‘Touched by an Angel’ star and singer
LOS ANGELES — Della Reese, the actress and gospel-influenced singer who in middle age found her greatest fame as Tess, the wise angel in the longrunning television drama “Touched by an Angel,” has died at age 86.
Reese’s co-star on the series, Roma Downey, said in a statement the actress died peacefully Sunday evening in her home in the Los Angeles area. No further details were included.
Before “Touched by an Angel” debuted in 1994, Reese was mainly known as a singer, although she had co-starred on “Chico and the Man,” “Charlie and Company” and “The Royal Family” and hosted her own talk show, “Della.”
“Touched by an Angel” was a gamble for CBS from the start. The story of an apprentice angel (Downey) and her supervisor (Reese) being sent to Earth to solve people’s problems appeared to have little chance in a TV world dominated by sitcoms and police dramas.
The first season brought mediocre ratings, but slowly the show’s audience grew until it became one of television’s highest rated dramas. It lasted until 2003.
“Through her life and work she touched and inspired the lives of millions of people,” Downey wrote in a statement. “She was a mother to me and I had the privilege of working with her side by side for so many years on ‘Touched By An Angel.’ I know heaven has a brand-new angel this day.”
Reese had been ordained by the Universal Foundation for Better Living and performed the ceremony when co-star Downey married.
Reese’s singing career began in church, when she joined the junior gospel choir at the Olivet Baptist Church in her hometown of Detroit. Soon she was singing at other churches, at civic events and on the radio.
When famed gospel singer Mahalia Jackson came to Detroit, she needed a singer to replace a member of her troupe and turned to Reese, who was 13.
A recording contract eventually followed, and she quickly turned out two hits, “And That Reminds Me” and “Don’t You Know?” Soon she was singing in the country’s best night spots and appearing on TV variety shows.
Over the years, she appeared on shows including “Night Court,” “L.A. Law,” “Designing Women,” Welcome Back, Kotter,” “The A Team,” “MacGyver” “The Love Boat” and, more recently, “That’s So Raven.” She appeared in the 2005 movie “Beauty Shop” and had a prominent role in the 1989 film “Harlem Nights.”
Reese is survived by her husband and three children.