One of the grand dame’s of show business has died today. Oscar winner Maureen Stapleton was the quintessential character actress and starred in everything from high drama to hiliarous comedy, scifi, fantasy, stage, screen and television. Her career spanned over a half a century.

A heavy chain-smoker for years, she finally succumed to chronic pulmonary disease (COPD), but lived a full life of 80 years.

Maureen starred with some very big names in her long Hollywood tenure; Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Woody Allen, Dick Van Dyke, Ann Margaret and Tom Hanks, just to name a handful.

Her biggest role was in “Reds” opposite Beatty, Nicholson and Diane Keaton. She took home the Oscar for her brillant performance.

Scifi fans will remember her in “Cocoon” and “Cocoon: The Return.” Maureen also won several Emmys over the years for such landmark television performances in “Among the Paths of Eden,” “Stardust Ballroom,” “The Gathering,” and “Miss Rose White.”