Sawyer Sweeten
Sawyer Storm Sweeten (May 12, 1995 – April 23, 2015) was an American child actor, known for playing Geoffrey Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
Sawyer Sweeten | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sawyer Storm Sweeten May 12, 1995 Brownwood, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 2015 (aged 19) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1996–2005 |
| Relatives |
|
Early life
Sweeten was born in Brownwood, Texas, to parents Timothy Sweeten and Elizabeth Millsap.[1] He had a sister Madylin, and an identical twin brother, Sullivan – all three starring on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond for nine seasons.
The Sweeten family moved to California when the twins were six months old; the siblings were cast less than a year later.
Later, Sawyer and Sullivan owned a house together in Riverside, California.[2]
Death
On April 23, 2015, Sweeten died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, nineteen days before his 20th birthday. His death prompted public tributes by his Everybody Loves Raymond costars.[3]
His on-screen father Ray Romano was shocked by the news and said he was a "wonderful and sweet kid to be around".[2] Sweeten's on-screen mother Patricia Heaton said that he was "a funny and exceptionally bright young man. He is gone from us far too soon."[4]
Brad Garrett, who portrayed Sweeten's on-screen Uncle Robert, released a statement that: "The Sweeten family was our family for those nine years on Raymond. My deepest condolences and love go out to them during this unimaginable time."[5] Sweeten's on-screen grandmother Doris Roberts remembered Sawyer as "a very sweet young man" and reminded fans to "make sure your loved ones know how much you care about them. It's very important to keep in touch."
Phil Rosenthal, creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and husband of co-star Monica Horan, remembered Sawyer, his twin brother Sullivan, and their older sister Madylin as "children that never failed to make us laugh, or remind us of how we feel about our own children".[6]
His on-screen/real life sister Madylin released a statement regarding her brother's death and pleaded for everyone "to reach out to the ones you love".[4][6]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Frank McKlusky, C.I. | Young Frank McKlusky | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–2005 | Everybody Loves Raymond | Geoffrey Barone | Main & Recurring cast |
| 2000 | Even Stevens | Milton | Episode: "All About Yvette" |
References
- Williamson, Marcus (May 1, 2015). "Sawyer Sweeten: Actor who made his name playing one of the cute twins on the comedy show 'Everyone Loves Raymond'". The Independent. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- Steiner, Amanda (April 27, 2015). "Sawyer Sweeten's Family Speaks Out Following His Suicide: 'He Will Live On in Shared Moments Forever'". People. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- "Everybody Loves Raymond Star Sawyer Sweeten's Family Dedicates Theater in His Name 4 Years After His Suicide". PEOPLE.com. April 24, 2019. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
- "Sawyer Sweeten: 'Raymond' Mom Patricia Heaton Speaks Out On Tragic Death". hollywoodlife.com. 2015-04-24. Archived from the original on 2015-07-29. Retrieved 2015-07-06 – via Wayback Machine.
- "Everybody Loves Raymond' Star Sawyer Sweeten Dead at 19 of Apparent Suicide". ETOnline.com. 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2015-08-08.
- "'Everybody Loves Raymond' cast pays tribute to Sawyer Sweeten: 'He is gone from us far too soon'". NYDailyNews.com. 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2015-08-08.