Jeanne Cooper, ‘Young & the Restless’ Star, Dies At 84

Jeanne Cooper, the The Young & The Restless actress, has died, nearly a month after she was first hospitalized with an undisclosed illness. She was 84.

Cooper’s death was announced by her son, Psych actor Corbin Bernsen, via his Twitter account. Bernsen, who has been keeping fans of the actress apprised of her health though social media, tweeted, “Mom passed this morning. She was in peace and without fear. U all have been incredible in your love," he added. "In her name share it 2 day with others."

For 27 years, Cooper reigned as the lead matriarch on The Young & The Restless in the role of Katherine Chancellor. Already an established TV actress in 1973, the soap’s creator, William J. Bell, brought her on in the hopes of boosting the ratings. It proved a wise choice, as the show has continued to shine for all of these years with Cooper in the cast.

Throughout her tenure on The Young & The Restless, Cooper’s character encountered all of the dramas one comes to associate with soap operas. She had love affairs gone wrong, relatives appearing out of thin air, a slew of marriages and a case or two of amnesia. In her early years as Katherine Chanceller, she played a lush with a penchant for younger men who had no problem sleeping with her husband’s best friend.

Cooper was happy to have the chance to flex her acting chops in all of the twist and turns of working for so long on a soap opera. "I never wanted to be a movie star," she said in an interview, according to Entertainment Weekly. "I always wanted to be an actress, one of the best. And I am."

Cooper is survived by her three children; Corbin Bernsen, Collin Bernsen and Caren Bernsen.