Marcia Strassman who played Julie from sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter" died on Friday at age of 66.
The actress battled with breast cancer for seven years and died at her home in Sherman Oaks, California. Her death was confirmed by her sister, Julie Strassman.
Strassman began acting when she was a teenager, replacing Liza Minnelli in "Best Foot Forward", an Off Broadway musical. At 18, she left her hometown in New Jersey to travel to Los Angeles to take on a journey to fulfill her dreams.
Before landing her breakthrough role as Gabe Kaplan's wife in the TV hit "Welcome Back, Kotter" in the 1970's, she first played the role of Margie Cutler, a nurse on the first season of "M*A*S*H". The show included John Travolta and lasted for four years.
She then regularly appeared as cast member in many television shows such as "Providence", "Tremors" and "Third Watch".
Strassman also conquered the big screen landing her biggest role in the Disney movies "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids" in 1989 and its sequel "Honey, I Blew Up The Kid" in 1992. She played the role of the patient wife of an eccentric inventor played by Rick Moranis.
She was a member of the Screen Actors Guild national board and an active supporter of the breast cancer research and other social causes.
Strassman's most recent role was in Hallmark Channels, "Looking for Mr. Right", a TV movie also starring Vivica A. Fox.
Fans started to send their condolences but her sister asked them to consider donating to an organization fighting cancer in her name.
Strassman is survived by her sister, a daughter named Elizabeth Collecor and a brother, Steven Strassman.
