Kirstie Alley, Emmy-Winning ‘Cheers’ Actress, Dies at 71 - The New York Times

Television|Kirstie Alley, Emmy-Winning ‘Cheers’ Actress, Dies astatine 71

Kirstie Alley, the histrion whose breakout relation arsenic the career-minded Rebecca Howe successful the sitcom “Cheers” catapulted her vocation and earned her an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe, died connected Monday. She was 71.

The origin was cancer, according to a connection from her household connected Twitter.

Ms. Alley rapidly won implicit millions of viewers portion playing Rebecca successful “Cheers,” the timeless NBC amusement that was broadcast for 11 seasons successful the 1980s and ’90s. She had stepped successful to regenerate Shelley Long successful the ensemble formed successful 1987, astatine the tallness of the series’ popularity, and remained until the last season.

Critics noted however Ms. Alley had brought a refreshing caller dynamic to the character, with writers giving her a much amusive arc that helped make a “denser gag machine,” arsenic 1 writer noted. At times, Rebecca, who managed the barroom successful the show, appeared to beryllium a hapless and gold-digging mess. In different moments, Ms. Alley portrayed Rebecca with a faux-bravado, and with an cognition of indifference to others romanticist advances.

Ms. Alley besides starred successful the NBC sitcom “Veronica’s Closet,” which ran from 1997 to 2000. Her quality was the palmy caput of a lingerie company.

Marta Kauffman, a creator and an enforcement shaper of “Veronica’s Closet,” said of Ms. Alley successful 1997: “She is brainsick astir of the time, and I mean that successful the champion consciousness of the word.”

This obituary volition beryllium updated.