Cheers, Kirstie

Co-stars' tributes to sitcom legend Alley after death from cancer at 71

- CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

KIRSTIE Alley arrived in LA from Kansas with no acting training and she had only a couple of bit parts to her name when she beat Sharon Stone to the role of Rebecca Howe in Cheers.

Her portrayal of the unlucky-in-love bar manager in the hit sitcom turned Kirstie into America's sweetheart and earned the actress who died on Monday aged 71-an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a People's Choice Award.

Tributes to the mum of two were led by Ted Danson, who played Sam Malone, Rebecca's womaniser boss at the Boston bar, and Kelsey Grammer, whose role as psychiatrist bar regular Frasier Crane won a spin-off, Frasier.

Danson, 74, said he had watched an episode of Cheers starring Alley by chance on a flight before he learned of Kirstie's death.

He said: "Her ability to play a woman on breakdown was both the verge of a nervous I love y and I k that we moving and hysterically funny.

"I send my love to her see eac children. As they well know, their mother had other a a heart of gold.