'Sesame Street,' '227' star Alaina Reed-Amini dies

[Ian David]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Actress Alaina Reed-Amini, best known for her long-running roles as Olivia Robinson on the children's program "Sesame Street" and Rose Lee Holloway on the comedy "227," has died.

Reed-Amini lost a two-year battle with breast cancer at St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica, California, on Thursday, according to reports.

Reed-Amini, who changed her named from Alaina Reed Hall after she married Tamim Amini in 2008, turned 63 last month. In 1976 she joined the cast of "Sesame Street" as Olivia, a professional photographer and the kid sister of Gordon the teacher. She left the program in 1988 for a role on the NBC sitcom "227."

The actress married her "227" co-star Kevin Peter Hall in 1988. With art imitating life, their characters were married in the final season of the show in 1990. Hall died in 1991 from complications from the AIDS virus that he acquired through a blood transfusion.

Her stage credits include productions of "Chicago" and "Hair." She also appeared in the inspirational one-woman show "Alaina at the Bijou."



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/22/obit.reed.amini/

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See also:


Sesame Street's Alaina Reed Has Died at Age 63

Sad news from Sesame Street: actress Alaina Reed-Amini, known for her long-running role on the series as Olivia Robinson, has died after losing her battle with breast cancer. She was 63 years old and in Santa Monica at the time of her death. Reed-Amini joined the Sesame Street gang in 1976 (later you knew her as Rose Lee Holloway on 227) and stayed through 1988; on the show she played the kid sister of Gordon, and sung plenty of tunes...

More:
http://gothamist.com/2009/12/22/sesame_streets_alaina_reed_has_died.php

[Kerrytravelers]

1. I remember her fondly from my days as a regular Sesame Street viewer.

How sad.

[kayla9170]

2. Breast Cancer Claims Another Victim.....R.I.P.

Please read the following link in regards to Breast Cancer and African-American Women:

http://www.womenshealth.gov/minority/africanamerican/bc.cfm

Thank you President Obama for fighting for a Health Care Bill that will allow Preventive Screening for this deadly disease at no cost. I wish my Mother was alive to see the day you sign this bill. She passed away February 9, 2005 with Stage 4 Breast Cancer at the time of diagnosis. To Ms. Reed-Amini family, I hope that God can provide a light for you during your time of deep sorrow.

[avaistheone1]

3. Sorry to hear that.

RIP

[Starbucks Anarchist]

4. Side note: Her husband played the Predator and Harry from Harry and the Hendersons.

[CatWoman]

7. yup

Predator
ACTOR: Kevin Peter Hall
MOVIE: Predator (1987)

Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally slated to play the jungle-dwelling alien hunter, but the "Muscles from Brussels" stands at a mere 5'9" -- a less than intimidating height against the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse "The Body" Ventura. The filmmakers hired Hall instead, who stood 7' 4" -- a good fourteen inches above the Governator.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Farewell, Olivia. :^(

[trotsky]

6. Ah, Olivia...

I grew up watching Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. It was very hard losing Mr. Rogers, now having to deal with the mortality of my Sesame Street gang is going to be tough. :(

[marshall]

8. RIP Alaina

I understand that it was seen as more essential back when her husband died to point out how he contracted AIDS, because people weren't familiar with the disease. And there was also more of a social expectation to let everybody know that he wasn't gay, so I would imagine his own obit would point out that he got AIDS from a blood transfusion. But it's a sad commentary on how far we've come since then that her obit must mention the transfusion as well, so as to let all the folks know that he wasn't on the "down low".

[joeybee12]

9. Very sad...I liked her on 227...she had a very natural quality to her

acting and presence, and was very believable. RIP.

[AllentownJake]

10. One of the icons from my childhood

Sad.

[ThatsMyBarack]

11. Mine, too.

:cry: O8)

I also adored her on 227.

[Hekate]

12. Olivia... rest sweetly.

:cry:

Hekate

[TK421]

13. This years deaths have really fucking sucked ass....

RIP Alaina