Two and a Half Men star Conchata Ferrell passes away

Actor Conchata Ferrell, best known for her role as the no-nonsense housekeeper Berta in the sitcom Two and a Half Men, has passed away. She was 77.

Ferrell, a three-time Emmy nominee, died Monday of complications following a cardiac arrest at Sherman Oaks Hospital, reported Entertainment Weekly.

Besides the two nominations for Two and a Half Men, in which she appeared in over 200 episodes, the actor also earned a nod for playing Susan Bloom in the legal drama LA Law.

Some of her other notable credits on the small screen include ER, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Grace and Frankie.

In films, Ferrell got her first starring role in the 1979 drama Heartland, and followed it with titles like Network, Mystic Pizza, Erin Brockovich, and Edward Scissorhands. 

She was also a known name in theatre and gained success off-Broadway as an original member of the Circle Repertory Theatre. Her role as April Green in Lanford Wilson's off-Broadway play Hot L Baltimore lead her to Los Angeles and a starring role in the 1975 Norman Lear series of the same name.

She also starred in notable productions like Battle of Angels in 1974 by Tennessee Williams (later known as Orpheus Descending), and Picnic by William Inge at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

Ferrell's Two and a Half Men co-stars Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen paid tributes to the late actor on Twitter.

Cryer remembered her as a 'beautiful human'. "I'm crying for the woman I'll miss, and the joy she brought so many," he added. 

Sheen said Ferrell was an absolute sweetheart, a consummate pro, and a genuine friend. "Berta, your housekeeping was a tad suspect, your 'people' keeping was perfect," he said.

Born Conchata Galen Ferrell on March 28, 1943, in Charleston, West Virginia, Conchata Ferrell attended West Virginia University and Marshall University. She graduated from Marshall with a degree in history education and later taught acting for television at University of California, Los Angeles for several years.

Her most recent credits include the TV movie A Very Nutty Christmas and the upcoming feature, Deported.

Ferrell is survived by her husband, Arnie Anderson, and daughter, Samantha.