Kirstie Louise Alley (January 12, 1951 – December 5, 2022) was an American actress. Her breakout role was as

Rebecca Howe Rebecca Howe is a fictional character of the American television sitcom ''Cheers'', portrayed by Kirstie Alley and created by Glen and Les Charles. Rebecca appeared in 147 episodes of ''Cheers'' between 1987 and 1993 and in one episode of ''Wi ...

in the NBC sitcom ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...

'' (1987–1993), for which she received an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

and a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

in 1991. From 1997 to 2000, she starred as the lead in the sitcom '' Veronica's Closet'', earning additional Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. On film, she was perhaps best known for her role as Mollie Jensen in '' Look Who's Talking'' (1989) and its two sequels, ''

Look Who's Talking Too ''Look Who's Talking Too'' is a 1990 American romantic comedy film and a sequel to director Amy Heckerling's 1989 comedy ''Look Who's Talking''. The film stars the original cast members John Travolta and Kirstie Alley as James and Mollie Ubriacco, ...

'' (1990) and ''

Look Who's Talking Now ''Look Who's Talking Now'' is a 1993 American romantic comedy film, and the third and final installment in the film series that began with ''Look Who's Talking'' in 1989. It finds John Travolta and Kirstie Alley reprising their roles as James an ...

'' (1993). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Alley appeared in various films, including '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' (1982), '' Summer School'' (1987), '' Shoot to Kill'' (1988), '' 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). Alley won her second

in 1994 for the television film ''

David's Mother ''David's Mother'' is a 1994 American made-for-television drama film directed by Robert Allan Ackerman and stars Kirstie Alley as a devoted mother trying to cope with her autistic teenage son David (Michael Goorjian). The film aired on CBS on Apr ...

''. In 1997, Alley received another

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

nomination for her work in the crime drama series '' The Last Don''. In 2005, she played a fictionalized version of herself on

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

's '' Fat Actress''. In 2013, Alley returned to acting with the title role on the sitcom '' Kirstie''. In 2016, she appeared on the

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

comedy horror series '' Scream Queens''. She also appeared in reality television including '' Kirstie Alley's Big Life'' (2010) and served as a contestant on the 12th season of ''

Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...

'' (2011–2012), where she finished in second place, behind Hines Ward, and the 22nd series of the British reality show '' Celebrity Big Brother'' (2018), in which she finished as runner-up. In 2022, she appeared on ''

The Masked Singer ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

''.

Early life

Alley was born in Wichita, Kansas, to Robert Deal Alley, who owned a lumber company, and Lillian Alley. She had two siblings, Colette and Craig. Alley attended Wichita Southeast High School, graduating in 1969. She attended college at

Kansas State University Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...

, dropping out after her sophomore year. After moving to Los Angeles to pursue Scientology and work as an interior designer, Alley appeared as a contestant on the game show '' Match Game'' in 1979. Winning both her games, she went on to win $500 in her first Super Match and $5,500 in her second. She also appeared on the game show '' Password Plus'' in 1980. On both shows, she described her profession as interior designer. In 1981, an automobile accident involving a drunk driver killed her mother and left her father seriously injured.

Career

Alley made her film debut in 1982 in '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' in the role of the Vulcan Starfleet officer Lieutenant

Saavik Saavik is a fictional character in the '' Star Trek'' universe. She first appeared in the film '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' (1982) played by Kirstie Alley. Robin Curtis took over the role for '' Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' (19 ...

. The Saavik character became very popular with ''Star Trek'' fans, but Alley chose not to reprise the role in the next two film sequels, later stating that she was offered less money than for ''Star Trek II''. Actress

Robin Curtis Robin Curtis (born in New York Mills, New York) is an American actress. She is best known for replacing Kirstie Alley in the role of Vulcan Lieutenant Saavik in the films '' Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' and '' Star Trek IV: The Voyage ...

succeeded her in the role. She was also a regular on the ABC television series ''

Masquerade Masquerade or Masquerader may refer to: Events * Masquerade ball, a costumed dance event * Masquerade ceremony, a rite or cultural event in many parts of the world, especially the Caribbean and Africa * Masqueraders, the performers in the West ...

'' from 1983 to 1984. In the years following, she starred in a number of smaller films, including '' One More Chance'', '' Blind Date'' and ''

Runaway Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to: Engineering * Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable * Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proce ...

