Sitcom actress Linda Lavin dies age 87 as cause of death confirmed - days after promoting new Netflix series

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Beloved TV sitcom actress Linda Lavin has died age 87, a source close to her has confirmed.

Lavin, an acclaimed stage and television actress celebrated for her Emmy-nominated role in the 1976 sitcom Alice and her Tony-winning performance in the 1986 play Broadway Bound, died on Sunday, December 29.

Lavin's death came as a shock to many as she had been seen out in public as early as a few weeks ago. She had been promoting her new Netflix series No Good Deed and filming the upcoming Hulu comedy Mid-Century Modern, in which she starred as one of the lead characters.

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According to her PR representative, Lavin passed away unexpectedly due to complications after recently being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Hollywood actress Linda Lavin has died just days after promoting her new Netflix show, No Good Deed.Hollywood actress Linda Lavin has died just days after promoting her new Netflix show, No Good Deed.
Hollywood actress Linda Lavin has died just days after promoting her new Netflix show, No Good Deed. | Getty Images

In a joint statement, Hulu and 20th Television said: “Our deepest and heartfelt condolences go to Linda Lavin’s family and loved ones. She was a legend in our industry, bringing her tremendous talent to audiences for over seven decades. She will be forever missed by her Mid-Century Modern family, as we mourn this incredible loss together.”

Lavin made her final public appearance on December 4 at the premiere of No Good Deed. Liz Feldman, the creator and executive producer of the series, honored Lavin on Instagram, sharing a cast photo from the premiere as a tribute.

Lavin began her career as a child stage actor and made her Broadway debut in the 1960s. She appeared in productions like the musical It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman and the play Last of the Red Hot Lovers, earning her first Tony nomination in 1970. Over the next five decades, she skillfully balanced her work in theater and television.

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Her TV career took off with a recurring role on ABC's Barney Miller in 1975-1976. Shortly afterward, she secured the title role in Alice, portraying a widowed mother working as a roadside diner waitress. The CBS sitcom, based on the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, ran for nine seasons and produced 202 episodes.

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