# Rhoda Gemignani

Rhoda Gemignani (née Rhoda Barbara Cohan; born October 21, 1939) is an American actress, best known for her recurring role as Mrs. Carmela Rossini in the American television sitcom Who's the Boss?.
She appeared frequently on television between the 1970s to 2000s, primarily acting in comedic shows. In addition to portraying Mrs. Rossini on Who's The Boss?, Gemignani had recurring roles on The Bob Newhart Show and Just Shoot Me! Outside of comedy, she made guest appearances in Police Woman, Kojak, The Twilight Zone, Hill Street Blues, Walker, Texas Ranger and many others. She appeared in the films Ghostbusters (1984), Three Fugitives (1989), and The Man Who Wasn't There (2001).

## Career

Starting in the 1970s, Gemignani began appearing on several sitcoms, typically in small roles. Her work in this genre includes Diff'rent Strokes, The Jeffersons, Friends, Seinfeld and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. On Full House, she originated the role of Jesse Katsopolis' mother, Irene, before being replaced by Yvonne Wilder. She had a recurring role as Mrs. Rossini in long running sitcom Who's the Boss? (1984−92), appearing across all eight of the show's seasons.
In film, Gemignani appeared as a real estate agent in Ghostbusters (1984) and played the role of Costanza in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001). As a theater actress, Gemignani portrayed Cleopatra in play Caesar and Cleopatra, Titania in William Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Golde in a production of musical Fiddler on the Roof.
During the 1990s, she played major roles in two short-lived television shows: beautician Ruby DeMattis in sitcom Family Album and Pearl Frischetti on legal drama, The Great Defender. At the turn of the millennium, she appeared as the mother of Elliot DiMauro on Just Shoot Me! (1999−2003). Gemignani provided the voice of Gladys Fairfax and two other characters in the video game SWAT 4, released in 2005. Her only acting role during the 2010s was as Mrs. LeBlanc in the sitcom Episodes.