''. In 1985, she starred in the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

miniseries ''

North and South North and South may refer to: Literature * ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell * ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987) ** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...

'', and also portrayed feminist icon Gloria Steinem in the television movie ''

A Bunny's Tale ''A Bunny's Tale'' is a 1985 American made-for-television comedy-drama based on American feminist icon and journalist Gloria Steinem's experiences working as a Playboy Bunny in 1963, as described by her 1963 article "A Bunny's Tale" (published ...

''. In 1987, Alley starred alongside

Mark Harmon Thomas Mark Harmon (born September 2, 1951) is an American actor. He is most famous for playing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in '' NCIS''. He also appeared in a wide variety of roles since the early 1970s. After spending the majority of ...

in the comedy film '' Summer School''. The film was a box office success, grossing over $35 million in the United States. Later in 1987, Alley joined the cast of NBC sitcom ''

'', replacing Shelley Long. It became her breakout hit role and she remained with the show for six years until its eleventh and final season.Interview with Kirstie Alley, '' The Howard Stern Show'', December 4, 2013. In 1989, Alley starred with

John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes ''Carrie'' (19 ...

in '' Look Who's Talking''. The film grossed over $295 million worldwide. They then went on to make two other films centered on the same theme, ''

'' and ''

''. After two

nominations for her work on ''Cheers'', in 1988 and 1990, she won the Emmy on her third nomination, in 1991. Alley earned her second Emmy for the 1994 television film ''

''. For her contributions to the film industry, Alley received a motion pictures star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in 1995. From 1997 to 2000, Alley played the title character in the NBC sitcom '' Veronica's Closet'', as well as serving as executive producer on the show. She served as the spokesperson for Pier 1 Imports from 2000 to 2004, and for

Jenny Craig Jenny Craig, Inc., often known simply as Jenny Craig, is an American weight loss, weight management, and nutrition company. The company has more than 700 weight management centers in Australia, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. The pro ...

from 2004 to 2007. TV Land aired a sitcom that centered on Alley as a Broadway star and a new parent. It was titled '' Kirstie'', and reunited her with former ''

'' co-star Rhea Perlman and ''

Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...

'' star

Michael Richards Michael Anthony Richards (born July 24, 1949) is an American actor, writer, television producer, and comedian best known for playing Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom '' Seinfeld''. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, first enterin ...

. The series premiered on December 4, 2013, and ran for one season before it was canceled, five months after ending its freshman run. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the 15th season of ''Dancing with the Stars'', where she finished in second place. In 2015 Alley was cast in ''

Time Crashers ''Time Crashers'' is a British entertainment television programme co-produced by Wall to Wall Media and GroupM Entertainment for Channel 4. The programme's format sees ten celebrities transported to different historical settings where they exper ...

'', a reality history program on Channel 4. In 2022, Alley competed in season seven of ''

'' as "Baby Mammoth" of Team Cuddly.

Personal life

Alley was married from 1970 to 1977 to high-school sweetheart Bob Alley, who coincidentally had the same name as her father. Alley married actor Parker Stevenson on December 22, 1983. Following a

miscarriage Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion and pregnancy loss, is the death of an embryo or fetus before it is able to survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks of gestation is defined by ESHRE as biochemical lo ...

, the couple adopted their first child, a son, in October 1992, and in 1995, they adopted their second child, a girl. The marriage ended in 1997. In 2016, Alley became a grandmother through her son. From 2000 until her death in 2022, Alley was a resident of

Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, northwest of Tampa and St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2020 census, the city had a populat ...

. From 1991 to 2020, Alley also lived on Islesboro Island, Maine. She once owned the Mitchell Cottage, formerly the Islesboro Inn, with her then husband. Alley later purchased another home on Islesboro.

Body image

On ''

The Dr. Oz Show ''The Dr. Oz Show'' (or simply ''Oz'') is an American syndicated daytime television talk show, hosted by Mehmet Oz, that aired between September 14, 2009, and January 14, 2022. Each episode features segments on health, wellness, and medical infor ...

