Kathryn Joosten 1939-2012: Her career in video

Published Jun 2 2012, 20:03 BST  |  By Catriona Wightman

Kathryn Joosten, best known for her roles in Desperate Housewives and The West Wing, sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 72 after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009.

The actress, who started out with guest roles in shows such as ER and Third Rock From The Sun, won two Emmys for her role in Desperate Housewives and stood out with her appearances in shows such as Scrubs and Dharma & Greg.

Digital Spy pays tribute to Kathryn Joosten with a selection of moments from her television career:

Mrs Landingham in The West Wing

Kathryn Joosten appeared as the President's secretary Mrs Landingham in the first two seasons of The West Wing and became a much-loved character (with a securely guarded cookie jar). The character's death in a car accident led to one of the most highly-praised episodes, 'Two Cathedrals', as President Bartlet angrily shouted at God. In the clip below, from 'In Excelsis Deo', Mrs Landingham attends the military funeral of a homeless man, shortly after revealing that her two sons died in the Vietnam War.



Mrs Tanner in Scrubs

Kathryn Joosten may have only been a guest star in Scrubs, but she made a big impression. She appeared in a very early instalment, 'My Old Lady', as Mrs Tanner - a patient suffering from renal failure who has a huge impact on JD.



Playing God in Joan of Arcadia

Some of Kathryn Joosten's characters may have been known for their stern sides, but she also managed to literally play God. She appeared in eight episodes of classic teen show Joan of Arcadia as Old Lady God. In the clip below, you can see the kind of advice she would give to Joan.



Kathryn Joosten teams up with Lily Tomlin in Desperate Housewives

Kathryn Joosten's character Karen was loved despite her grouchiness, but when she teamed up with her sister Roberta (Lily Tomlin), there was lots of fun to be had. In this clip below, the duo are determined to figure out what's happening with creepy Dave... and they won't take no for an answer.



Karen finds love with Roy in Desperate Housewives

Karen was a loveably grouchy character, so when she found love with Roy everyone was happy for her. Sure, they had their ups and downs, but they could always be relied upon for some good-natured snark and fun. Kathryn Joosten had her dramatic moments in Desperate Housewives, but it's impressive how entertaining she was just being Karen.