Valerie Harper, who scored guffaws, stole hearts and busted TV taboos as the brash, self-deprecating Rhoda Morgenstern on back-to-back hit sitcoms in the 1970s, has died.

Longtime family friend Dan Watt confirmed Harper died Friday, adding the family wasnB次元官网网址檛 immediately releasing any further details. She had been battling cancer for years, and her husband said recently he had been advised to put her in hospice care.

Harper was a breakout star on B次元官网网址淭he Mary Tyler Moore Show,B次元官网网址� then the lead of her own series, B次元官网网址淩hoda.B次元官网网址� She was 80.

She won three consecutive Emmys (1971-73) as supporting actress on B次元官网网址淭he Mary Tyler Moore ShowB次元官网网址� and another for outstanding lead actress for B次元官网网址淩hoda,B次元官网网址� which ran from 1974-78. Beyond awards, she was immortalized B次元官网网址� and typecast B次元官网网址� for playing one of televisionB次元官网网址檚 most beloved characters, a best friend the equal of Ethel Mertz and Ed Norton in TVB次元官网网址檚 sidekick pantheon.

Fans had long feared the news of her passing. In 2013, she first revealed that she had been diagnosed with brain cancer and had been told by her doctors she had as little as three months to live. Some responded as if a family member were in peril.

But she refused to despair. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not dying until I do,B次元官网网址� Harper said in an interview on NBCB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭odayB次元官网网址� show. B次元官网网址淚 promise I wonB次元官网网址檛.B次元官网网址� Harper did outlive her famous co-star: Mary Tyler Moore died in January 2017. Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman and Betty White are among the former cast members who survive her.

In recent years, HarperB次元官网网址檚 other appearances included B次元官网网址淎merican Dad!B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址漈he SimpsonsB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭wo Broke Girls.B次元官网网址�

The Associated Press

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