Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Then And Now

Ray Barone - THEN

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Ray was a typical husband and father, wanting to take care of his family at their home on Long Island, New York.  He wrote for the newspaper "Newsday."  Because he had in the past been spoiled by his own mom. as was still the case, this made him a bit lazy and passive.  She had always run around after him, tending to his needs! He would use his job as an excuse to let his wife Debra carry out everything around their house and this tended to be the source of the comedy aspect of  "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Raymond Romano - NOW

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When the show ended, Raymond Romano continued to act and also produce, lending his skill to well known shows such as "Parenthood", "Made for Love" and "Get Shorty."  In 2019 Raymond portrayed Bill Bufalino, the real life attorney, in the movie "The Irishman", directed by Martin Scorsese. Romano was also in the successful film "The Big Sick" which had been released two years earlier, in 2017.  This was a romantic comedy about a Pakistani-American funny man who falls in love with an American student." Raymond was the voice of Manny in all the "Ice Age" films.

Debra Barone - THEN

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Debra loved her husband Ray and her kids.  She regularly had to compensate for Ray's immature behaviour, brought about by her mother-in-law Marie's overbearing pampering of him.  This used to drive Debra crazy and her patience would wear thin.  She would end up distancing herself until she calmed down.  Having said that, she did, on most occasions, try to find common ground with Ray's parents, even if they weren't the least bit interested.  In the end, she was always able to find a suitable compromise with Ray.

Patricia Heaton - NOW

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Over the years since the tv show ended, Patricia Heaton has turned up in a large number of television programs. She was in "The Middle", appearing in it for no less than nine seasons and received a Critics Choice Award nomination in 2011 for this show.  Patricia had been in earlier shows which didn't last too long and they were "Easy to Assemble" and "Carol's Second Act."  Heaton also occasionally appeared in movies and starred in  "The Unbreakable Boy" and "Mending the Line." She did voice roles in "The Star" and "Smallfoot."

Robert Barone - THEN

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Robert Barone, the one with the unusual speaking voice, was Ray's brother and he was blessed with a dry sense of humor!  He was an acting police officer but didn't have much street cred as he still lived with his parents.  He was jealous of Ray as he had a good family life with a wife and kids, as well as a job as a newspaper columnist.  Robert always felt that his mother thought less of him than she did of Ray.  Much like his brother, Robert had strange habits such as touching his food against his chin before he ate it.

Brad Garrett - NOW

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After Everybody Loves Raymond" Brad Garrett appeared in the shows "I'm Dying Up Here" and "Single Parents," as well as "High Desert."  "High Desert" , the Apple TV series, was about a former addict, residing in Yucca Valley, California who decides to become a private investigator.  Garrett co-created "Big Shot" in 2021 with John Stamos.  Over the years, Brad has been no stranger to voice roles.  These have included "Finding Nemo", "Ratatouille", "Finding Dory" and Tangled, all for Disney/Pixar movies.  He was a recurring character in "Fargo."

Ally Barone - THEN

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As the only daughter of Ray (he and wife Debbie also had younger twin boys), Ally was always totally adored by her parents as well as by her grandparents (Ray's parents).  She is sensible and straightforward, never causing much trouble for her family.  At times she even puts her dad in his place when he is being immature!  By the end of the series of Everybody Loves Raymond, Ally was fourteen years old and was well on her way to outdoing her mom and grandmother with her cooking and baking skills.

Madylin Sweeten - NOW

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Madylin Sweeten has done little bits and pieces regarding acting since Everyone Loves Raymond finished.  Now in her early thirties, which is hard to imagine, Madylin attained a degree in interior design from the "Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising".  As of now she is still working in the acting profession, most recently appearing on the  shows "Grey's Anatomy", "TMI Hollywood" and "Lucifer.  She is the real life sister of Sullivan and Sawyer Sweeten and not just a part she played in the sitcom.

Michael Barone - THEN

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After Ally, the Barone's had identical twins, Michael and Geoffrey.  Much like his older sister, Michael was cheerful, optimistic and easy going.  The twins started off  before they were even two years olds and to be fair, they were both naturals in front of the camera.  They were comfortable on set, mainly because they had each other as well as their real life big sister in the background.  We see Michael and Geoffrey grow up in front of our very eyes, over the years they were in the show, ending up as ten year olds which is mad!

Sullivan Sweeten - NOW

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Sullivan Sweeten took a break after Everyone Loves Raymond ended.  He decided to step away, out of the limelight, wanting to lead a "normal" life, which he had never done as he was only two years old when he starred in the show and didn't understand much else. He didn't act for 12 years, from 2005 to 2017 when he appeared in a short film called "Casting."  Sweeten also appeared on "The Dr Oz Show" and "What Not To Wear."  Whenever his manager mentioned going for an audition, he was reluctant to do so.

