Roseanna Christiansen, the portrayer of the Ewing family’s maid Teresa on the original Dallas series, has died. She was 71.
The actress died July 14 in Lancaster, Calif., according to her husband Steven Rizzo who confirmed the news to our sister site The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been given.
Christiansen (left in the photo above) joined Dallas in 1982 during the show’s sixth season. She recurred as Teresa in 112 episodes through its final season, Season 14, which ended in 1991. Teresa often appeared alongside Tony Garcia’s Raoul the butler, another character who helped keep the Ewings’ Southfork ranch afloat.
Before starring in CBS’ popular primetime soap, Christiansen played another maid character on three episodes of The Jeffersons in 1981. Her character Carmen was hired by George and Louise Jefferson following the departure of Marla Gibbs’ Florence, who left the series to star in her own spinoff, Checking In. After the spinoff’s cancellation, Gibbs’ character returned to her former position at the Jefferson household.
Christiansen’s other TV credits include Matlock, CBS Summer Playhouse and A Year in the Life. In addition, she appeared in the TV movies This Is Kate Bennett… and Temporary Insanity in 1982 and 1985, respectively.
She was also an ordained minister and an acting coach, who spent her career helping to guide thousands of students in the industry.
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