Linda Lavin Dies: ‘Alice’ Star & Tony-Winning Broadway Actor Was 87

Linda Lavin, the beloved veteran stage and TV actress known for her Emmy-nominated role in the 1976 sitcom Alice and for her Tony-winning performance in the 1986 play Broadway Bound, died today, Dec. 29. She was 87.

The news comes as a shock as Lavin has been working as recently as this month. She died unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer, her PR representative told Deadline.

A former child stage actor, Lavin started her Broadway career in the 1960s, appearing in the musical It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman and the play Last of the Red Hot Lovers, which earned her the first of six Tony Award nominations in 1970.

For the next five decades, Lavin juggled theater and Hollywood careers. Following a memorable recurring role on the ABC sitcom Barney Miller from 1975-1976, she landed the the title role of a roadside diner waitress and widowed young mother in the 1976 comedy series Alice, based on the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, which ran on CBS for nine seasons and 202 episodes.

Lavin has worked steadily in television since. Loved by series creators and producers, she found a new gear over the past decade with a slew of major roles, including series regular turns on comedy series Sean Saves the World on NBC as well as 9JKL and B Positive on CBS. This year alone, she guest starred on CBS’ Elsbeth, recurs on Netflix’s No Good Deed, which is currently streaming on Netflix, and has a recurring role on the upcoming Hulu comedy series Mid-Century Modern, filming her most recent episode just a couple of weeks ago.

In her final public appearance, Lavin walked the red carpet for the premiere of No Good Deed on Dec. 4.

“Alice was one of the many sitcoms that made me fall in love with television; I was eight years old and watched every episode,” said 9JKL executive producer Aaron Kaplan. “Over three decades later, I had the great privilege to work with Linda on JKL and she was the just the most amazing partner — funny and talented and kind and generous. Linda Lavin was — and will always be — Hollywood royalty.”

On Broadway, Lavin followed her 1970 Tony nomination with a win for Broadway Bound in 1987. He most recent Tony nomination was in 2012 for The Lyons.

Lavin’s film credits include Damn Yankees!, which marked her feature debut, The Ring, The Intern, and Being the Ricardos.

She is survived by her husband of 19 years — and love of her life — Steve Bakunas.