Los Angeles, Aug 31 (IANS): Actress Valerie Harper, the star of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and spin-off series "Rhoda", has died after a long battle with cancer. She was 80.

Harper, who collected four Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe for playing the brash New Yorker on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and then on her own spin-off series Rhoda, died on Friday. Her family confirmed the news to KABC-TV, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

Cristina Cacciotti, Harper's daughter, shared a statement on behalf of her father Tony on Twitter. 

"My beautiful caring wife of nearly 40 years has passed away at 10:06 a.m. after years of fighting cancer. She will never, ever be forgotten. Rest In Peace, mia Valeria," the statement read. 

She began her career as a dancer on Broadway, making her debut in the musical "Take Me Along" in 1959.

In 2013, Harper was told by doctors that she had leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, an incurable condition in which cancer cells spread into the membrane surrounding the brain. They informed her that she has three months to live, but eight months later, she said that her cancer was near remission.

After that, she competed on the "Dancing With the Stars" show and made an appearance on "2 Broke Girls" in 2015. She also appeared on "The Doctors" show in 2013 to discuss her illness.