Trivia

Her husband, David Christian, was 14 years younger than she was. He was 19 and she was 33 when they met in 1962. They were together for seven years before they were married in 1969. At the time of her death in 2019, they had been together as a couple for 57 years.

Was one of 3 cast members who appeared in all 196 episodes of Who's the Boss? (1984).

After her guest-starring role on Mater's Tall Tales (2008), she retired from acting at age 82.

She was the only actor to appear in all 88 episodes of Soap (1977).

Wore a red bikini on "Who's The Boss" when she was about 60 years old.

She was nominated for seven Emmy Awards, four times as best (lead) actress in a comedy series for Soap (1977), two times as best supporting actress on a comedy series for Who's the Boss? (1984), and once as outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), but never won. She was also nominated for Golden Globe Awards three times, winning twice, once in the best (lead) performance by an actress in a television series - comedy or musical category for "Soap," and once in the category of best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series for "Who's The Boss?".

Although she considered herself retired as of 2012, she voiced two more roles (2014 and 2017), and appeared in one more movie (2018).

She did not have an agent when she started pursuing her acting career nor did she have any head shots. She used a sheet of paper and delivered it to agents until she got one.

Graduated from Ball High School in Galveston, Texas, in 1947.

Although she was raised strictly Roman Catholic by her mother and grandmother, and attended Catholic elementary school, she and her husband, David Christian, were students of Zen (also known as Zen Buddhism or Mahayana Buddhism).

In 1963, when she was 34, Helmond moved to Los Angeles, California to continue pursuing her acting career.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1973 Tony Award as Actress, Supporting or Featured (Dramatic) for "The Great God Brown" (in 1976, the award name was changed to the more familiar and present name of "Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play").

Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes given to her surviving husband.

Constantly lied about her age, shaving five years off her birthdate, until the internet outed her.

After her death, she requested she did not have a funeral.

Her parents, Joseph (a fireman) and Thelma (nee Malone) Helmond (a housewife), divorced before Katherine's fifth birthday.

She was a registered Republican.