Rotund character player, who made her feature acting debut as the 500 pound couch-bound mother of a dysfunctional family in Lasse Hallstrom's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993). Cates came to acting after screenwriter Peter Hedges (who also wrote the novel on which the film is based), saw her appearance on an episode of "Sally Jessy Raphael" on extremely overweight people. Cates brought a natural charm and warmth to the role that could have otherwise been merely grotesque. She received warm notices from critics and went on to make occasional guest appearances on TV in shows like "Picket Fences" and "Touched By an Angel".
Milestones
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1963 Moved to Tustin, California after marriage
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1964 When husband, who was still in the Marines, was assigned to a post in Japan, moved back to Texas
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1976 Finally settled in Mesquite, Texas after husband left the military
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1984 Underwent surgical procedure of having stomach stapled in effort to lose excess weight
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1986 Remained bedridden for two years due to a pelvic infection caused by a Dalkon Shield
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1991 Emerged from her house after five years in reclusion to appear on a "Sally Jessy Raphael Show" segment about extremely overweight people
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1993 Feature acting debut, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", playing Gilbert's mother
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1994 Guest starred on an episode of "Picket Fences" (CBS)
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Raised in Dallas, Texas
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Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, moved around depending on husband's assignments with the Marines; lived variously in North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas