‘Throw Momma’ Actress Dies

Anne Ramsey, 59, the raspy-voiced, bellowing and slightly crazed matron who won an Oscar nomination for her grotesque portrayal in the title role of “Throw Momma From the Train,” died of throat cancer Thursday night.

Her publicist, Jeff Rosenfield, said she died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She had part of her tongue removed during throat cancer surgery three years ago. The resultant speech impairment was credited with heightening her character in the zany 1987 film in which Danny DeVito tries, unsuccessfully, to have his mother killed. Ramsey, who also was seen in “Goonies,” and played Nick Nolte’s mother in “Weeds,” had been in show business 37 years before landing her biggest role as “Momma.”