis 1 episode Everwood Mrs. Hammerhill 1 episode Gilmore Girls Mazie Fortner 1 episode Breaking Dawn Neighbor Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Patron 2005 Grey 's Anatomy Stephanie Drake 1 episode Love, Inc. Doris 1 episode Wedding Crashers Chazz 's Mom Malcolm in The Middle Claire 1 episode 2005 -- 08 My Name Is Earl Donny 's mother 2 episodes 2005 -- 12 Desperate Housewives Karen McCluskey 87 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series ( Won ; 2005, 2008, Nominated ; 2010 ) Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series ( 2012 ) Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series ( 2006, 2007, 2008 ) 2006 Reba Director 1 episode Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Grandma Marilyn 1 episode Evidence, The The Evidence Midge 1 episode Saved Evelyn Wilson 1 episode 2007 In Case of Emergency Mrs. Walsh 1 episode Closer, The The Closer Nurse Townsend 1 episode 2008 Las Vegas Robby 1 episode 2009 Alvin and the Chipmunks : The Squeakquel Aunt Jackie 2011 Bold and the Beautiful, The The Bold and the Beautiful Herself The Cleveland Show Hazel Mega Python vs. Gatoroid Angie 2012 The Mentalist Elderly neighbor 1 episode References ^ Jump up to : Harrington, Nancy ( May 9, 2012 ). `` Kathryn Joosten interview ( Chapter 1 ) - May 9, 2012 ''. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation 's Archive of American Television. Retrieved June 11, 2012. Jump up ^ Valerie J. Nelson ( 2012 - 06 - 03 ). `` ' Desperate Housewives ' actress who played Mrs. McCluskey dies ''. Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2016 - 12 - 09. ^ Jump up to : `` Kathryn Joosten, ' Desperate Housewives ' actress, dead from lung cancer at 72 ''. Today. June 2, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Kathryn Joosten ''. The Daily Telegraph. June 5, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2013. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ Rorke, Robert ( May 12, 2009 ). `` ' Wives ' Spins ''. New York Post. Retrieved September 18, 2013. Jump up ^ Rorke, Robert ( May 18, 2009 ). `` Galloping ' Girls ' ''. New York Post. Retrieved September 18, 2013. Jump up ^ Dagostino, Mark ( September 14, 2009 ). `` ' Desperate Housewives ' actress has lung cancer ''. People. Retrieved September 18, 2013. Jump up ^ IMDb profile, IMDb.com ; accessed December 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Kathryn Joosten ''. MetroSeeker.com. Retrieved September 18, 2013. External links Kathryn Joosten on IMDb Kathryn Joosten interview video at the Archive of American Television Emmy 's : Emmy Winner Kathryn Joosten Succumbs to Lung Cancer Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 1975 -- 2000 Cloris Leachman ( 1975 ) Beah Richards ( 1988 ) Colleen Dewhurst ( 1989 ) Swoosie Kurtz ( 1990 ) Colleen Dewhurst ( 1991 ) No award ( 1992 ) Tracey Ullman ( 1993 ) Eileen Heckart ( 1994 ) Cyndi Lauper ( 1995 ) Betty White ( 1996 ) Carol Burnett ( 1997 ) Emma Thompson ( 1998 ) Tracey Ullman ( 1999 ) Jean Smart ( 2000 ) 2001 -- present Jean Smart ( 2001 ) Cloris Leachman ( 2002 ) Christina Applegate ( 2003 ) Laura Linney ( 2004 ) Kathryn Joosten ( 2005 ) Cloris Leachman ( 2006 ) Elaine Stritch ( 2007 ) Kathryn Joosten ( 2008 ) Tina Fey ( 2009 ) Betty White ( 2010 ) Gwyneth Paltrow ( 2011 ) Kathy Bates ( 2012 ) Melissa Leo ( 2013 ) Uzo Aduba ( 2014 ) Joan Cusack ( 2015 ) Tina Fey & Amy Poehler ( 2016 ) Melissa McCarthy ( 2017 ) VIAF : 233487154 LCCN : no2012042508 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kathryn_Joosten&oldid=814232463 '' Categories : 1939 births 2012 deaths 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses Actresses from Chicago Actresses from Florida American film actresses American nurses American people of Dutch descent American people of German descent American television actresses Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from lung cancer People from Eustis, Florida Primetime Emmy Award winners Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from September 2013 Pages using deprecated image syntax Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2016 Articles using Template : EmmyTVLegends name Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Deutsch Eesti Español فارسی Français 한국어 Hrvatski Íslenska Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 7 December 2017, at 16 : 09. 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Question: who played kathy on malcolm in the middle
Answer: Kathryn Joosten