The former Alice star Linda Lavin, who was also a Tony winner on Broadway, died suddenly on Sunday. She was 87 years-0ld.
Lavin Passes Away
Lavin’s representative explained to People Magazine that the actress “passed unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer.”
Lavin’s death has come as a shock to fans, as she was still working as recently as this very month. Indeed, she’d been seen earlier in December promoting her new Netflix series No Good Deed. She’s also been filming the upcoming Hulu comedy series Mid-Century Modern. Lavin was one of the leads of this show.
Born in Maine in 1937, Lavin began performing on the stage as a small child.
“There’s a picture of me at 1 1/2 — I use it at the end of my show — where I’m in my rompers, looking out at the world with wonder and joy and hope,” Lavin said in a 1992 interview. “That’s still me. I am still her.”
After graduating from William and Mary College in Virginia, Lavin headed to New York City to pursue her acting dreams.
“It took me 10 years to become established in New York,” she recalled in 1978.
Lavin launched her Broadway career in 1966 in the musical It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman. She earned the first of her six Tony nominations in 1970 for the play Last of the Red Hot Lovers.
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Lavin Achieves Television Stardom
Lavin soon began working in television as well, earning a memorable recurring role on the ABC sitcom Barney Miller from 1975-1976. She soon scored the title role in the 1976 sitcom Alice, based on the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Lavin played the title character, who was a widowed young mother working as a waitress as at a roadside diner.
“Alice’s foremost responsibility is to her kid, but her first responsibility is to herself,” Lavin previously said. “A lot of shows depict women as backbiting, clawing and competitive for the attention of men. I want this program to show women who are lonely and brave and have a sense of humor. Alice is a woman who is scared […]. What I like to do is to make people laugh and, in the same moment, reach out to millions and say, ‘You’re not alone.’”
Alice was a huge hit, running for nine seasons and 202 episodes. Lavin won one Emmy and two Golden Globes for her work on the show.
After Alice ended in 1985, Lavin returned to Broadway, winning a Tony for the play Broadway Bound. She was most recently nominated for a Tony for 2012’s The Lyons.
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Lavin Was Working Until The End
Lavin continued working right up until the very end. This year alone, she starred in CBS’ Elsbeth and on Netflix’s No Good Deed. She was working on Mid-Century Modern at the time of her passing. Hulu and 20th Television, the studio behind Mid-Century Modern, honored Lavin after her death.
“Our deepest and heartfelt condolences go to Linda Lavin’s family and loved ones,” the companies told Deadline. “She was a legend in our industry, bringing her tremendous talent to audiences for over seven decades. She will be forever missed by her Mid-Century Modern family, as we mourn this incredible loss together.”
Lavin is survived by survived by her husband of 19 years, Steve Bakunas, who was with her when she passed away. She made her final public appearance on December 4, when she walked the red carpet for No Good Deed on December 4.
“As an actor, I like to expose myself through the character,” Lavin said at that event. “I have a wonderful life, a wonderful husband [Steve Bakunas] who’s standing over there and I have a very rich and full life and I’m happy to show up. I’m thrilled to show up at this time in my life. I’m really grateful.”
Rest in peace, Linda Lavin.
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