Linda Lavin

Linda Lavin (Template:IPAc-en; October 15, 1937 – December 29, 2024) was an American actress and singer. Known for her roles on stage and screen, she received several awards including three Drama Desk Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Obie Awards, and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. She was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2010.

After acting as a child, Lavin joined the Compass Players in the late 1950s. She made her television debut in Rhoda and had a recurring role in Barney Miller (1975–1976). She gained fame for playing the title role of a waitress at a roadside diner in the CBS sitcom Alice (1976–1985), a role for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and won two consecutive Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. She later starred in NBC's sitcom Sean Saves the World and the CBS sitcom 9JKL and took recurring roles in the legal drama The Good Wife (2014–2015) and the sitcom B Positive (2020–2022).

On stage, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play playing a strong-willed mother in the Neil Simon play Broadway Bound (1987). She was Tony-nominated for her roles in Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1970), The Diary of Anne Frank (1998), The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (2001), Collected Stories (2010), and The Lyons (2012). She is also known for acting in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman (1966), On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1967), Gypsy (1990), The Sisters Rosensweig (1993), and Follies (2011). She made her film debut in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), and later had roles in I Want to Go Home (1989), See You in the Morning (1989) and Being the Ricardos (2021).

Early life, family and education

Lavin was born in Portland, Maine, the younger daughter of David Joseph Lavin, a businessman, and Lucille Dorothy (née Potter), an opera singer.<ref name="thompson">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Lavin family were active members of the local Jewish community.<ref name= JWA/> Both sets of grandparents emigrated from Russia.<ref>United States Census, 1910</ref> Her family was musically talented, and Lavin was on stage from the age of five.<ref name= "thompson"/>

She attended Waynflete School<ref>Merrill, Daphne Winslow (1983). A Salute to Maine. New York: Vantage Press. p. 60. Template:ISBN.</ref> and Deering High School before enrolling in the College of William & Mary.<ref name="thompson"/>

She studied acting at HB Studio in New York City.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career

Early years

In the summer of 1958, she played one of the leads in The Common Glory,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> an outdoor drama written by Paul Green and staged at an amphitheater on campus. Upon her graduation from college,<ref name= JWA>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> she had already received her Actors' Equity Association card. She was a member of the Compass Players in the late 1950s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Theater

In 1960 Lavin appeared at the East 74th Street Theater in George Gershwin's Oh, Kay!, with Penny Fuller and Marti Stevens.<ref>Donna H. Krasnow, Daniel E. Lewis (2020). Daniel Lewis; A Life in Choreography and the Art of Dance</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Lavin began her career with Broadway appearances in the musical A Family Affair (1962)<ref>Ruhlmann, William. "'A Family Affair' Review". AllMusic. Accessed April 8, 2012.</ref> and plays such as The Riot Act (1963)<ref name=broadway>"Linda Lavin Broadway credits". Internet Broadway Database. Accessed February 16, 2012.</ref> and Carl Reiner's Something Different (1967).<ref>Barnes, Clive (November 29, 1967). "Theater: 'Something Different' Opens: Carl Reiner Comedy Staged by Carl Reiner Claudia McNeil Plays a Mother for Hire The Cast". The New York Times. p. 52.</ref> In his New York Times review of John Guare's two one-act plays, Cop-Out (1969), Clive Barnes wrote: "Miss Lavin...carries versatility almost to the point of paranoia, and camps up a storm."<ref>Barnes, Clive (April 8, 1969). "Theater: Guare's Humorous 'Cop-Out': Ron Leibman and Linda Lavin Star at Cort". The New York Times. p. 42.</ref>

File:Linda Lavin Alice 1977.JPG

Lavin in a publicity photo for Alice (1977)

Lavin also appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, including the revue Wet Paint (1965),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the musical The Mad Show (1966)<ref>"The Mad Show". Template:Webarchive. Internet Off-Broadway Database, retrieved October 15, 2010</ref> (in which she introduced the cabaret standard "The Boy From...", written by Stephen Sondheim and Mary Rodgers),<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and Little Murders (1969). Lavin won the Theatre World Award for Wet Paint<ref>"Wet Paint". Template:Webarchive Internet Off-Broadway Database. Retrieved October 15, 2010.</ref> and a Drama Desk Award for Little Murders.<ref>"Drama Desk Awards, 1968–1969 Template:Webarchive. Drama Desk. Retrieved October 15, 2010.</ref><ref>"Little Murders". Template:Webarchive. Internet Off-Broadway Database. Retrieved October 15, 2010.</ref> In 1975, she appeared in the Shakespeare in the Park production of The Comedy of Errors at the Delacorte Theater.

