Kirstie Alley’s Best Movie and Tv Performances

It’s hard to look at the history of film and television without thinking of the contributions of Kirstie Alley, the effervescent and talented actress who gave us characters like Dr. Katherine Lewis and Rebecca Howe. When the news of Alley’s passing on Dec. 5 was made public, fans began mourning her loss and sharing their favorite movie and television moments from her lengthy career.

Alley wasn’t just an incredible talent; she was relatable, funny, and vulnerable — traits she carried over to her roles, making every project she worked on much sweeter. From the hilarious to the sentimental, Alley brought audiences to laughter and tears, sometimes in the same project, and gave us movies and shows to enjoy for a lifetime.

In Nov. 1995, the actress was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her impact on the entertainment realm, an honor Alley treasured and deserved. Her untimely passing has sent waves of sadness through those who loved and admired her, but her legacy will live on in the work and the love she leaves behind.

Some of her most iconic roles have stood the test of time, still as fantastic today as they were when they first premiered. For over five decades, Alley wowed audiences worldwide, and we’ll never forget her. Here are some of Alley’s finest films and television series in no particular order. May those who looked up to her find solace in them.

Toothless

Toothless saw Alley as Dr. Katherine Lewis, a dentist who was killed after being hit by a bicycle messenger. When she awoke, she was stuck in a place like purgatory, somewhere between Heaven and Hell. To advance to Heaven, Lowe was tasked with becoming the Tooth Fairy and doing good deeds as a mythological creature to right her wrongs.

During her first night, Lewis meets a boy struggling through a tough time, and he can see her as he still has baby teeth. Throughout the story, her connection with Bobby Jameson gets her into some hot water with those helping her through limbo, but they’re chances she’s willing to take.

She realizes that being the Tooth Fairy is about more than just collecting the teeth of hopeful children and replacing them with money and more about giving them something to believe in. Would the lesson she learned be enough to get her to heaven? You’ll have to watch and find out, and it’s certainly a movie you won’t want to miss if you’ve not seen it already. Alley is charming, wholesome, and hilarious as the Tooth Fairy and Dr. Katherine Lewis.

For Richer or Poorer

For Richer or Poorer saw Alley star as Caroline Sexton, and then Emma Yoder, the soon-to-be ex-wife of Brad Sexton, played by Tim Allen. The couple should have been celebrating a romantic 10th anniversary at the beginning of the film, but it was discovered that things were anything but lovey-dovey between the pair. They were headed for divorce quickly until it was discovered that their accountant had been falsifying essential documents.

To escape, the two run off to Intercourse, Pennsylvania, and take on the persona of Emma and Jacob Yoder. While they initially took on these roles to escape, they soon realized that the slowdown in the Amish Community was precisely what they needed to regroup and understand what brought them together in the first place. Gone were the days when they only saw frustration when they looked at one another; they saw love once again instead.

The end of this movie is everything fans could have hoped for, but nothing we expected, and it indeed shows audiences that sometimes you need to step back and remember the good in your situations and relationships with loved ones.