The enormously talented comedic actress Carol Ann Susi died in November, but it wasn’t until last night on The Big Bang Theory that her TV character, the beloved and hilarious Mrs. Wolowitz, followed her. Susi assayed only the voice of Mrs. Wolowitz (the character was never seen)–and she nevertheless managed to make her mark on a show that delivers a wealth of visual elements. (The Big Bang Theory characters may signal more with dress code than characters on any other TV show.)
Showrunner Steven Molaro told Yahoo TV that after hearing the news of Susi passing back in November, “Everyone on the stage cried and shared their wonderful memories and stories of Carol Ann.” The writers and actors wanted to recreate that balance of sadness and joy. Kunal Nayyar (Raj) tweeted upon hearing the news of Susi’s passing: “My heart is broken. I will miss your smile. Your spirit is forever with us.” The cast made good on Nayyar’s promise in the episode that said goodbye to Mrs. Wolowitz. Carol Ann Susi’s spirit was certainly there.
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