All My Children's "Myrtle Fargate" has Died

Eileen Herlie, a stage and TV actress who appeared on All My Children for more than three decades as the motherly Myrtle Fargate, has died at 90. Herlie died Wednesday, October 8th of pneumonia, said Julie Hanan Carruthers, the ABC soap opera's executive producer.

The actress joined the long-running show in 1976 to play Myrtle, who became the surrogate mother to many of the soap's major characters, including Erica Kane, portrayed by Susan Lucci.

"I'm sure Eileen is lighting up the sky's in heaven with her flaming red hair and lovely Scottish accent," Lucci said. "The earth's loss is heaven's gain!"

Herlie's last appearance on the program was in June.

Before joining All My Children, Herlie was a regular on Broadway. She made her debut in Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker in 1955, playing milliner Irene Molloy in the comedy, which starred Ruth Gordon as Dolly Gallagher Levi.

Herlie is survived by a brother, nieces and nephews.