Doris Roberts

Doris May Green was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a family of Russian-Jewish immigrants. She was raised by her mother, Ann (née Meltzer), and her maternal grandparents in The Bronx, New York, after her father, Larry Green, deserted the family. Roberts' stepfather, whose surname she took as her own, was Chester H. Roberts. Chester and Roberts' mother operated the Z.L. Rosenfield Agency, a stenographic service catering to playwrights and actors. By her teens, Roberts was renowned for her skill as a typist and would assist with the family business. Ruth Finley was one such client who recalls her typing up final copies of the Fashion Calendar for print.