Amy MacDougall- THEN

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Amy MacDougall was the over-sensitive on/off girlfriend of Robert and she was Debra's best friend and former work colleague.  Right through the first six seasons of Everybody Loves Raymond, Amy was head over heels in love with her partner but, during every episode of the show, there would be an issue where they either split up or had a huge argument.  They couldn't live without  each other, even though each found the other so annoying!  Thankfully, the two of them finally tied the knot in the finale of season seven.

Monica Horan - NOW

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Monica Horan met her future husband, Philip Rosenthal, tv writer and producer, at Hofstra.  After she had converted to Judaism the two of them married in 1990.  Worth mentioning that Rosenthal was the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond!  Horan continues to act, appearing in "The Middle" and "Better Things".  In 2017 she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for "The Bold and the Beautiful".  Last year she was persuaded to appear in her husband's popular travel series, streamed on Netflix, called "Somebody Feed Phil."

Marie Barone - THEN

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Marie Barone was the very the overbearing matriarch of the family and it's no exaggeration to say that she put Ray on the highest pedestal possible!  In her eyes, he could do no wrong and she would treat him like a child, causing him to act immaturely, to the frustration of the other family members.  This was strange as she practically left him to fend for himself during his childhood because she thought "he could take it!"  Marie constantly criticizes Debra about keeping a cleaner home and cooking better food.

Doris Roberts - NOW

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Doris Roberts sadly passed away in 2016 from natural causes at the age of 90.  Prior to her death she appeared in "The Birthday Boys" and "Melissa & Joey."   died in 2016 due to natural causes. She was 90 years old. Doris reunited with Patricia Heaton, her on-screen daughter in Everyone Loves Raymond, for three episodes of the sitcom "The Middle" and she was also in "Desperate Housewives", "Hot in Cleveland" and "Grey's Anatomy."  Roberts commented that working again with Heaton was a real pleasure.

Frank Barone - THEN

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Frank Barone was the patriarch of the Barone family and was "ultra masculine."  He would usually be found lounging about in Ray's house in an armchair.  Frank could be quite cutting and callous and didn't think before he spoke.  He said whatever he thought, with no filter and could be a bit callous.  He would boss his wife, Marie, around or tell his sons to do things the way he, himself, would do them.  Only thing is - he never did anything except give out orders to his family.   He was the only person who wasn't scared to make demands on Marie!

Peter Boyle - NOW

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Very sadly, Peter Boyle died in 2006 from heart disease and multiple myeloma.  He was only 71 years of age.  He acted right up until his death, appearing in "Tripping the Rift" and all three "Santa Clause" movies.  Boyle's last role to be credited was "All Roads Lead Home". Years before, in the seventies, he was in Mel Brooks' spoof film "Young Frankenstein" and "he Candidate."  He won an Emmy for guest starring in "The X Files."  A talented actor, Peter Boyle will never be forgotten by both acting colleagues and fans.

Geoffrey Barone - THEN

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Geoffrey Barone was the playful twin brother of Michael and like his sibling, he was a joker and a prankster. Although Geoffrey overall was a pretty good kid, out of the two of them, he was  considered to be the bad boy Barone twin!  It goes without saying that the cute boys were real life identical twins and this is why they had instant chemistry between them.  The twins were in 142 episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond and were only 16 months old when they first appeared on the show which is quite remarkable.

Sawyer Sweeten - NOW

Image source: The Mirror

Sawyer Sweeten's last appearance was when he was himself in a 2015 episode of "Inside Edition." Archival footage was used on that occasion. Unfortunately, that was to be the final time he would ever act. Barely ten years after Everybody Loves Raymond wrapped for the last time, Sawyer took his own life.  Both his real life family and his onscreen family were devastated.  Sullivan said, "He loved everyone in this room and I loved him just as much."  Over 200 family members and friends gathered at his funeral.

Lauren Williamson - THEN

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Back in season 7, Debra and Ray invited their new friends Neil and Lauren Williamson over to their house for dinner.  As the guests' 8 year old son, Neil, becomes unruly, Ray becomes irritated and weighs up whether he wants ever to set eyes on them again!  This hilarious episode "The Annoying Kid" racked up the fifth highest rating nightly viewing figure, with 8.2 million viewers enjoying the episode.  Lauren came up with the maddest excuses for Neil's cringing outbursts which left Debra and Ray exasperated!

Cheryl Hines - NOW

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The episode "The Annoying Kid" followed Sheryl Hines as it was one of the standout ones ever to be shown on Everybody Loves Raymond.  It was only when Sheryl showed up in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with Larry David, as his long suffering wife and then ex-wife, that her fans started talking about her performance on this hilarious show.  She was nominated for two Emmy awards for that show. Hines has also made some guest appearances on other very popular comedy programs such as "Reno 911!", "Scrubs" and "The Conners."

