Linda Lavin, the award-winning actress and singer best known for her role in the long-running CBS sitcom Alice, passed away on Sunday at the age of 87.
Linda Lavin Cause of Death
According to her representatives, she succumbed to complications from recently discovered lung cancer.
Lavin’s career spanned more than seven decades, showcasing her talents on stage, television, and film. Born into a musical family, she began performing at the age of five. Lavin honed her skills at William & Mary and later found her footing in New York City, where she starred in Broadway plays and musicals throughout the 1960s.
Her breakout Broadway role came in 1966 when she starred in It’s a Bird … It’s a Plane … It’s Superman. The New York Times praised her performance, with critic Stanley Kauffmann writing, “I wish she was in every musical and revue.”
However, it was the sitcom Alice that cemented Lavin’s place as a household name. From 1976 to 1985, Lavin portrayed Alice Hyatt, a widowed mother pursuing her dream of becoming a singer while working at a diner. Her performance earned her two Golden Globe Awards, an Emmy nomination, and widespread acclaim.
Lavin continued to shine in theater, winning a Tony Award for her leading role in the 1986 play Broadway Bound and earning multiple Tony nominations for subsequent projects. She also explored voice acting, directing, producing, and teaching master classes at her alma mater.
Her final on-screen role was in the Netflix series No Good Deed, released earlier this month. She was scheduled to act in the play Mid-Century Modern in California in January.
News of Lavin’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the entertainment industry. Actress Patricia Heaton shared a heartfelt video on X (formerly Twitter) reflecting on her time working with Lavin on the 1990s sitcom Room for Two.
“She was such a legend,” Heaton said. “She was my mentor, my guardian angel. She taught me so much about acting and life. Just a few months ago, we had dinner, and she was as sharp, funny, and energetic as ever. I’m going to miss her. She was a good friend.”
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