'The Big C' actress Phyllis Somerville dies at 76

Phyllis Somerville, an actor with a lengthy career of roles in film, television and Broadway productions, has died. She was 76.

According to a news agency, Somerville's manager Paul Hilepo says the actor died Thursday in New York City of natural causes. Somerville, who was a native of Iowa, moved to New York in the 1970s. She most recently appeared onstage in the Broadway production of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

During her television career, she appeared in 'The Big C', 'NYPD Blue' and was in films like 'Arthur'and was among 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'cast members nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Somerville's last film credit was 'Poms', in which she appeared alongside Diane Keaton and Pam Grier in a comedy about older women who form a cheerleading squad.

In 'The Big C', she played the foul-mouthed neighbour to Laura Linney's character, a straight-laced history teacher who is given a grim cancer prognosis.