Esther Clavin (or Ma, as Cliff calls her) is the mother of Cliff Clavin. Despite being in his late thirties, the two still live together. She was portrayed by Frances Sternhagen After being described to Norm Peterson and other barflies by her son since Season 1, Esther makes her first official appearance in the Season 5 episode "Money Dearest" in which her son plots to have her marry a millionaire in order to inherit his fortune. The plans backfires as Esther has Duncan Fitzgerald donate all of his fortune in order to prove that she was not motivated to marry him out of greed.