first Alleywhose role as Rebecca Howe in the American sitcom Cheers propelled her to stardom in the 1980s and 1990s has died of cancer at the age of 71.
A statement from her family, posted through her official social media accounts, described her as a “great mother and grandmother”.
“To all our friends, around the world… We are sorry to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother passed away after a battle with cancer, which was only recently discovered,” the statement read.
“She was surrounded by her immediate family and fought with great strength, making us sure of her never-ending joy in life and whatever adventures lie ahead.”
Alley debuted on the NBC sitcom in 1987 and quickly became a fan favorite for her role opposite Ted Danson’s womanizer Sam Malone.
She played bar manager Howe until the show’s end in 1993, winning both a Emmy award and a Golden Globe for the role in 1991.
Beyond Cheers, Alley starred in several films over the past two decades, including Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Summer School (1987), Sibling Rivalry (1990), It Takes Two (1995), For Richer or Poorer ( 1997). ), and Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999).
Alley was also known for starring in the series Look Who’s Talking alongside Church of Scientology member John Travolta.
She won her second Emmy Award in 1994 for the television movie David’s Mother and received another Emmy nomination in 1997 for her work in the crime drama series The Last Don.
She got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995 for her contribution to motion pictures.
Alley returned to NBC in 1997 to play the title character in the sitcom Veronica’s Closet, which ran until 2000.
She also made several appearances on reality television, first as a contestant on the 12th season of Dancing with the Stars where she came in second place.
British audiences saw Alley in reality TV mode on the 22nd series of UK Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, with the Kansas-born actor taking second place.
During her stint on Big Brother, she shared the house with other famous faces, including the Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas and Dan Osbourne of The Only Way Is Essex, who placed first and third respectively.
Alley was raised a Methodist, but became a Scientologist in 1979 after moving The Angelswhere she used the church-affiliated Narconon drug treatment program in response to her self-admitted cocaine addiction.
She was married twice — to her high school boyfriend from 1970 to 1977 and to Baywatch actor Parker Stevenson from 1983 — and after a miscarriage adopted son William True in 1992 and daughter Lillie Price in 1995 with Stevenson.
The marriage to Stevenson ended in 1997 and Alley became a grandmother in 2016 after the birth of William’s son.
Her celluloid career began as a contestant on the game show The Match Game in 1979 and ended with an appearance on the competition series The Masked Singer, wearing a baby mammoth costume earlier in the year.