She "arrived at showbiz stardom with a featured role" in the musical It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman (1966).<ref>"Nightlife" listings. New York. April 1, 1996. p. 97.</ref><ref>Henderson, Kathy (May 3, 2010). "Collected Stories Star Linda Lavin on Her 50 Years Onstage and Her Real-Life Love Story". Broadway.com.</ref> She received her first Tony Award nomination in 1970, for her role in the Neil Simon play Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1969). Clive Barnes, in his review for The New York Times, wrote: "Linda Lavin, eyebrows, [sic] flaunting like telegraphed messages, mouth twitching and pouting, voice as dry as thunder and with a cough like electric static, is beautiful as Elaine, the sex cat feeling coolly kittenish and looking for a safe tin roof."<ref name=broadway/><ref>Barnes, Clive. "Stage: 'Red Hot Lovers': Comedy by Neil Simon Opens at the O'Neill", The New York Times, December 29, 1969, p. 37</ref> Lavin's last Broadway credit before she moved to Hollywood was in Paul Sills' Story Theatre in 1971.<ref name=creditsbww>"Linda Lavin Stage Performances". Broadwayworld.com. accessed February 16, 2012.</ref>

In 1984, Lavin played the character of "The Mother" in Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author in a production directed by Robert Brustein at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After more than a decade away, Lavin returned to the Broadway stage in 1987, winning a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play<ref>"1987 Tony Awards". Template:Webarchive. broadwayworld.com. Accessed February 16, 2012.</ref> and her second Drama Desk Award for her role as Kate in Simon's play Broadway Bound. In his review in The New York Times, Frank Rich wrote: "One only wishes that Ms. Lavin, whose touching performance is of the same high integrity as the writing, could stay in the role forever."<ref>Rich, Frank (December 5, 1986). "Theater: Simon's 'Broadway Bound'". The New York Times.</ref> Theatre critic Charles McNulty wrote of her performance that it "is widely considered one of the most memorable in contemporary Broadway history, winning not just awards but praise approaching the level of myth. The theater critic Gordon Rogoff, extolling 'the power available only to an actor at the height of her own command of detail,' went so far as to describe Lavin's portrayal as 'one of those textbook lessons in great acting...' "<ref>McNulty, Charles (February 20, 2011). "Linda Lavin is awash in good fortune". Los Angeles Times.</ref>

She then starred on Broadway in Gypsy as Mama Rose Hovick, replacing Tyne Daly in July 1990.<ref>Rich, Frank (September 18, 1990). "Review/Theater; Linda Lavin Takes Her Turn as Mama Rose". The New York Times.</ref> June Havoc saw Lavin's performance in Gypsy and sent Lavin a photo of Havoc's mother, the real Rose Hovick, with a note of appreciation for Lavin's portrayal of the character.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Her subsequent Broadway roles included The Sisters Rosensweig, as a replacement Gorgeous Teitelbaum starting in September 1993<ref>Brantley, Ben (September 24, 1993). "New Cast for 'Sisters Rosensweig'". The New York Times. p. C3.</ref> and Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank (1997–1998), opposite Natalie Portman, for which she garnered a Tony nomination as Featured Actress in a Play.<ref name=creditsbww/><ref>"1998 Tony Awards". Template:Webarchive. Broadwayworld.com. Accessed February 16, 2012.</ref> In 1995 she appeared in the Off-Broadway Death-Defying Acts, which consists of three one-act plays; Lavin performed in the Elaine May (Hotline) and Woody Allen plays (Central Park West).<ref>Gerard, Jeremy. "'Death Defying Acts'". Variety, March 12, 1995</ref> She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award (Outstanding Actress – Play)<ref>"Drama Desk, 1994–95"Template:Dead link Drama Desk. Accessed April 8, 2012.</ref> and won an Obie Award (Performance)<ref>"Obies, 1995 Award Winners". . The Village Voice. Accessed April 8, 2012.</ref> and the Lucille Lortel Award. She also directed theater during this period.