'' on September 17, 2012, Alley said she started gaining weight in late 2003, and that she had been a compulsive eater all her life without gaining weight, only noticing the change after she reached early menopause in 1992. While working as a

spokesperson from 2004 to 2007, Alley lost , bringing her weight down to . In May 2009, she told '' People'' magazine that, after parting ways with Jenny Craig, she gained and weighed as much as . In March 2010, after gossip blogger Roger Friedman alleged a link between her Organic Liaison weight-loss system and the Church of Scientology, Alley wrote: "Please Google Mr. Roger Friedman. He is spreading lies about me and my new business. You will see his history & why Fox fired him. Going to have Mr. Attorney call Mr. Friedman's Attorney tomorrow ... Mr. Friedman is treading on thin LIBELOUS ice with my company." In September 2011, Alley announced she had lost using weight loss products from Organic Liaison. In 2012, she faced a

class-action lawsuit A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class action ...

alleging

false advertising False advertising is defined as the act of publishing, transmitting, or otherwise publicly circulating an advertisement containing a false claim, or statement, made intentionally (or recklessly) to promote the sale of property, goods, or servic ...

; the suit claimed that her weight loss was the result of exercise, including training for the TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'', not Organic Liaison products. She

settled A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...

the suit in 2013, agreeing to remove the term "Proven Products" from packaging, issue a disclaimer on the brand's website that it is a "calorie-based weight-loss product", and pay a $130,000 settlement. In April 2014, she resumed a role as a spokesperson with Jenny Craig; the Organic Liaison product line was acquired by Jenny Craig's

parent company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...

, and subsequently integrated into Jenny Craig's product line. In January 2015, Alley said that, since starting the Jenny Craig weight-loss program again, she had lost .

Scientology

Alley was raised as a Methodist, but became a member of the

Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a scientology as a business, bu ...

in 1979. At the time she became a Scientologist, Alley said she had a cocaine addiction and went through Narconon, a Scientology-affiliated drug treatment program, to end her dependency. By 2007 she had attained the level of OT VII ( Operating Thetan Level 7), and by 2018 she was New OT VIII. According to Alley, "Scientology made me a lot stronger and tougher ... It's made me more honest and more willing to take responsibility for other people." In May 2000, she purchased a waterfront mansion from former Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley for $1.5 million. The house is in

, the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology. Alley donated $5 million to the church in 2007. As a member of the Church of Scientology, Alley opted not to, though was never asked to, reprise her role as Rebecca Howe on any episode of '' Frasier'', because the series was centered on the field of medical psychiatrists; she was the only former ''Cheers'' regular not to do so.

Politics

In August 2015, Alley tweeted that she would not be supporting Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, during the

2016 presidential elections This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kir ...

, and on April 8, 2016, she tweeted her support for

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Donald Trump and

Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...

. On October 8, 2016, Alley retracted her endorsement of Trump, tweeting, "I hate this election and I'm officially no longer endorsing either candidate." In October 2020, she stated she had voted for Trump in 2016 and intended to vote for him again in

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

because "he's NOT a politician." She also endorsed Republican John James in the

2020 United States Senate election in Michigan The 2020 United States Senate election in Michigan was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent Michigan. It was held concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other electio ...

Death

Alley died from

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...

Moffitt Cancer Center Houston Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute is a nonprofit cancer treatment and research center located in Tampa, Florida. Established in 1981 by the Florida Legislature, the hospital opened in October 1986 on the University of South ...

in Tampa, Florida, on December 5, 2022, at the age of 71. As per a statement released by her children, the cancer had only been recently discovered. Her ex-husband Parker Stevenson, her two children, ''Look Who's Talking'' co-star John Travolta, and other celebrities posted their condolences on social media. Her ''

'' co-stars Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, and Rhea Perlman also released statements memorializing her.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Alley's work has been honored by multiple associations throughout her career. For her role in the sitcom ''

'', she earned four

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

nominations winning one for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1991, and five

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

nominations winning one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991. On November 10, 1995, Alley was given a star on the

for her contributions to motion pictures.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alley, Kirstie 1951 births 2022 deaths 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actors from Wichita, Kansas Actresses from Kansas American film actresses American former Protestants American Scientologists American television actresses Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (television) winners California Republicans Contestants on American game shows Former Methodists Kansas State University alumni Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Islesboro, Maine Wichita Southeast High School alumni Deaths from colorectal cancer Deaths from cancer in Florida