Veteran American character actress Helen Siff, whose face was familiar to generations of film and television viewers, has died at age 88. Her family confirmed that she passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in Los Angeles after complications from surgery following “a long and painful illness.” Her death ends a career that spanned more than five decades and included over 70 credits across film, television, and stage.
Born June 2, 1937, in Woodmere, New York, Siff grew up as an identical twin with her sister Carol Infield Sender. She entered acting later than many, making her first on-screen appearance in a 1976 Subaru commercial alongside her twin. Her first credited TV role came in 1981 on Lou Grant, launching steady work throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Siff became a familiar presence on shows such as Cagney & Lacey, L.A. Law, Knots Landing, Married… with Children, Will & Grace, and Modern Family. In film, audiences recognized her from roles in The Karate Kid, Rocky, City Slickers II, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, and Hail, Caesar!. One of her final appearances was in Apple TV+’s High Desert (2023).
She also maintained a strong stage career, originating the role of Helga in the off-Broadway comedy Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral. Married for 41 years to Marshall Siff, she was a devoted mother and grandmother.
Her daughter Victoria Russell remembered her as a “dynamic, charismatic, one-of-a-kind mom,” adding, “She loved her craft deeply… You’ve taken your final bow, mommy… I will love you forever.”
