Linda Lavin, who is best known for her role on the hit TV sitcom Alice, has passed away due to complications of a recently discovered lung cancer. She was 87.
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Born on Oct. 15, 1937, in Portland, Maine, Lavin started her acting career in the early ‘60s. She appeared in the Broadway production of It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman in 1966, and she received her first Tony Award nomination for her role in Last of the Red Hot Lovers in 1970.
In 1973, she moved to Hollywood and started working in television. She soon landed a role in the hit comedy Alice, which ran from 1976 to 1985.
In 1987, Lavin returned to Broadway and starred in Broadway Bound, which earned her a Tony Award. She also appeared in Gypsy, The Sisters Rosenweig, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Tale of the Allergist’s Wire.
Other TV shows that Lavin appeared in were Conrad Bloom, Touched by an Angel, The O.C., Sean Saves the World, and 9JKL. Deadline reported that she had been working even weeks before her unexpected death. Her most recent role was on Netflix’s No Good Dead alongside Lisa Kudrow.
She was also filming Hulu’s Mid-Century Modern. The show’s creators, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, as well as director James Burrows, released a statement following news of Lavin’s death.
“Working with Linda was one of the highlights of our careers,” they stated. “She was a magnificent actress, singer, musician, and a heat-seeking missile with a joke. But more significantly, she was a beautiful soul. Deep, joyful, generous, and loving. She made our days better. The entire staff and crew will miss her beyond measure. We are better for having known her.”
Lavin is survived by her third husband, Steve Bakunas.
Linda Lavin Said It Took Her 10 Years to Establish Her in New York City
During a 1978 interview with People, Linda Lavin opened up about how her acting career took off while in New York City.
“It took me 10 years to become established in New York,” she explained. “Actors have an inordinate, desperate need for approval. I discovered that acting is a craft, not a way to get love. If you don’t see it that way, you’ll always be disappointed.”
Lavin also spoke about her time on the hit sitcom Alice.
“I have no life outside the series,” she declared. “I say ‘I’m sorry’ a lot. [I insist on spending one day] lying down. But I rejuvenate quickly, and if I’ve rested on Saturday, I play tennis or ride my bike on Sunday.”
In regard to her career ambitions, Lavin added, “I don’t want [being] rich and famous to run my life.”