She played Marjorie in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (2000–2001), co-starring Tony Roberts and Michele Lee, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award, Leading Actress in a Play, and Drama Desk Award,<ref>Jones, Kenneth (July 29, 2001). "Linda Lavin's Fine Whine Runs Dry in Bway's Tale July 29". Playbill.</ref> and "nanny" for Helen (young Carol Burnett, played by Sara Niemietz and Donna Lynne Champlin) in Hollywood Arms in Chicago and on Broadway in 2002.<ref>Murray, Matthew (October 31, 2002). "Broadway Reviews: Hollywood Arms". Talkin' Broadway. Accessed January 7, 2023.</ref>

In 2010, Lavin appeared as Ruth Steiner in a Broadway revival of the play Collected Stories opposite Sarah Paulson as her student,<ref>Jones, Kenneth (April 9, 2010). "Lavin & Paulson Star in Collected Stories, Making Broadway Bow April 9". Template:Webarchive. Playbill.</ref> reprising her role for a PBS production of the play,<ref>"Collected Stories information" pbs.org, retrieved October 15, 2010</ref> and received a fifth Tony nomination for the role. She appeared in the new play by Jon Robin Baitz, Other Desert Cities, Off-Broadway at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater (now the Vivian Beaumont Theater) at Lincoln Center, beginning in previews in December 2010, closing February 27, 2011.<ref>" 'Desert Cities' Listing" Lincoln Center, accessed May 29, 2011</ref> Lavin was featured in the Kennedy Center (Washington, DC) production of the musical Follies, from May 2011 to June 2011, as Hattie Walker.<ref name=playoct>Gans, Andrew (May 7, 2011)."Hats Off, Here They Come, Those Beautiful Girls": Starry 'Follies' Begins Kennedy Center Run May 7". Template:Webarchive. Playbill.</ref>

She appeared in the premiere of the Nicky Silver play The Lyons at the Off-Broadway Vineyard Theatre, beginning in September 2011, through November 11.<ref>Jones, Kenneth (October 11, 2011). "Nicky Silver's Lyons, Led by Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa, Opens in NYC; Extension to Nov. 11 Announced" Template:Webarchive. Playbill.</ref> Ben Brantley, The New York Times reviewer, commented: "Watching Ms. Lavin, I found myself thinking of Nora from Ibsen's Doll's House – well, a pursed-lipped, lemony-sour, older Nora in pseudo-Chanel, one who's never at a loss for what to say and when to say it. Rita may be a little behind schedule in discovering herself, but no one can fault the hair-trigger timing of the actress playing her or the surprising dimensions she finds within one-liners."<ref>Brantley, Ben (October 11, 2011). "Theater Review: The Curse of Kinship, but a Fear of Isolation". The New York Times.</ref> She reprised her role in the Broadway production, which opened at the Cort Theatre on April 23, 2012, and closed on July 1, 2012.<ref>Jones, Kenneth (April 5, 2012). "The Lyons, Led By Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa, Set Up Their Den on Broadway". Template:Webarchive. Playbill.</ref><ref>Jones, Kenneth (July 1, 2012). "Nicky Silver's The Lyons Ends Its Broadway Roar July 1". Template:Webarchive. Playbill.</ref>

File:Linda Lavin 2014.jpg

Lavin in 2014

Lavin appeared in the Nicky Silver play Too Much Sun, which opened Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre on May 18, 2014. Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times wrote: "And it's an unconditional treat to witness an actress like Ms. Lavin tuned so precisely into the writer's wavelength that script and performance become a marriage of true minds."<ref>Brantley, Ben (May 18, 2014). "Nicky Silver's Too Much Sun Stars Linda Lavin". The New York Times.</ref>

Lavin appeared in 2015/16 on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in a Manhattan Theatre Club production of Richard Greenberg's Our Mother's Brief Affair.<ref>Clement, Olivia (December 28, 2015). "'Our Mother's Brief Affair', with Linda Lavin, Begins Previews On Broadway Tonight". Playbill.</ref>

In January 2017, Lavin appeared in New York City Opera's production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide at the Rose Theatre at Lincoln Center in the role of The Old Lady.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2020, Lavin performed "The Boy From..." as part of Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.<ref name="Willman">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="McNulty">Template:Cite news</ref> Writing in The New York Times, critic Ben Brantley called her performance of the song "deliciously undersold," and noted that she had introduced it 54 years earlier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Cabaret and recording

