Linda Lavin (October 15, 1937 - December 29, 2024) was an American actress and singer. She was known for playing the title character in the sitcom "Alice" and for her stage performances, both on and off-Broadway. After acting as a child, Lavin joined the Compass Players in the late 1950s. She began appearing on Broadway in the 1960s, earning notice in "It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman" in 1966 and receiving her first Tony Award nomination for "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" in 1970. She moved to Hollywood in 1973 and began to work on television, making recurring appearances on the sitcom "Barney Miller" before landing the title role on the hit comedy "Alice," which ran from 1976 to 1985. She appeared in many telefilms and later she appeared in other TV works. She has also played roles in several feature films. In 1987, she ret...