Beloved actress and Broadway icon Linda Lavin, known for her Emmy-nominated role in the CBS sitcom Alice and her Tony-winning performance in Broadway Bound, has passed away at the age of 87 on December 29. Her publicist confirmed the death was as a result of complications due to recently diagnosed lung cancer, but the sudden nature of it has come as a huge shock as Lavin had been actively working as recently as this month. She was promoting her Netflix series No Good Deed and filming Hulu’s upcoming comedy Mid-Century Modern, where she was one of the leads. The status of the show is now up in the air, as it had only completed seven of its 10-episode order before the holiday break.
Lavin was a child actor before she transitioned to Broadway in the 1960s, where she made a name for herself in productions like It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman and Last of the Red Hot Lovers, earning her first Tony nomination in 1970. In 1987, Lavin won a Tony Award for her role in Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound. Her most recent Tony nomination came in 2012 for The Lyons. Off the stage, Lavin became a household name on television, most notably starring as Alice Hyatt in CBS’s Alice, which ran for nine seasons and earned her two Golden Globes. Her recurring roles in The Good Wife and its spin-off Elsbeth reintroduced her to a new generation of fans on the same network where she had made her name.
What Have People Said in Tribute to Linda Lavin?
Image via CBS
Hulu’s Mid-Century Modern, where Lavin starred alongside Nathan Lane and Matt Bomer, was her most recent project. The show’s creators, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, and director James Burrows, paid heartfelt tribute to her: “Linda 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. The entire staff and crew will miss her beyond measure.”
Netflix collaborator Liz Feldman, who worked with Lavin on No Good Deed and 9JKL, shared a moving Instagram tribute:
“Getting to work with you once was an honour and a joy. That we got to collaborate again on No Good Deed was simply a gift. You were, as always, incredibly gracious, totally hilarious, and pitch-perfect. Your warmth and kindness were unparalleled.”
Aaron Kaplan, producer of Santa Clarita Diet and 9JKL, reflected on her legacy: “Alice was one of the many sitcoms that made me fall in love with television. Over three decades later, I had the privilege to work with Linda, and she was the most amazing partner—funny, talented, kind, and generous. Linda Lavin was—and will always be—Hollywood royalty.”
Lavin is survived by her husband of 19 years, Steve Bakunas, who was by her side at her passing. Our thoughts are with him, and all of Lavin's loved ones at this time.
Image via CBS
Image via CBS
English (US) ·