Kirstie Alley, ‘Cheers’ and ‘Veronica’s Closet’ star, dead at 71

Kirstie Alley, the two-time Emmy-winning star of classic sitcom “Cheers” and the comedy “Veronica’s Closet,” has died. She was 71.

Her passing was announced Monday evening on her official Twitter account by her children, True and Lillie Parker.

“We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered.

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,” wrote her children.

The family also acknowledged the “incredible team” at Moffitt Cancer Center in their statement.

“Our 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,” the announcement continued.

“We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time.”

John Travolta also paid tribute to his longtime friend and former movie co-star on Instagram.

“Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had,” he posted to Instagram after her death was announced. “I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.”

Alley was best know for her turn as Rebecca Howe, the sexy bar manager in the NBC comedy “Cheers,” in which she starred opposite Ted Danson from 1987 to 1993. She won 1991 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal, for which she was nominated five times.

Regarding the role that launched her stardom, she once jokingly called the James Burrows and Glen and Les Charles-created series a “boys club.”

“’Cheers’ is a dictatorship,” Alley told the Los Angeles Times with a laugh in 1993. “It is a boys’ club and they dictate what the girls do and that is the way you do it. There are no conferences about what your character is or should be. It makes people go unconscious. They just tell you what your character is doing in the script, period.”

Her more than 40-year career included numerous film roles, including as a Vulcan Starfleet officer in the 1982 hit “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” and as a career-driven single mom in 1989’s “Look Who’s Talking,” which also starred Travolta, Bruce Willis, Olympia Dukakis and George Segal. The popular flick also spawned a 1990 sequel, “Look Who’s Talking Too.”

She also landed a 1994 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special for the CBS drama “David’s Mother.”

Much of Alley’s work centered on comedy, with appearances in TV sitcoms including “The Goldbergs,” “The Middle,” “Hot in Cleveland,” “The King of Queens,” Dharma & Greg,” among others.

She also had stints on a reality show, “Kirstie Alley’s Big Life,” and the competitions “Dancing with the Stars,” “Celebrity Big Brother” and “The Masked Singer.”

In early 2021, Kansas native Alley sold her longtime California home for $7.8 million; she had purchased the Los Feliz property in 2000.

This is a developing story.