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Soap legend dies after suffering three strokes as fans pay tribute to 'elegant lady'

Dallas Dora Mae star Pat Colbert has passed away at the age of 77. The beloved soap actress died on June 23 in her Compton, California home, as confirmed by her sister Tami Colbert to The Hollywood Reporter. Having battled health issues, Pat suffered three strokes in the past decade. Her funeral is scheduled for July 10. 

Pat first graced the screens in Dallas during its seventh series in 1983, portraying Dora Mae, the manager of the Oil Baron's Club. She remained a part of the iconic show until its conclusion in 1991.

As the only recurring African-American character on Dallas, which aired from 1978 to 1991, Pat made a significant mark on the series that became an American TV classic.

Her career also boasted roles such as in the 1987 movie Leonard Part 6 with Bill Cosby, where she played Allison Parker, and an appearance in the ABC series The Fall Guy in 1981.

 

Pat Colbert in Dallas© Getty

Fans have been paying heartfelt tributes to Pat on an Instagram fan page dedicated to Dallas, with one admirer commenting: "Rest in peace, she was an elegant lady, always a pleasure to see her show Ewing members to their table before at least one of them stormed off x," and another noting: "They should have given her more of a storyline perhaps with JR! I'm surprised he wouldn't have made a pass at this Beautiful Lady! RIP Dora Mae." 

One sentimental viewer wrote: "My sincere condolences to the family of Ms. Dora Mae. My daughter and I are currently watching the entire Dallas series. We are on season 8 and my daughter is in love with that tv show. Dora Mae was always respected by everyone, especially JR when they came into the club. Rest will beautiful lady."

Shaun Chang from popular movie and TV blog Hill Place gave his two cents to The Hollywood Reporter: "As the only recurring African-American character on the series, Dora Mae never had a storyline, because Dallas never tried to pretend to be anything more than the saga of the Ewing family, but she played the role with elegance and intelligence,".

He added: "The leading characters, and the show itself, treated her with respect and without any sense of condescension. Dallas had many recurring supporting characters who helped create a sense of community for a show set in a major city, and Dora Mae was part of the fabric of the series."