Linda Lavin, the Tony Award-winning Broadway actress renowned for her role in the sitcom 'Alice,' has passed away at the age of 87
 | |
| Obit Linda Lavin 1 of 2 FILE - Linda Lavin arrives at the 33rd annual Producers Guild Awards on March 19, 2022, at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzell |
NEW YORK (AP) — Linda Lavin, a celebrated stage actress who garnered a Tony Award and became a symbol of the working class as a paper-hat-wearing waitress on the television sitcom “Alice,” has passed away at the age of 87.
Lavin died in Los Angeles on Sunday due to complications arising from recently diagnosed lung cancer, as confirmed by her representative, Bill Veloric, in an email to The Associated Press.
A prominent figure on Broadway, Lavin ventured into Hollywood in the mid-1970s. She was selected to lead a new CBS sitcom inspired by “Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore,” the film directed by Martin Scorsese that earned Ellen Burstyn an Academy Award for her portrayal of the titular waitress.
The title was abbreviated to “Alice,” and Lavin became an emblematic figure for working mothers, portraying Alice Hyatt, a widowed mother of a 12-year-old son employed at a roadside diner near Phoenix. The series, featuring Lavin performing the theme song "There's a New Girl in Town," aired from 1976 to 1985.
The show popularized the catchphrase “Kiss my grits” and included notable performances from Polly Holliday as waitress Flo and Vic Tayback as Mel, the gruff owner and head chef of Mel’s Diner.
Initially, the series experienced fluctuations in its CBS scheduling during its first two seasons but ultimately became a hit, airing alongside “All in the Family” on Sunday nights starting in October 1977. It ranked among the top 10 primetime series in four of the subsequent five seasons, with Variety magazine recognizing it as one of the greatest workplace comedies of all time.
In 1987, Lavin received a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in Neil Simon's “Broadway Bound.” She was actively promoting a new Netflix series, “No Good Deed,” and filming an upcoming Hulu series, “Mid-Century Modern,” as recently as this month, according to Deadline, which first reported her passing.
Lavin was raised in Portland, Maine, and relocated to New York City after completing her studies at the College of William and Mary. She performed in nightclubs and as part of various show ensembles.
The iconic producer and director Hal Prince provided Lavin with her initial significant opportunity while directing the Broadway musical "It's a Bird ... It's a Plane ... It's Superman." She went on to achieve remarkable success in her career.
Lavin returned to Broadway, where she later appeared in Paul Rudnick's comedy "The New Century," presented a concert show titled “Songs & Confessions of a One-Time Waitress,” and received a Tony nomination for her role in Donald Margulies’ “Collected Stories.”
Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press praised Lavin's performance in “Collected Stories,” stating that she “delivers a complete, nuanced portrayal, embodying the character’s intellectual vigor, wry humor, and growing physical frailty with remarkable authenticity. Lavin’s timing is impeccable, whether she is delivering a punchline or sharply analyzing her protégé’s work.”
In her 70s, Lavin experienced a resurgence of attention, earning a Tony nomination for Nicky Silver's "The Lyons." She also starred in "Other Desert Cities" and participated in a revival of “Follies” before they moved to Broadway.
Once again, the Associated Press lauded Lavin in “The Lyons," describing her as "an absolute wonder to behold as Rita Lyons, a mother characterized by her strong beliefs and expressive eye rolls, a matriarch who is both overbearing and emotionally distant."
