LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Actress Valerie Bertinelli said her heart was broken upon hearing the news. "Bonnie has always been one of the most important women in my life and was a second mother to me," Bertinelli said. "She taught me how to navigate this business and life itself with grace and humor, and to always be true to yourself . I will miss her terribly."

Actress Phillips later tweeted a picture of her and Franklin, who played her mom on the same program. "Remembering my friend," Phillips wrote. "Rest in peace."

Franklin broke into acting at the ripe old age of nine. She appeared on the "Colgate Comedy Hour" TV show as well as racking up roles on programs such as "Gidget," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "The Munsters" before heading out to Broadway after her graduation from UCLA.

Her debut in "Applause" on stage earned her accolades and a Tony nomination in 1970 in the category of featured actress in a musical.

Franklin landed the breakthrough role of Ann Romano in "One Day at a Time" in 1975. Playing a recently divorced mother of two teenage girls who move to Indianapolis to begin a new life, the show addressed controversial topics but always in a light and entertaining manner.

"Ms. Franklin helped define and illuminate the role of single-working mothers within the cultural landscape," CBS said in a written statement.

"One Day at a Time" produced by Norman Lear, ran for nine seasons. With the end of the series, she scored some jobs directing and acting, most recently in guest spots on the TV Land sitcom "Hot in Cleveland" and the soap opera "The Young and the Restless."

She was the spouse for 29 years of producer Marvin Minoff, who died in 2009, as well as a mother and grandmother. Franklin died last week in her home surrounded by family and friends.

"She was a GREAT and comforting role model for single mothers, as I was one of them at that same time," wrote a CNN.com commenter with the handle Gera Merix.

"Bye Bonnie ... Have a good trip to heaven."

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