Linda Lavin, Busy Broadway Actress and Star of TV’s ‘Alice,’ Dies at 87

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As I delve into the remarkable life of Linda Lavin, I am left in absolute awe of her indomitable spirit and versatility as an artist. From her humble beginnings on the small screen to her triumphant Broadway performances, Lavin has undeniably left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

What strikes me most about Lavin’s journey is not just her ability to adapt to different roles and mediums but also her resilience in the face of adversity. From her tumultuous divorces to her successful business ventures, she has shown that she is more than just a talented actress; she is a survivor, an inspiration, and a true testament to the power of perseverance.

One particularly fascinating aspect of Lavin’s life is her long-standing collaboration with the legendary director, producer, and mentor, Tommy Tune. Their partnership spans over four decades, and it is a testament to their mutual respect and admiration for each other’s talent. It’s not every day that an artist gets to work so closely with a true legend in their field, and I can only imagine the wealth of knowledge and experience Lavin has gained from this unique partnership.

Now, let me share a little joke to lighten the mood: When asked about her secret to success, Linda Lavin once quipped, “I don’t know. I just showed up every day and made sure I was on time.” Well, my dear reader, that’s exactly what it takes – consistency, dedication, and a little bit of humor.

May Lavin’s legacy continue to inspire future generations of artists and entertainers, and may we all learn from her indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to her craft.

As a devoted fan, I’m deeply saddened to share that Linda Lavin, the illustrious actress who won a Tony and brought nine seasons of charm and wit to the character Alice Hyatt on the beloved CBS sitcom “Alice,” passed away this Sunday at the age of 87.

Unfortunately, Lavin passed away suddenly in Los Angeles due to complications arising from a newly detected lung cancer, as her representative confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Hal Prince provided Lavin with a major opportunity in 1962, moving her from the chorus to a speaking role on Broadway. This was followed by two collaborations with Neil Simon, which resulted in Lavin’s first Tony Award nomination for portraying the seductive Elaine in Last of the Red Hot Lovers in 1970. She later won a Tony Award in 1987 for her performance as the determined Kate in Broadway Bound.

Hal Prince offered Lavin her first big break in 1962, taking her out of the chorus and giving her a speaking part on Broadway. This led to two partnerships with Neil Simon, resulting in Lavin’s first career Tony nomination for playing the alluring Elaine in Last of the Red Hot Lovers in 1970. She ultimately won a Tony Award in 1987 for her portrayal of the resolute Kate in Broadway Bound.

Born and raised in Maine, I found myself playing the feisty Det. Janice Wentworth on ABC’s ‘Barney Miller’ for its first two seasons. In 1976, I was offered the lead role in ‘Alice’, a television series created by Robert Getchell, who had also penned and directed the Warner Bros. movie ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ (1974), which starred Ellen Burstyn in an award-winning performance.

Alice, a resilient single mother who’s recently lost her spouse and has a young boy (portrayed by Philip McKeon in the series), finds it challenging to balance her bills while working at Mel’s Diner, an eatery known for its greasy fare situated on the outskirts of Phoenix.

Playing the lead in “Alice” drew her deeply into the feminist movement, as she shared in a 2012 interview. “It was clear that I needed to educate myself about single mothers and working women,” she stated. “So I reached out to Gloria Steinem, whom I had previously met, and she introduced me to writers, columnists, and journalists who were focusing on the issues of working women.

Upon discovering that Alice accounted for 80% of the females employed nationwide earning just 69 cents for every dollar men made for equivalent work, I found my voice and felt compelled.

Lavin, an advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment, was asked to be part of the National Commission on Working Women. Frequently clad in her Alice waitress attire while addressing crowds, she did so “to give voice to those who couldn’t speak for themselves.

In a 1992 interview with Charlie Rose, the actress expressed gratitude from countless women. They were thanking her for reflecting their experiences authentically, for being genuine, for highlighting the challenges they face, for instilling hope, and for demonstrating that if Alice could succeed, so could they.

Or in a shorter version:

The actress told Charlie Rose in 1992 that she received gratitude from thousands of women for portraying their experiences honestly, being real, addressing issues, giving them hope, and showing them it’s possible to succeed if others can do it.

Lavin received a single Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe awards for her contributions to the show that consistently ranked among the top 10 in television ratings during its fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons.

After more than a decade, Lavin came back to the Great White Way with a triumphant performance as an estranged spouse and mother of Eugene (Jonathan Silverman) and Stanley (Jason Alexander) in “Broadway Bound”.

Kate is exceptionally impressive, a Jewish mother who pushes boundaries within her genre while still managing to elicit laughter from her concerns about her children’s well-being or forgotten pot roast,” Frank Rich stated in his review for The New York Times. “It would be ideal if Ms. Lavin, whose heartfelt portrayal mirrors the quality of the writing, could continue to play this role indefinitely.

She expressed gratitude towards Neil Simon during her Tony Award acceptance speech, acknowledging the depth of his writing that resonates with all the women in her heritage and within herself, allowing her to fully embrace playing this remarkable character.

