Kirstie Alley, known for her breakout role as Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom Cheers (1987–1993), died Monday, December 5, 2022, at the age of 71.

Alley’s children, True and Lillie Parker, revealed the news of her death saying that she died after a short battle with cancer. 

“We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” they said in a statement, according to People magazine.

Also Read | Kirstie Alley of Look Who’s Talking and Cheers fame dies aged 71

“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,” they continued. “As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.”

The remembered their mother’s “zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did.”

Also Read | New Orleans Saints sport black helmets, color rush uniforms for MNF vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Watch

Who was Kirstie Alley?

Kirstie Alley was born in Wichita, Kansas, to Robert Deal Alley, who owned a lumber company, and Lillian Alley.

She has two siblings, Colette and Craig. She attended Wichita Southeast High School, graduating in 1969. She then went to college at Kansas State University. But, she dropped out after her sophomore year.

After moving to Los Angeles to pursue Scientology, she appeared as a contestant on the game show Match Game in 1979. She won both rounds, winning $500 in the first round and $5500 in the second round.

In 1991, she receiving an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for the role of Rebecca Howe. From 1997 to 2000, she starred in the sitcom Veronica’s Closet, for which she received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Alley appeared in various films, including Summer School (1987), Shoot to Kill (1988), Look Who’s Talking (1989) and its two sequels (1990–1993), Madhouse (1990), Sibling Rivalry (1990), Village of the Damned (1995), It Takes Two (1995), Deconstructing Harry (1997), For Richer or Poorer (1997), and Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999).

She won her second Emmy Award in 1994 for TV film David’s Mother. In 1997, she received a further Emmy nomination for her work in the crime drama series The Last Don.

Also Read | Mickey 17 teaser out: Robert Pattinson to star in Parasite director Bong Joon Ho’s upcoming film

In 2005, she played a fictionalized version of herself on Showtime’s Fat Actress. She later appeared on Kirstie Alley’s Big Life (2010). She has been a contestant on the 12th season of Dancing with the Stars (2011–2012), on the 22nd series of the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother.