Kirstie Alley, who won an Emmy for her role on “Cheers” and appeared in films such as “Look Who’s Talking,” died on Monday, at the age of 71.
Her children, True and Lillie Parker, wrote on Twitter that Alley passed away from cancer that had just been identified. Donovan Daughtry, Alley’s manager, confirmed her death in an email to The Associated Press.
Her children’s statement read, “As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.”
From 1987 to 1993, she played Rebecca Howe opposite Ted Danson in the NBC sitcom “Cheers,” which was popular for its depiction of a Boston bar. She joined the show at its peak.
Alley won an Emmy for best lead actress in a comedy series for the role in 1991. In 1993, she won a second Emmy for best lead actress in a miniseries or television movie for her performance as the title role in the CBS TV movie “David’s Mother.”
She had her own sitcom on the network from 1997 to 2000, called “Veronica’s Closet.”
She played the mother of a baby whose inner thoughts were voiced by Bruce Willis in the 1989 comedy “Look Who’s Talking,” which gave her a significant career boost. She also appeared in the sequel, “Look Who’s Talking Too,” released in 1990.
John Travolta, her co-star in both films, paid her tribute in an Instagram post.
“Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had,” Travolta said, along with a photo of Alley. “I love you, Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.
In the 2005 Showtime series “Fat Actress,” she played a fictionalized version of herself, making fun of her public and media treatment of her weight gain and loss.
Additionally, she has made several appearances on reality TV in recent years, including “Dancing With the Stars.”
Alley, a native of Wichita, Kansas, attended Kansas State University before dropping out and moving to Los Angeles.
She made her debut on television as a contestant on “The Match Game” in 1979 and “Password” in 1980.
In 1982, she made her film debut in “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.”
Also Read: Patricia Arquette Discloses Pressure Hollywood Puts On To Look Young
