Linda Lavin, the beloved actress best known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal as the lead in the sitcom “Alice,” has passed away at age 87. The Tony Award-winning actress died on Sunday from complications from recently discovered lung cancer. She leaves behind a remarkable seven-decade history in the entertainment industry.
Lavin’s career began on Broadway in the 1960s, earning her six Tony nominations and a win in 1986 for “Broadway Bound.” She became a household name throughout her nine-season career on CBS’s “Alice” and continued acting on stage and in film until her death, including recent roles in “Sean Saves the World,” “9JKL,” and “B Positive.”
The actress is survived by her husband of 19 years, Steve Bakunas. As 20th Television and Hulu noted in their statement, she truly was “a legend in our industry”.
According to The Wrap, at the time of her passing, Lavin was actively working on Hulu’s upcoming comedy series “Mid-Century Modern.” Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, the creators behind Will & Grace, developed the new Hulu comedy show.
The series, starring Matt Bomer, Nathan Lane, and Nathan Lee Graham, had already completed seven of its ten episodes. Lavin played Sybil Schneiderman, the fabulously complex mother of Lane’s character Bunny, who was described as “critical, smothering, and amoral” – the type of role she could easily dig her teeth into.
The show’s creators, including executive producer Ryan Murphy, are now faced with the challenging decision of how to proceed with the remaining three episodes that were scheduled to resume production in January. In a touching joint statement, Mutchnick, Kohan, and James Burrows remembered Lavin as “a heat seeking missile with a joke” and “a beautiful soul,” highlighting both her comedic prowess and genuine warmth.
This news feels especially disappointing for fans who were looking forward to her acting performance in “Mid-Century Modern,” which was shaping up to be another standout in her already impressive career.
Sadly, Linda Lavin joins a long list of beloved entertainers that we lost in 2024.