The Tragic Death Of Seinfeld Actor Kathryn Kates

Kathryn Kates died on January 22 from cancer at the age of 73, reports Deadline. Her representatives announced the tragic news in a statement, writing, "Kathryn has been our client for many years, and we have grown much closer to her in this last year since she knew of her cancer returning." They added, "She was always incredibly brave and wise and approached every role with the greatest of passion. She will be greatly missed." The actor is survived by several family members, including her brother, Joshua, her sister, Mallory, two sisters-in-law, and a nephew named Ben. 

Following the "Seinfeld" actor's death, her agent, Ben Jordan, spoke to USA Today. He specified that Kates died "after a hard fought battle with lung cancer" and revealed that a memorial service would be delayed until sometime in the spring. According to another agent, Erica Bines, Kates was thankfully not alone when she died, but rather "surrounded by her incredible family."

In a tribute to the late actor, posted to her Instagram account on January 23, someone shared a video of Kates reciting Shakespeare's "Sonnet 77," which addresses the apt theme of time passing and the demise of youth. The accompanying caption contains the poem, "Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep," by Mary Elizabeth Frye. Fans filled the comment section with messages of love for Kates.

Kathryn Kates enjoyed a long and successful career in the entertainment industry. She was best known for appearing in the hit sitcom "Seinfeld," in addition to the Netflix popular series, "Orange Is the New Black," and the Disney Channel series "Lizzie McGuire," according to her personal website. She began her career in 1974 as one of the founding members of The Colony Theatre in Los Angeles, and went on to produce and star in various plays. Since then, most of her roles were as a guest or recurring character on television series. She also dabbled in film, most notably in "Getting Out" and "The Many Saints of Newark," and starred in off-Broadway productions.

The actor's impressive resumé earned her a pack of loyal fans over the years, many of whom were devastated to hear the news of her death. In response to an Instagram tribute from Headline Talent Agency, in which they referred to Kates as "a true icon," one fan wrote, "Such a wonderful talented human being, she is missed." Another penned, "Beautiful lady I will miss her forever." One more fan took to Twitter to sing her praises of the late actor. "I greatly admired her work & she knew it," the fan wrote, adding, "I told her many times and I'm glad I did – outspoken, true, caring, memorable actress in every part."