The Young and The Restless Spoilers: 5 Reasons Jeannie Cooper Was The Greatest Y&R Actress Of All Time

The Young and the Restless spoilers tease that fans will soon be seeing a lot more of the late, great Jeanne Cooper onscreen as the show features her one-of-a-kind character Katherine Chancellor during the last week in April.

Jeanne died on May 8, 2013, at the age of 84. From 1973 to 2013 the grande dame of daytime drama enchanted and entertained viewers with her portrayal of a character who was beset by heartache, misfortune, and betrayal but always managed to survive and even thrive.

Her son, the actor Corbin Bernsen, alerted fans to her condition with a tweet one month prior to her death saying that Jeanne was in an “uphill battle” with an undisclosed illness.

In honor of Jeanne’s life and tremendous career, here we present five things you need to know about Jeanne Cooper!

The Young and the Restless Spoilers – Jeanne Cooper Was Not Afraid To Break Ground And Embraced Change

When Jeanne wanted to have a facelift, she let CBS executives know about it. But it wasn’t just as a courtesy, Jeanne pitched the idea of Katherine having a facelift too—on live television!

And so, in 1984, Jeanne had her facelift, and it was filmed for the show which used the footage to show Katherine having a facelift.

Y&R Spoilers – Jeanne Cooper Was A Daytime Emmy Award winner

Jeanne’s acting accomplishments were recognized in multiple ways. During her career, she was nominated for ten Daytime Emmy Awards. Nine were for Outstanding Lead Actress and one for Outstanding Supporting Actress; in 2008 she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

The Young and the Restless Spoilers – Jeanne Cooper Wrote An Acclaimed Autobiography

Jeanne published her autobiography, Not Young, Still Restless: A Memoir in 2012. In it she detailed a career that spanned 80 years including her tenure on Y&R. It is a must-read for any Y&R fan!

Y&R Spoilers – Jeanne Cooper Was A Dedicated Mom Who Raised Three Actors

Before their divorce, Cooper and television producer Harry Bernsen, Jr., had three children, all born with the acting gene. Her son Corbin Bernsen gained fame on L.A. Law and Collin Bernsen, and Caren Bernsen also pursued acting careers.

The Young and the Restless Spoilers – Jeanne Cooper Gave Her All To The Show That Made Her A Household Name

Jeanne taped her last scene on Y&R in March 0f 2013. This was the same day as the venerable sudser’s 40th anniversary. The poignant scene aired May 3, 2013, just five days before her death.