Tony Award-winning actress and singer Linda Lavin, celebrated for her role in the television sitcom Alice, has passed away at the age of 87. Her representative, Michael Gagliardo, confirmed the news on Monday to USA TODAY.
According to Gagliardo, Lavin died on Sunday due to complications from recently diagnosed lung cancer. She is survived by her husband, Steve Bakunas, whom Gagliardo described as “the love of her life.”
Lavin rose to fame with her role in Alice, a popular sitcom that aired from 1976 to 1985. The show followed the life of Alice Hyatt, a single mother and aspiring singer, as she worked at a diner and raised her son.
Her performing career began at the age of 5, according to IMDb. By the early 1960s, Lavin was pursuing acting opportunities in New Jersey, and by 1969, she earned a Tony nomination after appearing in numerous musicals and stage productions.
Most recently, Lavin appeared in three episodes of the Netflix series No Good Deed, which premiered on December 12. She also has two posthumous projects set to release: the film One Big Happy Family in January and the Hulu series Mid-Century Modern later in 2025.
After the finale of Alice, Lavin returned to her theatrical roots, winning a Tony Award in 1987 for her performance in Broadway Bound. She received further Tony nominations in 1998 for The Diary of Anne Frank, in 2000 for Tales of the Allergist’s Wife, and in 2010 for Collected Stories. Notably, she also starred in the PBS-TV adaptation of Collected Stories eight years prior to her stage nomination.
