For a time, Fran Lopate — a Jewish mother of four from Flatbush — became America's most recognizable Italian spokesmodel.

She received two Emmy noms for being "the smartest person in the room" on the CBS sitcom and tons of tabloid attention for her 1988-94 marriage to.

The Minnesota native helped lead the sitcom to 10 Emmy nominations and one win across its four-season run on CBS.