Alaina Reed Hall

Alaina Reed Hall (November 10, 1946 – December 17, 2009) was an American actress best known for her roles as Olivia, Gordon's younger sister, on the long-running children's television series Sesame Street, and as Rose Lee Holloway on the NBC sitcom 227. --- Born Bernice Ruth Reed in Springfield, Ohio, she began her career in Philadelphia and off-Broadway productions. She was among the original cast members in the 1974 off-Broadway production of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road. Hall appeared in productions of Hair (Chicago in 1970 and the 1977 revival), Chicago, and Eubie!. In 1976, she won the role of Olivia on the children's series Sesame Street. Her character was a photographer and the kid sister of Gordon. In 1985, she also starred in the first ever Sesame Street movie Follow That Bird, reprising her role as Olivia. That same year, Hall co-starred on the sitcom 227, frequently traveling between New York City (where Sesame Street is taped) and Los Angeles (where 227 was taped). Due to this schedule, she left Sesame Street in 1988. --- Hall was married three times. Her first marriage, which produced two children, ended in divorce. In December 1988, she married actor Kevin Peter Hall after meeting him when he guest starred on 227. She was widowed in 1991 after her husband died of pneumonia from AIDS complications after receiving a blood transfusion. In 2008, Hall married television director Tamim Amini. On December 17, 2009, Hall died of breast cancer in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 63. Her body was cremated and her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. Prior to her death, she was in talks to return to her famous role on Sesame Street since the cancellation of 227.