Linda Lavin passed away on December 29, 2024, in Los Angeles, due to complications from lung cancer. She was 87 years old. Known for her long and successful career, the late actress became a familiar face to millions through her role as Alice Hyatt in the hit sitcom Alice, which aired from 1976 to 1985. Her portrayal of a hardworking waitress navigating life’s ups and downs earned her two Golden Globe Awards and made her a household name during its nine-season run.
In addition to television, Lavin was a star on the Broadway stage. She won a Tony Award in 1987 for her role in Broadway Bound and continued to wow audiences in productions like Gypsy and The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife.
Offscreen, her personal life was filled with both love and loss. She was married three times, with her first two marriages to Ron Leibman and Kip Niven ending in divorce. Sadly, both of her former husbands passed away in 2019, making her later years more difficult.
First Husband: Ron Leibman
Lavin’s first husband, Ron Leibman, was a force to be reckoned with in the acting world. Known for his Emmy-winning role in Kaz and his memorable turn as Ron Cadillac on Archer, Ron built a reputation for bringing intensity and wit to every character the late actor played. His career spanned television, film, and theater, earning him respect and admiration from peers and audiences alike.
Ron and Linda married in 1969, but after 12 years together, they decided to part ways in 1981. The couple did not have any children. Following their divorce, Ron found love again with actress Jessica Walter, best known for her role as Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development. Their marriage lasted until Ron passed away on December 6, 2019, at the age of 82 in Manhattan. The cause of his death was complications from pneumonia.
Second Husband: Kip Niven
Lavin met her second spouse Kip Niven on the set of Alice, where their connection eventually led to marriage in 1982. Their union followed a tragic chapter in Kip’s life, as his first wife, Susan Tisdall Niven, had died in a car accident the year before.
While their marriage began with promise, it ended in a difficult and bitter divorce a decade later, in 1992.
Though Lavin did not have biological children, the Barney Miller star embraced her role as a stepmother to Kip’s children, Jim and Kate. Her involvement extended to their growing families, as Linda became an active presence in the lives of her grandchildren—Grayson, Talen, and more.
In an interview, the late actress reflected on her parenting style, saying, “I’m an accepting parent. I’m comfortable with myself where I don’t need anybody to be different from who they are. There’s a wonderful mantra that I use that says, ‘Today let me not do anything to ruin anybody else’s day.’ I believe as a parent, we can give our children their own path. We can lead by example, but not by lecturing or punishing the spirit.”
Niven also passed away on May 6, 2019, at the age of 73 from a heart attack in Leawood, Kansas.
After her divorce from Kip, Lavin eventually married her third husband, Steve Bakunas in 2005, and they remained together until her passing.
