Laurie Metcalf's Emmy-winning “Roseanne” phone call scene, which brought laughter...

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...to grief, is still moving, 33 years later

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainm...1e7582829&ei=9

Story by Angela Andaloro •

The scene is frequently highlighted when Metcalf's time as Jackie Harris is discussed.



NEED TO KNOW

• Laurie Metcalf played Jackie Harris on Roseanne from 1988 to 1997 and reprised the role in The Conners from 2018 to its conclusion last year
• One of her most unforgettable moments as the character was in the episode where Roseanne and Jackie's father dies, prompting one of the funniest calls in TV history
• Metcalf took home the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy that year, her second consecutive win

Laurie Metcalf has always delivered as Jackie Harris.

Through her time on Roseanne and later on The Conners, the actress, 70, has proven serious comedic chops. Jackie has always been wacky and high strung, at her best dealing with a mess of emotions.

No episode demonstrates it better than Roseanne's season 5 episode "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home," in which Roseanne and Jackie cope with the unexpected death of their father, with whom they had a complicated relationship.

Tired of making the rounds and sharing the unfortunate news with family members, Roseanne turns it over to Jackie, who is tasked with calling their Aunt Barbara.

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The task would prove harder than it looked, both because Jackie was used to Roseanne dealing with hard things on her behalf but also because Aunt Barbara was hard of hearing. Jackie tries to deliver the news delicately, but it turns frantic when she realizes there's no getting through to her.

"Hi Auntie Barbara. It's Jackie...Jackie!" she begins. She says she's fine once before repeating it louder. Then she gets to the point of the call.

"I have some bad news. Dad is not with us anymore," Jackie says. She pauses a beat, then repeats louder, "I said, dad has passed away."

Then louder, "He's passed away. He's dead! No, dead! DEAD!"

After another pause, she gives up, saying, "No, he's fine. He sends his love," and hanging up, telling Roseanne, "I am not doing that again. You can't make me."

The scene from the episode, which aired February 9, 1993, led to her nomination for an Emmy that year, for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy.

She took home the honor, marking the second year she was recognized by her peers for her role as Jackie. Metcalf, who was pregnant at the time, tearfully accepted the award.

"I'm having a baby soon and I don't know what to say, I didn't think I'd be up here. Hi to Zoe. Thank you all very, very much."

Read the original article on People.

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Laurie Metcalf credits Norm Macdonald for her second Emmy win for writing the famous “Dad’s dead” grief scene on ‘Roseanne’ in 1993

In a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show in April 2026, Laurie Metcalf confirmed that late comedian Norm Macdonald wrote the iconic "Dad's dead" phone call scene from Roseanne.

The scene appeared in the Season 5 episode "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home," which originally aired on February 9, 1993. In the sequence, Metcalf's character, Jackie Harris, attempts to tell her hard-of-hearing Aunt Barbara that her father has passed away, eventually descending into a frantic shout of "No, dead! DEAD!" before giving up and telling her aunt, "No, he's fine. He sends his love".

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Laurie Metcalf Admits She 'Didn't Know' “Roseanne” 'Dad's Dead' Scene Would Stay Relevant More Than 30 Years Later

"I didn't know that it would be what it is today," Metcalf says now of the scene.