Katarina Witt (Played Herself) - THEN

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You will have been aware that the majority of cameo roles in Everybody Loves Raymond came in the form of either sports broadcasters or male athletes.  It was a nice shock then, when Olympic gold medallist figure skater Katarina Witt appeared in the season one episode entitled "Recovering Pessimist."  Katarina expresses her appreciation of Ray's writing, in his column in "Newsday", by wishing him the best of luck for an award he is up for, which is Sportswriter of the Year.  As usual with Ray, not all is as it seems! the Year.

Katarina Witt - NOW

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Katarina Witt, Olympic Gold medallist figure skater, retired from the sport in 1988 after defending her title but re-appeared at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994.  She represented a re-unified Germany and she received the Goldene Kamera award for her performance in skating to a Robin Hood themed program.  Following her further retirement (!),  Witt toured in skating shows, as a professional skater, with her close friend Brian Boitano.  She is currently a commentator for the sport.

Barry Bonds (Plays Himself) - THEN

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Barry Bonds may have been one of the more controversial cameo guests in the series Everybody Loves Raymond. The very well known MLB star appears in the first season episode named "Diamonds."  This particular episode starts off with Ray being cheap and foolish and cleverly, this is one of those openers in a show that ties in to the main storyline.  We see Barry Bonds ask Ray for a bit of change for the pay phone and they end up in a heated debate about salaries of athletes compared to sports writers.

Barry Bonds - NOW

Image source: San Francisco Chronicle

We know that Barry Bonds has led a controversial career, despite his many accolades.  He was involved in baseball's scandal on steroids and in 2007 was indicted on perjury charge.  He allegedly lied to a jury during a government investigation into a steroid that is undetectable.  The perjury charge was dropped but Bonds was convicted in 2011 of obstruction of justice.  Luck was on his side and the case was dropped in 2015.  Because of all the bad publicity he never made the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Stefania Fogagnolo - THEN

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Stefania Fogagnolo had a recurring role in Everybody Loves Raymond.  She played Robert Barone's Italian girlfriend.  Stefania jilted Robert at the start of the fifth season of the series.  This took place in a two part episode entitled "Italy."  As Marie's birthday surprise, the whole family go on to trip to beautiful Italy.   Ray comes down with a cold and unsurprisingly makes a big deal out of it.  Robert takes himself off and finds a female who he describes as the woman of his dreams.  He has to get past Stefania's father first!

Alex Meneses - NOW

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Alex Meneses was a former successful fashion model turned actress.  She portrayed the character Teresa Morales in the popular tv series "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman."  She also had a recurring role in "Friends" as Joey's sister Cookie. Alex appeared in the legal drama series "Martial Law" and has been in the movies "Amanda and the Aliens", "Living in Peril" and "The Flintstones: Viva Rock Vegas."  Meneses particularly loves live acting and she has appeared in numerous productions on the L. A. stage.

Pat MacDougall - THEN

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Pat MacDougall is the wife of Hank and mother of Amy.  She and her husband are both devout Presbyterians and they live in rural Pennsylvania.  Pat's trademark in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond is her timid and sweet personality.  She has a catchphrase which she uses many times in each episode which is "Oh, my!" when responding to hearing stuff from her family that bothers her.  Pat is also one of the few characters that smokes.  One of her memorable lines is "So you could see, Robert, I think any parent would not want their daughter to have a life of ....you."

Georgia Engel - NOW

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Georgia Engel appeared in a few episodes of "The Office".  She was the older lady being assisted by Erin Hannon..  She was also in a couple of episodes of "Two and a Half Men".  Fans were delighted to see her reunited with Betty White in 2012, 35 years since they were last together in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."  Engel played Mamie Sue Johnson in "Hot in Cleveland", best friend of White's character Elka, in a recurring part.  Georgia Engel passed away 4 years ago, in April 2019, at the age of 71.

Sergeant Judy - THEN

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Sergeant Judy was Robert Barone's police partner in Everybody Loves Raymond.  She brought a breath of fresh air to the show and, more so, to Officer Barone's work shifts.  Even though she was a no nonsense the of woman, Robert found this strangely attractive.  She would take charge of situations when they were working together and be the one in control.  Sergeant Judy appeared in eight episodes., "Robert's Date" being one of the funniest.  Judy takes Robert dancing and his family are wrongly convinced it's a romantic date!

Sherri Shepherd - NOW

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Sherri Shepherd appeared in many comedy shows and that's simply because, whatever character she played, she took it to the next level and was hilarious especially when she starred in the sitcoms  "Trial and Error" and "Mr Iglesias."   Shepherd published a book in 2009 called "Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide To Giving herself A Break."  You will have seen her on the 14th season of "Dancing With The Stars" in 2012.  More recently Sherri was in "The Sex Lives Of College Girls" and she hosted the game show "Best Ever Trivia Show."