Sitcom star Linda Lavin has sadly passed away at the age of 87, following a hugely successful career - and just weeks after she walked a red carpet. A PR representative for Linda confirmed to Deadline that Linda's death was due to complications from a recent lung cancer diagnosis. Her sudden passing comes as she was promoting her new Netflix series No Good Deed and filming for the upcoming Hulu show Mid-Century Modern, in which she was set to star.
Close friends and fans of Linda have taken to X, previously known as Twitter, to express their sorrow over her loss. "I just heard the news that my dear friend Linda Lavin died. Totally unexpected, even at the age of 87. A true friend and a total force of nature," shared actress Patricia Heaton on X. One fan posted: "RIP Linda Lavin (aka Alice), you were a hilarious part of my childhood watching you on your TV show Alice."
Another added: "Sad news. Linda Lavin was a remarkable talent who left a lasting legacy in TV and theatre. #LindaLavin." One more commented: "Very sorry to hear that Linda Lavin passed away at age 87. The last time I saw her was when she got murdered in an episode of "Elsbeth" this past April. May she rest in peace."
Linda, a true Broadway star since the 1960s and known for her role in the hit sitcom Alice, has had an illustrious career spanning over five decades. She first graced the stage in musicals like It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman and earned critical acclaim in Last of the Red Hot Lovers, which led to her first Tony Award nomination in 1970, reports the Mirror US.
Her talent was further recognised with a Tony win in 1987 for Broadway Bound. Linda's versatility saw her juggle theatre with TV, where she shone as a recurring character on Barney Miller from 1975 to 1976 before landing the lead in Alice, a show that ran for nine seasons on CBS.
Based on the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Linda became a household name. Recently seen on the red carpet for No Good Deed, Linda's impact on the industry was highlighted by Aaron Kaplan, executive producer of 9KJL.
He shared: "Alice was one of the many sitcoms that made me fall in love with television; I was eight years old and watched every episode." He added: "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."