## Personal life

Gemignani was born as Rhoda Barbara Cohan on October 21, 1939, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Leo and Lillian Cohan. Her older brother, Martin Cohan, was a comedy writer who co-created Who's the Boss? Gemignani attended San Francisco State College. She married theater composer Paul Gemignani in 1961; they later divorced. She is Jewish.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | Sticky My Fingers... Fleet My Feet | Mother | Short |
| 1980 | Die Laughing | Russian ticket taker | |
| 1984 | Young Lust | Bernice Borsalino | |
| 1984 | Ghostbusters | Real Estate Woman | |
| 1989 | Three Fugitives | Radio Operator | |
| 1999 | Carlo's Wake | Aunt Betty | |
| 2001 | The Man Who Wasn't There | Costanza | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | General Hospital | Grace | |
| 1973 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Alice (uncredited) | Season 3 Episode 16: "Lou's Place" |
| 1973–1974 | The Bob Newhart Show | Joan Rossi | 3 episodes |
| 1975 | The Jeffersons | Emily Bates | Season 2 Episode 12: "George and the Manager" |
| 1976 | Kojak | Katrina Patropolous | Season 3 Episode 15: "The Forgotten Room" |
| 1976 | NBC Special Treat | Aunt Olga | Season 1 Episode 5: "Papa and Me" |
| 1976 | Roxy Page | Anna Hagopian | TV Movie |
| 1976 | Doc | Mrs. Gerber | Season 2 Episode 1: "Carry on Nurse, Please" |
| 1976 | Police Woman | Francine | Season 3 Episode 4: "Sara Who?" |
| 1977 | Panic in Echo Park | | TV Movie |
| 1979 | The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal | Mary Grasso | TV Movie |
| 1981 | Nero Wolfe | Mrs. Drossos | Season 1 Episode 1: "The Golden Spiders" |
| 1981–1983 | Diff'rent Strokes | Doctor / Mrs. Craig / Mrs. Valenti | 3 episodes |
| 1982 | Farrell for the People | Mrs. Theodakis | TV Movie |
| 1982 | The Quest | | Season 1 Episode 3: "He Stole-A My Art" |
| 1983 | The Facts of Life | Evelyn | Season 4 Episode 21: "Help from Home" |
| 1984 | Concrete Beat | Sylvie | TV Movie |
| 1984 | Mike Hammer | Mama Zinetta | Season 2 Episode 9: "A Death in the Family" |
| 1984–1992 | Who's the Boss? | Carmella Rossini | 21 episodes (Recurring role) |
| 1985 | Hill Street Blues | Mrs. Biomonte | Season 5 Episode 22: "You're in Alice's" |
| 1985 | Goldie and the Bears | Dorothy | TV Movie |
| 1986 | The Twilight Zone | Angelina | Season 1 Episode 23: "Shadow Play/Grace Note" segment: "Grace Note" |
| 1986 | St. Elsewhere | Andrea Novino | Season 5 Episode 10: "Once Upon a Mattress" |
| 1987 | Moonlighting | Emily | Season 3 Episode 10: "Poltergeist III - Dipesto Nothing" |
| 1987 | Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife | Mama | TV Movie |
| 1987 | Hunter | Mrs. Palovsky | Season 3 Episode 18: "A Child Is Born" |
| 1987 | Full House | Irene Cochran | Season 1 Episode 4: "The Return of Grandma" |
| 1988 | Still the Beaver | Madame Rosa | Season 4 Episode 5: "Cursed Again" |
| 1989 | Paradise | Rusty Rolleri | Season 1 Episode 12: "The Traveler" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | Marie (Present Day) | Season 3 Episode 6: "How Will They Remember Me?" |
| 1989 | Snoops | Madame Eleanor | Season 1 Episode 7: "The Sagittarian Candidate" |
| 1990 | Rock Hudson | TV Producer | TV Movie |
| 1990 | Babes | Aunt Marion | Season 1 Episode 9: "The Thanksgiving Show" |
| 1990–1991 | Jake and the Fatman | Carla Styles | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Eddie Dodd | Judge Taylor | Season 1 Episode 3: "Pound of Flesh" |
| 1992 | Seinfeld | Woman With Elaine | Season 3 Episode 13: "The Subway" |
| 1992 | Brooklyn Bridge | Mrs. Kaminsky | Season 2 Episode 6: "The Last Immigrant" |
| 1993 | Baywatch | Mama Torzini | Season 3 Episode 18: "Stakeout at Surfrider Beach" |
| 1993 | FBI: The Untold Stories | Arlyne | Season 2 Episode 14: "Mob Lady" |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Yelena | Season 1 Episode 1: "One Riot, One Ranger" |
| 1993 | Family Album | Rudy DeMattis | Series regular |
| 1995 | Charlie Grace | Miss Jacobs | Season 1 Episode 1: "Take Me to the Pilot" |
| 1995 | The Great Defender | Pearl Frischetti | Series regular |
| 1996 | Local Heroes | Mrs. Trakacs | Season 1 Episode 1: "Hometown Heroes" |
| 1996 | Life with Roger | Mrs. Costello | Season 1 Episode 7: "Love Thy Neighbor" |
| 1997 | Friends | Mrs. Potter | Season 4 Episode 4: "The One with the Ballroom Dancing" |
| 1998 | Caroline in the City | Gail | Season 3 Episode 20: "Caroline and the Little White Lies" |
| 1998 | The Closer | Laraine Verna | Season 1 Episode 7: "Honor Thy Jack" |
| 1999 | Netforce | Momma | TV Movie |
| 1999 | Rocky Marciano | Pasquelina Marchegiano | TV Movie |
| 1999–2003 | Just Shoot Me! | Rhoda DiMauro | 8 episodes |
| 2000 | The What a Cartoon Show | Mamma Mia (voice) | Season 2 Episode 8: "Foe Paws" |
| 2005 | Related | Housing Services Secretary | Season 1 Episode 3: "Cry Me a Sister" |
| 2015–2017 | Episodes | Mrs. LeBlanc | 2 episodes |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2005 | SWAT 4 | Gladys Fairfax / Sharon Conway / Female Hostage #4 (voice) | |