Jeanne Cooper 'Young and the Restless' Tribute Show VIDEO, Co-Stars Remember the Actress
The Young and the Restless aired a tribute show to the late Jeanne Cooper, who played Katherine Chancellor for almost 40 years on the soap opera before her death on May 8.
Some of the show's stars who memorialized Cooper during the one hour tribute included the following: Jess Walton (Jill), Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki), Eric Braeden (Victor), Peter Bergman (Jack), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Christian J. LeBlanc (Michael), Kristoff St. John (Neil), Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren) and Greg Rikaart (Kevin). The tribute aired on Tuesday on CBS.
The actors spoke of what an influence Cooper had been on their careers. She had been instrumental in helping many of them broaden their talents.
Walton opened the broadcast and spoke at length about her on screen nemesis and longtime friend. Walton also praised her co-star's many charms to Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on May 22.
"She was a magnificent woman, one of the most complete human beings. Hilariously funny, super-sensitive, very intelligent, very feisty. She could talk the hind end out of a horse but was never boring. She was everything, this woman," Walton said.
Corbin, Collin and Caren Bernsen also appeared on the tribute. Cooper's three children thanked the show and the fans for their support over the years. Corbin is the one who broke the news of Cooper's failing health and death.
Before the special aired, Corbin revealed on Facebook what caused his mother's death at 84. She died from advanced COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He disclosed that his mother's death was a hectic time and that she was not able to breathe shortly before her passing. Corbin pleaded with fans to stop smoking if they had the habit and not to even start for others.
"My mother's passing and the last few weeks of her life, as you might have been able to deduce from my writings during that time was hectic, and not pretty," he wrote in the May 22 post.
The Law and Order actor also shared what had become of his mother's remains.
"Her body has been cremated, and we will be scattering her ashes privately in places we feel a personal connection to. The locations shall remain private. My brother, sister and I will each retain a small parcel of the ashes to remember her," he said.
Corbin said that a private memorial was being planned for family and friends. That service would be followed by a larger celebration in a month or so. Corbin noted as well that he was organizing a Live streaming memorial for the fans to partake in as he wanted very much for her admirers to be a part of the remembrances.
