Kate Williamson was an actress best known for the role of Mrs. Rodgers on the TV comedy Ellen.

She began her career in the theater and began appearing on television in the 1970s with roles in such series as Police Story and Little House on the Prairie. Over the next 25 years she appeared in dozens of other series and made-for-TV movies, including Hill Street Blues, Newhart, Cheers, Falcon Crest, Murder, She Wrote, Red Shoe Diaries, Profiler, JAG, Home Improvement, NYPD Blue and 7th Heaven.

Theater remained a passion throughout her career, and she performed in productions at playhouses throughout California.

Her feature film credits included Racing with the Moon, Disclosure, Bye Bye Love, Touch, The Last Time I Committed Suicide, The Hi-Lo Country and Dahmer.

Williamson, who was born Robina Jane Sparks, was married for more than 40 years to fellow actor Al Ruscio, who died November 13.

She died just weeks later, on December 6, 2013, in Encino, California. She was 82.