I too liked her in her theatrical films. Runaway, Shoot to Kill (both recently watched), Star Trek, Summer School (also recently watched). But Cheers is where I discovered and loved her. Gonna binge FA.

Salary dispute according to Nimoy.

She claims that Bill Shatner didn't like her, so she left on her own.

I've heard salary dispute, too.

Also remember hearing that they tried to get her back for a cameo as Saavik for the TNG episode "Cause and Effect," where they Kelsey Grammer play a late 22nd century starship captain whose ship was caught in a time loop. They got Grammer from the set of Cheers, and tried to get Kirstie to stand behind as Saavik, but she wouldn't do it.

Agreed! I was always a bigger fan of the Rebecca Howe years of Cheers. Shelley Long's Diane was good for about a season and a half, then it was just too much of the same from the character. And the way the beginning of each season would have to shoehorn in a way to bring Diane back to the bar and waiting tables started to stretch the imagination after a while. Rebecca didn't become annoying till like the last season or two when she suddenly became an incompetent fuck-up.

At least at first, till she ended up burning down the bar. But I remember two great gags from an episode where Rebecca was trying to quit smoking. The first was when she realized she might be tempted by the cigarette machine (anyone remember when that was an actual thing?? Cigarette vending machines???) so she runs to it and starts beating the crap out of it right before a customer was about to use it, and Rebecca looks at the customer and says in a sing-song voice, "Darn thing's on the blink again".

Later in the episode was this great exchange (although to be honest, it was Kelsey Grammer's typical deadpan delivery that really brought the funny):

Carla (with a maniacal laugh): I found this half-pack of cigarettes on a table. I'm gonna bring them to Rebecca and taunt her!
Frasier (snatching the cigarettes from Carla's hand): No Carla! Quitting smoking is one of the hardest things a person can do and Rebecca should be commended for it. I'll go show her that she has our full support. (Knocks on office door) Oh, Rebecca...?
Rebecca (angrily): What do you want, BONE DOME?
Frasier (looks at the pack of cigarettes, then chucks them into Rebecca's office): Here, try these, they're menthols.

I recall one pretty good gag where Rebecca was hiding her smoking from Sam and she hid a lit cigarette in her mouth. Then when Sam left, she flipped it out and started smoking again. I remember being pretty impressed by that.

Sepinwall mentioned it in his tribute to Alley. Says her uncle taught her that trick.

No mention of this show yet. Shame it didn't take off, it was pretty good.

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In my opinion, her "super sultry hot" best was in Runaway (1984) with Tom Selleck. That was basically her character description.

Apparently it was colon cancer that took her. If only she had regular screenings, she would still be alive. I've heard with the Scientology cult, the higher up in the chain you are (i.e. the more money you give them) the more of a "super human" you become and you don't get cancer. Maybe that's why she may not have bothered to ever get any screenings?

I bet she's having a word with L Ron Hubbard on the other side!

I really liked her too in Cheers and a few movies.

I just have to focus on her acting roles whenever I watch her now due to the full-on MAGA crazytown she went on in the last few years that made me look at her in a different way...

Sad to read that she died of only recently diagnosed colon cancer. She must have been in really rough shape health wise to have it kill her shortly after diagnosis.

Alan Sepinwall noted that Rebecca's dream catch was Donald Trump . And the actress ended up in the same camp at the end.

I wouldn’t be surprised to find out the character of Robin Colcord was inspired by Donald Trump. An arrogant multi-millionaire who turns out to be a con man and criminal.

Although in one episode, Rebecca complains about not being able to date a man like Donald Trump or Robin Colcord, so in the Cheers universe both men exist. I guess that's sort of like in Boogie Nights where Dirk Diggler drops John Holmes' name, even though it's very clear the Diggler character is somewhat based on Holmes.

I always liked her from her quote when she won some award and she thanked her husband at the time, Jameson Parker, for giving her his big cock though the years....

who doesn't love a girl who love big cocks!

Rebecca > Diane and (obviously) Saavik > Saavik

RIP

Kirstie Alley and Betty White ... somebody keep a close eye on Jamie Lee Curtis, please.

And Chris Pine looks so much like his father in that clip.