Actress Anne Ramsey, whose grotesque character in ``Throw Momma From the Train'' won her an Oscar nomination and a following in the twilight of her career, died of throat cancer. She was 59. Her husband of 34 years, actor Logan Ramsey, was at her side when she died Thursday evening at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been for about a week, hospital spokeswoman Peggy Shaff said Friday. The actress often appeared with her husband in projects, including Clint Eastwood's ``Any Which Way You Can,'' scheduled to air Friday night on CBS-TV. She appeared in two Barbra Streisand films, ``Up the Sandbox'' and ``For Pete's Sake'' and played Nick Nolte's addled mother in ``Weeds.'' In ``Goonies,'' she uttered the line, ``Put that kid's hand in the blender and hit puree.'' Mrs. Ramsey's television credits included roles in ``The Young and the Restless,'' guest appearances on ``Hill Street Blues,'' ``Night Court'' and ``Knight Rider,'' and movies-of-the-week roles in ``White Mama,'' ``The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,'' ``Blind Ambition'' and ``Marilyn.'' However, it was her role opposite actor-director Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal in the dark comedy about matricide, ``Throw Momma From the Train,'' that put her on the fast track. After 37 years in show business, she became famous as the actress with the face of a mother no one could love. ``Some people say I'm not a very pretty woman, but I'm a very beautiful woman inside,'' she said when asked about her appearance. As the murder-provoking harridan of ``Throw Momma,'' the diminutive hunch-shouldered actress played her most tormented and tormenting role. DeVito, as brow-beaten son Owen Lift, tries to arrange a swap of murder victims: He will kill his writing teacher's ex-wife if the teacher (Crystal) kills his mother. ``She became such a cult hero to young people after `Throw Momma' that the kids wouldn't leave her alone. But she loved kids. She enjoyed it all,'' said her publicist, Stan Rosenfield. ``I loved that woman. I loved everything about her,'' DeVito said. ``I was so delighted over the success she achieved over the past year. She was a woman of courage and should be admired by all.'' Mrs. Ramsey was nominated for an Academy Award for ``Throw Momma,'' but lost to Olympia Dukakis of ``Moonstruck.'' She will be seen in four still-to-be-released films: ``Dr. Hackenstein,'' ``Scrooge,'' ``Good Ole Boy'' and ``Homer and Eddie.'' It was the removal of part of her tongue during throat cancer surgery three years ago that gave her the speech impediment evident in ``Throw Momma From the Train.'' She began chemotherapy treatments when the cancer recurred in April. During filming of ``Throw Momma,'' Mrs. Ramsey was undergoing oral surgery and was enduring intense pain, said DeVito. He said the actress never asked to be excused from work. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Ramsey is survived by a brother and sister, Rosenfield said. A private burial was planned in Omaha, Neb., but the family kept the date and location secret, Rosenfield said. A public memorial service will be held Aug. 20 at St. Michael & All Angels' Episcopal Church in Studio City, he said.
