ARTNEWSPRESS: Linda Porter, a character actress who appeared in dozens of TV series and feature films and was perhaps best known for her role as Myrtle in NBC’s Superstore, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. She was 86.
Porter most recently was seen in her recurring role as Cloud 9 employee Myrtle Vartanian in the May 16 Season 4 finale of Superstore. Fan favorite Myrtle had recently been rehired as new manager Amy’s (America Ferrera) assistant after being laid off in Season 3 and then brought back as a customer-greeting hologram.
Since Season 1, Porter had appeared in 35 episodes of the NBC comedy series, which returned for its fifth season last night. She had not filmed any Season 5 episodes before her death. The ensemble comedy will likely pay tribute to one of its guest-starring MVPs next week.
Porter also recently recurred as Lady Slot-Addict in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks revival for Showtime. Her numerous other TV credits included guest roles in Childrens Hospital, Togetherness, 2 Broke Girls, Bunheads, The Mindy Project, How I Met Your Mother, as well as a number of Disney Channel programs including Raven’s Home and Phil of the Future.
Her film work includes Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday, Mercy and Dude Where’s My Car? She was most recently seen in 2017’s The House.
Superstore star Ben Feldman led the online tributes to Porter. “Here’s hoping the angels don’t call cut right away because your best stuff always came at the end. We’ll miss you Linda Porter,” he wrote next to a pair of on-set photos.
Danny Gura, who plays Elias on Superstore, remembered Porter on Twitter as someone “who was always smiling and always brightened up the Superstore set.”
“We lost a good one. R.I.P. Linda Porter, who was always smiling and always brightened up the Superstore set. This is a hard one. You will be missed,” Gura wrote.
Feldman and Gura were joined by other Superstore cast members and writer-producers who also fondly remembered Porter.
deadline.com
Nellie Andreeva
