- "As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother."
- First appearing as a strong independent woman, her character repeatedly had failed romances, often with rich men, becoming more insecure and frustrated as a result.
Actress Kirstie Alley, best known for her role in the comedy series Cheers in the 1980s and 90s, has died of cancer at 71, according to a family statement.
"We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away," her children wrote.
Alley won an Emmy award and a Golden Globe for her role as a pub manager and waitress on the popular TV series.
The Kansas-born star also appeared in the Look Who's Talking film series and the TV sitcom Veronica's Closet.
The family statement did not specify what cancer she had, but said it was "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," it continued.
"As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother."
They also praised her "zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating".
On Cheers, the beloved NBC sitcom about a bar in Boston, Alley played bar manager and cocktail waitress Rebecca Howe, soon becoming a fan favourite for fending off advances from Ted Danson's womanising bar owner Sam Malone.
First appearing as a strong independent woman, her character repeatedly had failed romances, often with rich men, becoming more insecure and frustrated as a result.
She appeared in 147 episodes after joining the show at the height of its popularity in 1987 and continued to appear until its end in 1993.
In a statement to Deadline, Danson said: "Her ability to play a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown was both moving and hysterically funny.
"She made me laugh 30 years ago when she shot that scene, and she made me laugh today just as hard," he added, referring to having caught an old episode of Cheers on a flight this week.
"As I got off the plane, I heard that Kirstie had died," he went on. "I am so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh. I send my love to her children. As they well know, their mother had a heart of gold. I will miss her."
Another castmate, Kelsey Grammer, who played the psychiatrist Frasier Crane, said he had loved the actress.