She appeared on the 1966 cast recordings of The Mad Show performing Stephen Sondheim's "The Boy From...". From It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, one of her numbers, "You've Got Possibilities", was the album's best-received song and was called "The one memorable song...flirty, syncopated" by the Dallas Observer.<ref>Liner, Elaine (July 1, 2010). "Superman Musical, You Don't Need X-Ray Vision To See Deeper Themes". Dallas Observer.</ref>

Lavin appeared in cabaret and concert performances.<ref>Gans, Andrew (February 24, 2006). "Diva Talk: Linda Lavin". Playbill.</ref> In 2005 she appeared at the Empire Plush Room in San Francisco, accompanied by Billy Stritch<ref>Gans, Andrew (September 6, 2005). "Linda Lavin Kicks Off Fall Season at Plush Room Sept. 6". Playbill.</ref> and her husband, Steve Bakunas. The Talkin' Broadway reviewer summed up her performance: "Linda Lavin is funny, warm and full of personality."<ref>Connema, Richard (September 17, 2005). "Linda Lavin is the Life of the Party". Talkin' Broadway (regional).</ref> In April 2006 she performed at Birdland (New York) "with her critically acclaimed cabaret act The Song Remembers When", with Billy Stritch.<ref>Gans, Andrew (January 23, 2006). Clark, "McArdle, Luker, Pedi, Lavin, Morton and More Set for Birdland's Spring Season". Playbill.</ref> She performed with the Wilmington Symphony (Wilmington, North Carolina) in March 2012.<ref name=staton>Template:Cite news</ref>

Her recording Possibilities was released by Ghostlight Records in 2012. Steven Suskin wrote: "There is still that sweet, friendly sound of long ago (and 'sweet' and 'friendly' are not words you'd use to describe Lavin-the-actress)."<ref>Suskin, Steven (January 1, 2012). "On the Record. Elf, Songs From a Stage Door Canteen Concert, Linda Lavin's 'Possibilities'". Template:Webarchive. Playbill.</ref>

Television

In 1967, Lavin made an appearance as Gloria Thorpe in a television version of the baseball musical Damn Yankees with Phil Silvers.<ref>Hischak, Thomas S."'Damn Yankees' Casts" The Oxford Companion to the American Musical. Oxford University Press US, 2008. Template:ISBN, p. 183</ref> In 1969, Lavin married actor Ron Leibman,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and by 1973, the couple had moved to Hollywood, California. After various guest appearances on episodic television series such as The Nurses, Rhoda, Harry O, and Kaz, Lavin landed a recurring role as Detective Janice Wentworth on Barney Miller during the first and second seasons (1975–1976).<ref>"'Barney Miller', see March 13, 1975" Template:Webarchive classicsitcoms.com, accessed June 20, 2011</ref>

File:Waitress cast Alice 1976.JPG

Beth Howland as Vera, Linda Lavin as Alice, and Polly Holliday as Flo on Alice (1976)

She left Barney Miller to star in the lead role in Alice, which was a sitcom success that ran from 1976 to 1985 on the CBS network. The series was based on the Martin Scorsese–directed Ellen Burstyn film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. Lavin portrayed Alice Hyatt, a waitress and aspiring singer, the character that Burstyn had played. Lavin performed the series' theme song, "There's a New Girl in Town," which was written by David Shire and Alan and Marilyn Bergman and was updated for each of the first six seasons. During the series' nine-season run, Lavin won two Golden Globe Awards and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination,<ref>Terrece, Vincent. "'Alice' listing". Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials: 1974–1984 (1985), VNR AG, Template:ISBN, pp. 9–10.</ref> and gained experience directing, especially during the later seasons. Lavin also played a dual role in Alice, as Debbie Walden, the wizened and former landlady of the character Vera Louise Gorman-Novak.<ref name= block>"Linda Lavin Movies, see 'Alice'". Template:Webarchive. Blockbuster. Accessed June 20, 2011.</ref> Lavin also made numerous television appearances outside of Alice, including hosting her own holiday special for CBS, Linda in Wonderland (1980). She acted in two sitcoms, Room for Two (1992–93)<ref name=block/> and 1998's Conrad Bloom.<ref>"'Conrad Bloom' Episodes". TV Guide. Accessed June 20, 2011.</ref> In Room for Two, she played a mother who moved in with her daughter, played by Patricia Heaton, who has a show on a local television station. The daughter gives Lavin's character her own segment, called "Just a Thought", at the end of her program.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

She made numerous television guest appearances, including roles on The Muppet Show (1979), Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The O.C., Touched by an Angel (1999), and HBO's The Sopranos (2002).