Lavin was born on the 15th of October, 1937, in Portland, Maine. Her mom, Lucille, was a well-known coloratura soprano singer who performed with Paul Whiteman’s band, and her dad, David, ran a furniture company.

Ever since she was young, her dream was to become an actress. In the year 1959, she graduated from the College of William & Mary with a major in theater arts. Shortly after graduation, she relocated to New York and graced the stage in a revival of George and Ira Gershwin’s play, “Oh, Kay!”, off-Broadway.

During a performance of the play “A Family Affair” in Philadelphia, where Lavin was part of the chorus, Hal Prince, a well-known figure in the industry, unexpectedly appeared, as Lavin recounted in her 2018 interview with Broadway World. She had never crossed paths with him before, but this influential man, full of energy, singled her out and declared, “You’re terrific, I’ll see you later.” True to his word, the next day he was announced as our new director, and Lavin found herself with three speaking roles. At that time, each speaking part earned an actor $5, so Lavin had just become a full-fledged performer.

She achieved success on Broadway through a musical comedy production and later starred in various plays such as “The Riot Act”, “Wet Paint”, “The Game Is Up”, and “Hotel Passionato”. In 1966, she was recruited by Prince once more for the role of Sydney, the assistant to a Daily Planet columnist (played by Jack Cassidy), in “It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman”. She also sang a song about her affection for Clark Kent titled “You’ve Got Possibilities”, which was penned by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams.

In addition, Lavin had also taken on Stephen Sondheim’s “The Boy From…” in the production known as The Mad Show, and subsequently embarked on a tour with Van Johnson for On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Later in 1967, Lavin returned to Broadway and headlined in Carl Reiner’s comedy show called Something Different.

1969 saw her shine brightly as Patsy alongside Fred Willard in the critically acclaimed dark comedy “Little Murders,” helmed by Alan Arkin. She was honored with an Outer Critics Circle Award for her portrayal of a woman who was unexpectedly shot on her wedding day. However, she went on to share the stage with her new husband Ron Leibman in the Broadway comedy “Cop-Out,” which ran for eight performances.

Following her role in “Last of the Red Hot Lovers”, she left for Hollywood. In 1974, she was a guest at Valerie Harper’s character’s bridal shower on an episode of “Rhoda” and starred in the highly-regarded telefilm “The Morning After” featuring Dick Van Dyke.

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After her performance in “Last of the Red Hot Lovers”, she moved to Hollywood. In 1974, she made a special appearance at Valerie Harper’s character’s bridal shower on an episode of “Rhoda” and played a role in the critically-acclaimed telefilm “The Morning After”, alongside Dick Van Dyke.

On Alice, Lavin enjoyed great camaraderie with her co-stars Vic Tayback, Polly Holliday and Beth Howland, directed 10 episodes and performed the theme song, “There’s a New Girl in Town.” The series wrapped in March 1985 with her character getting a recording contract and moving to Nashville with her boyfriend, country singer Travis Marsh (played by her second husband, Kip Niven).

While Alice was out for a jog, she simultaneously acted in multiple television films, such as “The $5.20 an Hour Dream,” where she portrayed a factory worker, and hosted her personal 1980 holiday extravaganza titled “Linda in Wonderland.

Among her notable roles in television series, though each met an early end, were performances in shows like “Room for Two” (1992-93), co-starring Patricia Heaton as her daughter; “Conrad Bloom” (1998); “Sean Saves the World” (2013-14); and “9JKL” (2017-18).

She appeared in shows like “Santa Clarita Diet” and “Brockmire”, and more recently in “B Positive”, “Elsbeth”, and “No Good Deed”. At the time of her passing, she was involved in the Hulu comedy “Mid-Century Modern”.

Lavin received nominations for the Tony Awards in 1998, 2001, 2010, and 2012 for her performances in “The Diary of Anne Frank”, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife”, “Collected Stories”, and “The Lyons” respectively. She also portrayed Carol Burnett’s grandmother in “Hollywood Arms” from 2002-03, which was directed by Prince. It was Prince who presented Lavin when she was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 2011.

On a large movie screen, Lavin was featured in films like “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984), “See You in the Morning” (1989), “I Want to Go Home” (1989), “Wanderlust” (2012), “The Intern” (2015), “How to Be a Latin Lover” (2017), “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase” (2019). In addition, she played an older version of Madelyn Pugh, a writer for “I Love Lucy”, in the movie “Being the Ricardos”.

Among the survivors is her third spouse, drummer and artist Steve Bakunas, who was two decades younger than her. They tied the knot in 2005 and managed the Red Barn Studio Theater in Wilmington, North Carolina together; he also played drums for her cabaret performances and on her 2011 album, Possibilities, which featured show tunes and jazz standards.

From 1969 to 1980, she was wedded to Leibman, following by a marriage with Niven from 1982 until 1992. Their divorce, particularly the one with Niven, was marked by dispute; he demanded $6 million in assets, but eventually received only $675,000 after a prolonged six-month trial, as determined by a judge.

Duane Byrge contributed to this report.

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2024-12-30 08:55