Linda Lavin dead at 87: Tony-winning Broadway star and sitcom actress passes away as cause of death is revealed

Tony-winning Broadway star and sitcom actress Linda Lavin died on Sunday, December 29 at the age of 87. 

The beloved Broadway star and television actress died unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer, per Deadline.

The news comes as a shock since Lavin was was still working as recently as this month.

Lavin was known for her award-winning and illustrious acting career in both arenas of Broadway and television. 

She is perhaps most commonly recognized for her role in the 1976 sitcom Alice. 

For her performance as the titular character over the span of nine seasons, she was recognized and nominated for an Emmy Award. 

Linda Lavin died on Sunday, December 29 at the age of 87. The beloved Broadway star and television actress died unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer; pictured December 4 at Hollywood premiere of No Good Deed

Linda Lavin died on Sunday, December 29 at the age of 87. The beloved Broadway star and television actress died unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer; pictured December 4 at Hollywood premiere of No Good Deed

She went on to star in the 1986 play Broadway Bound and won a Tony for her performance. 

Lavin's entertainment career dates back to the days when she worked as a child stage actor. 

Later on, she went on to perform on Broadway beginning in the 1960s and appeared in the musical, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman as well as the play, Last of the Red Hot Lovers. 

For her performance in the latter Broadway stage, she earned her first out of six Tony Award nominations in 1970. 

She went on to take home her first win for her performance in Broadway Bound in 1987. 

Her most recent Tony nomination was in 2012 for her performance in The Lyons. 

Since her breakthrough stage role, she continued jumping between performing on Broadway and in Hollywood. 

Lavin appeared in television series including Barney Miller from 1975 to 1976 as a roadside diner waitress. 

Lavin was known for her award-winning and illustrious acting career in both arenas of Broadway and television; pictured in Alice portrait between 1976 and 1985

Lavin was known for her award-winning and illustrious acting career in both arenas of Broadway and television; pictured in Alice portrait between 1976 and 1985

She is perhaps most commonly recognized for her role in the 1976 sitcom Alice; pictured alongside Alice co-stars Celia Weston, Vic Tayback and Beth Howland in September 1984 portrait

She is perhaps most commonly recognized for her role in the 1976 sitcom Alice; pictured alongside Alice co-stars Celia Weston, Vic Tayback and Beth Howland in September 1984 portrait

For her performance as the titular character over the span of nine seasons, she was recognized and nominated for an Emmy Award; pictured in January 1983 portrait

For her performance as the titular character over the span of nine seasons, she was recognized and nominated for an Emmy Award; pictured in January 1983 portrait

Lavin's entertainment career dates back to the days when she worked as a child stage actor. Later on, she went on to perform on Broadway beginning in the 1960s and appeared in the musical, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman as well as the play; pictured March 2023 in New York City

Lavin's entertainment career dates back to the days when she worked as a child stage actor. Later on, she went on to perform on Broadway beginning in the 1960s and appeared in the musical, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman as well as the play; pictured March 2023 in New York City

For her performance in the Last of the Red Hot Lovers, she earned her first out of six Tony Award nominations in 1970; pictured alongside Rita Moreno in 1978 Pasadena

For her performance in the Last of the Red Hot Lovers, she earned her first out of six Tony Award nominations in 1970; pictured alongside Rita Moreno in 1978 Pasadena

She went on to take home her first win for her performance in Broadway Bound in 1987. Her most recent Tony nomination was in 2012 for her performance in The Lyons; pictured in Broadway play Broadway Bound

She went on to take home her first win for her performance in Broadway Bound in 1987. Her most recent Tony nomination was in 2012 for her performance in The Lyons; pictured in Broadway play Broadway Bound

In the past decade, she had other major roles in television and was a series regular on the NBC comedy series Sean Saves the World as well as CBS' 9JKL and B Positive; pictured in B Positive still

In the past decade, she had other major roles in television and was a series regular on the NBC comedy series Sean Saves the World as well as CBS' 9JKL and B Positive; pictured in B Positive still

This year, she continued keeping busy and guest starred on CBS' Elsbeth, took on a recurring role on Netflix's No Good Deed and also worked on the upcoming Hulu show, Mid-Century Modern; pictured December 2021 in Los Angeles

This year, she continued keeping busy and guest starred on CBS' Elsbeth, took on a recurring role on Netflix's No Good Deed and also worked on the upcoming Hulu show, Mid-Century Modern; pictured December 2021 in Los Angeles

She also portrayed a widowed young mother in the 1976 comedy series Alice, which ran on CBS for nine seasons and 202 episodes. 

In the past decade, she had other major roles in television and was a series regular on the NBC comedy series Sean Saves the World as well as CBS' 9JKL and B Positive. 

This year, she continued keeping busy and guest starred on CBS' Elsbeth, took on a recurring role on Netflix's No Good Deed and also worked on the upcoming Hulu show, Mid-Century Modern. 

She filmed her most recent episode for the comedy series just a couple weeks ago, per Deadline. 

She made her final public appearance just earlier this month when she walked the red carpet for the premiere of No Good Deed in Hollywood on December 4.