Actress Kirstie Alley, best known for her role in the comedy series Cheers in the 1980s and 90s, has died of cancer at 71.
A statement from the children of the deceased read, “We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away.”
BBC reported that the family statement did not specify what cancer she had, but said it was “only recently discovered”.
It continued, “She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead.
“As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.
They also praised her “zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating”.
Alley won an Emmy award for her role as a pub manager on the popular TV series by NBC about a bar in Boston, Cheers. She played character Rebecca Howe opposite actor Ted Danson.
She appeared in 147 episodes after joining the show and continued to appear until it ended in 1993.
She also appeared in the movies, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and the Look Who’s Talking series.
In 1993, she won a second Emmy for best lead actress, this time for a CBS TV movie called David’s Mother.