She also appeared in many other telefilms between 1967 and 1998, including: Sadbird, The Morning After, Jerry, Like Mom, Like Me, The $5.20 an Hour Dream, Another Woman's Child, Maricela, Lena: My 100 Children, Whitewash, A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story, Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden, For the Future: The Irvine Fertility Scandal, The Ring, and Best Friends for Life. Lavin produced and starred in A Matter of Life and Death, the 1981 telefilm based on the work of nurse thanatologist Joy Ufema.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She directed the 1990 telefilm Flour Babies.<ref name=block/>

Lavin provided the voice of the Mother Vulture in the animated series Courage the Cowardly Dog for the episode "Watch The Birdies".

After working in theater for many years, Lavin was cast in the NBC television sitcom Sean Saves the World (2013–14) playing Sean Hayes' pushy, meddling mother Lorna. The Los Angeles Times interviewer noted: "A highlight of the show is the wonderful chemistry between Lavin and Hayes, who exchange repartee and quips with breezy ease. And the cast seems smitten with her."<ref>King, Susan (December 30, 2013). "Linda Lavin recalls 'Alice'". Los Angeles Times.</ref>

In 2015, she guest starred as a judge approached to stop an execution in the episode of Bones titled "The Verdict in the Victims".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Lavin played Judy Roberts in the CBS sitcom 9JKL (2017–18) alongside Mark Feuerstein and Elliott Gould.<ref>Hrehovcik, Steve. "Loving Linda Lavin". Portland Monthly. Winterguide 2018.</ref> In 2019, Lavin joined the cast of the Netflix comedy/horror Santa Clarita Diet, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2020, Lavin performed the song "The Boy From..." from The Mad Show in Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.<ref name="Willman"/><ref name="McNulty"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Lavin appeared in the CBS comedy B Positive, which aired from 2020 to 2022, in a recurring role as Norma, one of the senior citizens at a local retirement home.

In June 2024, it was announced that Max Mutchnick and David Kohan had created a The Golden Girls-like TV series set in Palm Springs, with Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Nathan Lane as Bunny Schneiderman. Lavin played Lane's mother, Sybil Schneiderman. The series, Mid-Century Modern streams on Hulu.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the time of her death, seven of ten episodes of the series had been filmed, and Lavin's character was subsequently written out of the series in the episode "Here's To You Mrs. Schneiderman."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Directing and teaching

While residing in Wilmington, North Carolina, Lavin worked as a stage director. One of her directorial credits was a 1998 production of William Shakespeare's As You Like It, updated to a Brazilian jazz style. In both Wilmington and New York City, she taught master classes in acting and singing.<ref name=pbsbio />

Film

Lavin made her feature film debut in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984).<ref>"The Muppets Take Manhattan". Turner Classic Movies. Accessed June 20, 2011.</ref> Her other feature film appearances include See You in the Morning, starring Jeff Bridges; Alain Resnais's I Want to Go Home, opposite Gérard Depardieu (both 1989); and The Back-up Plan (2010).<ref name=pbsbio>"Linda Lavin Biography". PBS Presents Hollywood: Collected Stories. Accessed June 20, 2011.Template:Dead link</ref>

