‘Risky Business’ Mom, Actress Janet Carroll, Dies

71-year-old actress Janet Carroll, who played Tom Cruise's mom in "Risky Business," died after a long illness

Janet Carroll, the actress best known for playing Tom Cruise's crystal egg-obsessed mom in "Risky Business," died Tuesday in New York at age 71.

Carroll's son told the Associated Press his mom died after a long, unspecified illness.

Carroll, who began her career in theater, played Jim Dial's (Charles Kimbrough) wife, Doris, on "Murphy Brown," Kimberly's (Marcia Cross) mom on "Melrose Place" and Richard Fish's (Greg Germann) mom on "Ally McBeal."

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She was also Gary, owner of Gary's Shoes, Al Bundy's employer on "Married … with Children."

Her other TV credits include "Scrubs," "21 Jump Street," "Law & Order: SVU," "The Closer," "7th Heaven," "Hill Street Blues," "The Golden Girls" and "Brothers & Sisters."

A memorial service for the Chicago-born actress is being held on Saturday in New York City.

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