Linda Lavin, a versatile actress on stage and screen known for her powerhouse voice, sharp comedic timing, and warm presence, died December 29, 2024. The cause was complications from lung cancer; she was 87.
Born on October 15, 1938, in Portland, Maine, Lavin’s interest in performing began at a young age. Her Broadway debut came in 1966, introducing the song “You’ve Got Possibilities” in the short-lived musical “It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman.” But her early career is defined by her starring turn on the TV sitcom “Alice,” which ran from 1976 to 1985 and earned her an Emmy nomination.
Based on the Martin Scorsese film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” the show starred Lavin as Alice, a widowed mother who moves to Phoenix to start a new life and work as a waitress. Lavin brought warmth, resilience, and humor to the character, earning critical praise and two Golden Globe awards.
After “Alice” ended its run, Lavin returned to the stage with a Tony-winning turn in Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound” in 1987 and a powerhouse performance in “Gypsy” (replacing Tyne Daly as Rose). She also earned Tony nominations for her roles in “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” “Collected Stories,” and “The Lyons.”
Lavin’s later career was also marked by memorable supporting roles on television, whether as a series regular on sitcoms including “Conrad Bloom,” “Sean Saves the World,” and “B Positive” or as a guest star on everything from “The Good Wife” and “Elsbeth” to “No Good Deed.” She also had plum supporting roles in films, including “Being the Ricardos,” “The Back-Up Plan,” and “How to Be a Latin Lover.”
More recently, Lavin was cast as Nathan Lane’s overbearing mother on the upcoming Hulu comedy “Mid-Century Modern.” The sitcom, from “Will & Grace” creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, also stars Matt Bomer and Nathan Lee Graham.
Lavin is survived by her husband, Steve Bakunas.