Personal life

File:Lavin Follies.jpg

Lavin and her husband Steve Bakunas at the Kennedy Center, 2011

Lavin was married three times. Her first marriage to actor Ron Leibman ended in divorce in 1981. Her second marriage, to actor Kip Niven, whom she met on the set of Alice, ended in a bitter divorce in 1992.<ref>Brozan, Nadine (July 3, 1992). "Chronicle". The New York Times.</ref> While Lavin had no biological children, she was a stepmother during her second and third marriages.<ref>Key, Lindsay (February 2010 ). "The Art of Love" Template:Webarchive Wrightsville Beach Magazine.</ref> She married Steve Bakunas in 2005. The couple resided in Wilmington, North Carolina,<ref name=playoct/> where they were committed community members who were working together to rehabilitate impoverished neighborhoods including renovating many homes, donating a park to the city and creating a community theater, the Red Barn Studio. In 1997, Lavin founded The Linda Lavin Arts Foundation in Wilmington, "to promote and foster the advancement of the performing and visual arts, with special emphasis on arts in education. Her foundation has created a theater program called Girl Friends, whose purpose is to raise the self-esteem of at-risk teenage girls of the inner city."<ref name=pbsbio/>

In September 2012, Lavin announced that she intended to sell her home in Wilmington and return to New York City.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Lavin and Bakunas thereafter resided in New York City until her death.<ref>Shaw, Dan (April 18, 2014). "Linda Lavin, By Day and Night". The New York Times.</ref> She continued to work in California as well.

Lavin continued performing after being diagnosed with lung cancer. She died from cardiopulmonary arrest due to complications of the disease in Los Angeles on December 29, 2024, aged 87.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Acting credits

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1967	Damn Yankees!	Gloria Thorpe
1974	The Morning After	Toni
1978	Like Mom, Like Me	Althea Gruen
1980	The $5.20 an Hour Dream	Ellen Lissick
1981	A Matter of Life and Death	Nurse Joy Ufema
1983	Another Woman's Child	Terry DeBray
1984	The Muppets Take Manhattan	Kermit's Doctor
1986	Maricela	Mrs. Gannett
1987	A Place to Call Home	Liz Gavin
	Lena: My 100 Children	Lena Kuchler-Silberman
1989	See You in the Morning	Aunt Sidney
	I Want to Go Home	Lena Apthrop
1995	A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story	Virginia Funicello
1996	Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden	Earline
	The Ring	Ruth Liebman
	For the Future: The Irvine Fertility Scandal	Marilyn Killane
1998	Best Friends for Life	Sarah "Coop" Cooper
2002	Collected Stories	Ruth Steiner
2010	The Back-up Plan	Nana
2012	Wanderlust	Shari
2013	A Short History of Decay	Sandy Fisher
2015	The Intern	Patty
2016	Manhattan Night	Norma Segal
	Bakery in Brooklyn	Isabelle
2017	How to Be a Latin Lover	Millicent Dupont
2019	Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase	Flora
2021	Naked Singularity	Judge Cymbeline
	Being the Ricardos	Older Madelyn Pugh
2022	Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules	Barb (voice)
2025	One Big Happy Family	Lenore	Posthumous release

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1974	Rhoda	Linda Monroe	Episode: "The Shower"
1975	Harry O	Alice	Episode: "Group Terror"
1975–1976	Barney Miller	Det. Janice Wentworth	Recurring role, 5 episodes
1976	Phyllis	Margaret Gates	Episode: "Widows, Merry and Otherwise"
1976–1985	Alice	Alice Hyatt	Main role, 202 episodes
1977	Family	Annie Laurie	Episode: "Annie Laurie"
1978	The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour	Herself	Episode #1.3
1979	Kaz	Helen 'Frenchy' Russo	Episode: "A Fool for a Client"
	The Mary Tyler Moore Hour	Herself	Episode #1.9
	The Muppet Show	Herself	Episode: "Linda Lavin"
1980	Linda in Wonderland	Hostess, herself	Musical variety television special <ref name="youtube/EkIKLhDFZ-Y">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="tcmdb/465952">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="netflix.originals.watch/26698">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1982	Lily for President?	Alice Hyatt	TV special
1992–1993	Room for Two	Edie Kurland	Main role, 26 episodes
1994	Whitewash	Mrs. Steunberg (voice)	TV special
1998	Conrad Bloom	Florie Bloom	Main role, 13 episodes
1999	Touched by an Angel	Amanda Randolph	Episode: "Jagged Edges"
2002	The Sopranos	Dr. Wendi Kobler	Episode: "No Show"
	Courage the Cowardly Dog	Mama Bird (voice)	Episode: "Watch the Birdies"
	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Ursula Sussman	Episode: "Shandeh"
2004–2005	The O.C.	Sophie Cohen	3 episodes
2013, 2023	Bob's Burgers	Helen / Gertie (voice)	Episodes: "It Snakes a Village", "Radio No You Didn't"
2013–2014	Sean Saves the World	Lorna Harrison	Main role, 15 episodes
2014–2015	The Good Wife	Joy Grubick	3 episodes
2015	Bones	Judge Michael	Episode: "The Verdict in the Victims"
2016	Mom	Phyllis	2 episodes
2017–2018	9JKL	Judy Roberts	Main role, 16 episodes
2018	Madam Secretary	June O'Callaghan	Episode: "E Pluribus Unum"
2019	Santa Clarita Diet	Jean	Recurring role, 4 episodes
	Brockmire	Lorraine	Episode: "Banned for Life"
2020	Yvette Slosch, Agent	Yvette Slosch	Main role, 13 episodes
	Room 104	Enid	Episode: "No Dice"
2020–2022	B Positive	Norma Goldman	Recurring and main role, 32 episodes
2024	Elsbeth	Gloria Blecher	Episode: "A Classic New York Character"
	No Good Deed	Phyllis Adelman	3 episodes
2025	Mid-Century Modern	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Main role, 8 episodes (posthumous release)
	Criminal Minds: Evolution	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Episode: "Time to Say Goodbye" (posthumous release)

