By Geoffrey Huchel
Actress Linda Lavin, best known for playing the title character in the classic sitcom ALICE passed away December 29, 2024, in Los Angeles from complications of recently diagnosed lung cancer. She was 87.
Lavin, a native of Portland Maine, began her career in the late 1960s when she was cast in the television version of the musical “Damn Yankees” with Phil Silvers. By the mid-1970s, Lavin made several guest appearances on series such as THE NURSES (1962-1965) and RHODA (1974-1978), and landed a recurring role as Detective Janice Wentworth on BARNEY MILLER (1975-1982) during the first and second season. She left BARNEY MILLER to star in the lead role on the successful series ALICE, which ran from 1976-1985. During the series’ run Lavin earned two Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
Lavin also had a successful stage career. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for playing a strong-willed mother in Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound.” She also received Tony nominations for the productions “The Diary of Anne Frank”, “The Tale of the Allergists Wife”, “Collected Stories”, and “The Lyons.”
Lavin’s additional filmography includes THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984), TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL (1994-2003), THE SOPRANOS (1999-2007), THE O.C. (2003-2007), THE BACKUP PLAN (2010), WANDERLUST (2012), THE GOOD WIFE (2009-2016), MOM (2013-2021), MANHATTAN NIGHT (2016), MADAM SECRETARY (2014-2019), SANTA CLARITA DIET (2017-2019), DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODERICK RULES (2022), ELSPETH (2024-), and NO GOOD DEED (2024-)
Ringside Report sends our condolences to Linda Lavin’s family during their time of grief.
Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By “Bad” Brad Berkwitt
