Actress Sheree North dead at 72

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Film, stage and TV star Sheree North, best known for her roles on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Seinfeld," has died in Los Angeles at age 72.

North died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from complications of surgery, her daughter told Monday's Los Angeles Times.

The platinum blonde bombshell of 1950s Hollywood played Lou Grant's girlfriend, Charlene Maguire, in the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Kramer's mom, Babs, on "Seinfield."

North was groomed by 20th Century Fox to be a substitute for the unreliable Marilyn Monroe -- and that is exactly what happened in 1955's "How to Be Very, Very Popular," in which North outdanced and outshone Betty Grable, the Times said.

Among her film credits were the 1956 musical "The Best Things in Life Are Free," 1973's "The Outfit," "The Shootist" with John Wayne in 1976 and the 1991 thriller "Defenseless."

Her many TV roles included "The Virginian," "The Big Valley," "The Fugitive," "Cannon," "McMillan and Wife," "Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law," "Kojak," "Hawaii Five-O," "Barnaby Jones," "Fantasy Island," "The Golden Girls" and "Murder, She Wrote." North earned Emmy nominations for appearances on "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "Archie Bunker's Place."

She is survived by her husband, Phillip Norman, two daughters and a grandchild.