Theater

Year	Title	Role
1962	A Family Affair	Various
1963	The Riot Act	Barbara
1964–1965	Wet Paint	Performer
1966	It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman	Sydney
	The Mad Show	Performer
1967	On a Clear Day You Can See Forever	Daisy Gamble, Melinda Welles
	Something Different	Beth Nemerov
	Little Murders	Patsy Newquist
1969	Cop-Out	Performer
1969–1970	Last of the Red Hot Lovers	Elaine Navazio
1970	Paul Sills' Story Theater	Various
1973	The Enemy is Dead	Leah
1974	Rich and Famous	Performer
1986–1987	Broadway Bound	Kate
1990	Gypsy	Rose Thompson Hovick
1993	The Sisters Rosensweig	Gorgeous Teitelbaum
1995	Death Defying Acts	Dorothy/Carol
1996	Cakewalk	Lillian Hellman
1998	The Diary of Anne Frank	Mrs. Van Daan
2000–2001	The Tale of the Allergist's Wife	Marjorie
2002	Hollywood Arms	Nanny
2004	Finishing the Picture	Flora Fassinger
2008	The New Century	Helene Nadler
2010	Collected Stories	Ruth Steiner
2011	Follies	Hattie Walker
2011–2012	The Lyons	Rita Lyons
2014	Too Much Sun	Audrey Langham
2016	Our Mother's Brief Affair	Anna
2022	You Will Get Sick	#2

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2010	American Theater Hall of Fame		Template:N/a	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2015	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series	The Good Wife	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1990	Daytime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Children's Special	CBS Schoolbreak Special Template:Small	Template:Nom
1969	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Performance	Little Murders	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1987		Outstanding Actress in a Play	Broadway Bound	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995			Death Defying Acts	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1998		Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play	The Diary of Anne Frank	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2000		Outstanding Actress in a Play	The Tale of the Allergist's Wife	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008		Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play	The New Century	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011			Other Desert Cities	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012		Outstanding Actress in a Play	The Lyons	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1978	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy	Alice	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1979				Template:Won
1980				Template:Nom
1995	Obie Awards	Distinguished Performance by an Actress	Death Defying Acts	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012			The Lyons	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1979	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Alice	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1965	Theatre World Awards	Distinguished Performer	Wet Paint	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1970	Tony Awards	Best Featured Actress in a Play	Last of the Red Hot Lovers	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1987		Best Leading Actress in a Play	Broadway Bound	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1998		Best Featured Actress in a Play	The Diary of Anne Frank	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2001		Best Leading Actress in a Play	The Tale of the Allergist's Wife	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010			Collected Stories	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012			The Lyons	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	TV Land Awards	Favorite Working Mom	Alice	Template:Won

Further reading

Putt, Barry M. Jr. (2019). Alice: Life Behind the Counter in Mel's Greasy Spoon (A Guide to the Feature Film, the TV Series, and More). Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. Template:ISBN.

External links

• Linda Lavin Official at YouTube
• Linda Lavin biography, as "Alice" cast member

Metadata

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