Joyce Brothers '47, a psychologist remembered for doling life advice to millions of TV viewers, radio listeners and magazine readers throughout her career, died Monday in New York City. She was 85 years old.
The cause of Brothers' death has not been released to the public.
Brothers earned a bachelor of science in home economics from Cornell in 1947. While at Cornell, she was a member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority, as well as Pi Lambda Theta, a national honor society for women, according to a June 1947 Sun article.
She later married Milton J. Brothers '47, a graduate of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, according to a December 1955 Sun article.
In 1955, Brothers was catapulted into the public eye when she competed for and won the top prize on television show "The $64,000 Question" – an achievement noted by the public because Brothers answered questions on an arcane topic, boxing in ancient Rome to the modern day ring, to win, according to a December 1955 Sun article.
"Getting ahead in today's world is not an easy thing, and although college graduates are noted for being able to accomplish a great deal in a short space of time, we feel sure that Mrs. Brothers has set a record in making $64,000 in half an hour," Mary Ann Holden '59, a member of The Sun's editorial board, wrote in December 1955.
Brothers' stint on "The $64,000 Question" soon led to her hosting nationally syndicated TV shows ranging from "The Dr. Joyce Brothers Show" to "Living Easy With Dr. Joyce Brothers," according to The New York Times.
Although Brothers became a media celebrity whose fans looked to her for advice on life issues, she drew the ire of some of her psychologist colleagues. Some members of the American Psychological Association, disapproving of her practicing "media psychology," asked that her membership with the association be revoked, according to CNN.
Among her admirers, however, Brothers was remembered as a television personality who broke the silence on issues ranging from turmoil in marriages to suicide.
Recalling Brothers' efforts to openly discuss topics such as depression, sex and body image in the mainstream media, Prof. Jane Mendle, human development, said Brothers exerted a profound influence on Americans throughout her life.
"Dr. Joyce Brothers was the first to talk frankly and accurately about psychological and sexual issues in mainstream media outlets," Mendle said in a University press release. "She had a remarkable impact in the field of mental health, both because she destigmatized previously taboo topics and because her radio program and magazine columns allowed her to reach people who might otherwise not have thought [to] or been able to access a psychologist."
Whether one called in inquiring about gender bias or work-life balance, Brothers was able to talk "openly and naturally about virtually every topic," Mendle said in the release.
