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TV Psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers Dies At 85

Dr. Joyce Brothers in a January 16, 2004 in New York City.
Peter Kramer
/
Getty Images
Dr. Joyce Brothers in a January 16, 2004 in New York City.

Dr. Joyce Brothers, whose long-running television show dispensed advice on life and relationships to her viewers, has died in New York at age 85, according to her publicist.

She died on Monday of natural causes, Sanford Brokaw said.

Brothers, who was a pioneer of the television advice show, first gained fame as a winning contestant on the television game show "The $64,000 Question" in 1955, becoming the only woman ever to win the top prize. The AP says:

"She memorized 20 volumes of a boxing encyclopedia — and, with that as her subject, became the only woman and the second person to ever win the show's top prize.

Brothers tried her luck again on the superseding "$64,000 Challenge," answering each question correctly and earning the dubious distinction as one of the biggest winners in the history of television quiz shows. She later denied any knowledge of cheating, and during a 1959 hearing in the quiz show scandal, a producer exonerated her of involvement."

By 1958, the same year she became a licensed psychologist, Brothers had her own TV show on a local New York City station. She later became a nationwide celebrity as the host of a series of shows on network television.

TMZ reports:

"She also did cameo appearances in movies — including 'Naked Gun' and 'C.H.i.P.s' ... and also appeared on TV shows like 'The Love Boat.'

Brothers was married to internist Milton Brothers since 1949 ... he died in 1989 ... and the couple had a daughter, Lisa."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.