|
Show
Guide: Alice
Synopsis:
Alice
Hyatt is a widowed mother with a teenage son, Tommy, who leaves
New Jersey after her husband's death to move, and her car breaks
down in Phoenix, Arizona. Her aspirations to be a singer, which
would be hard without a backup job, require her to do something...
anything. She becomes a waitress at Mel's Diner, a truckstop, where
Mel is the cook and her boss.
Mel
is from Brooklyn, and has many stories from his childhood and his
stint as Navy frycook. Mel has two other waitresses... Flo, from
Texas, who's slew of favorite expressions includes "Kiss my grits!!!"
and "When donkeys fly!", and Vera, from New England, who is slightly
ditzy, as Mel's nickname for her, "dingey," exhibits.
Besides
the regulars, several recurring characters are remembered warmly
by fans, such as Henry (Marvin Kaplan), and Earl (Dave Madden).
Over the course of the first four years, not much changes. At the
end of the fourth year, Polly Holliday leaves to star in the spin-off,
"Flo", where Flo moves back to Texas. The spin-off lasts one season,
sadly, and Flo never returns to "Alice".
In
her space, we are introduced to Belle Dupree, Mel's first waitress
when he came to Phoenix several years back. Mel favors Belle, until
she begins to bond with Vera and Alice. By season 5, Belle leaves
(Diane Ladd, who plays Belle, was in the movie as Flo). The series'
tone hadn't changed, but at the end of season 5, Jolene is introduced.
Jolene
is a trucker, and she and her co-driver, Burt, eat at Mel's when
Belle leaves. They have a terrible fight, resulting in some diner
plates being broken. To pay this off, Mel hires her as a temporary
waitress, but she stays for four and a half years.
In
season eight, Vera marries a policeman, Elliot Novack. In season
nine, at the close of the series, Alice becomes a singer on the
road, Mel closes the diner, Vera becomes pregnant, Tommy continues
college, Elliot gets promoted, and Jolene buys a beauty shop.
The Cast:
Linda Lavin as Alice Hyatt
Philip McKeon as Tommy Hyatt
Vic Tayback as Mel Sharples
Beth Howland as Vera Louise Gorman
Polly Holliday as Florence Jean Castleberry (1976-1980)
Diane Ladd as Belle Dupree (1980-1981)
Celia Weston as Jolene Hunnicutt (1981-1985)
Martha Raye as Carrie Sharples (1982-1984)
Charles Levin as Elliot Novak (1983-1985)
Doug Robinson as Doug (1984-1985)
Michael Alldredge as Ralph (1979-1981)
Phillip R. Allen as Mitch Aames (1981-1982)
Michael Ballard as Mike (1979-1980)
Raleigh Bond as Raleigh (1979-1981)
Duane R. Campbell as Chuck (1978-1985)
Victoria Carroll as Marie (1978-1980)
Patrick Cranshaw as Andy (1976-1978)
Patrick Cronin as Jason (1978-1979)
Michael Durrell as Nicholas Stone (1984-1985)
Ted Gehring as Charlie (1979-1981)
Alan Haufrect as Brian (1979-1980)
Marvin Kaplan as Henry (1977-1985)
Tony Longo as Artie (1982-1985)
Dave Madden as Earl Hicks (1978-1985)
Bob McClurg as Cecil (1978-1979)
Kip Niven as Steve Marsh (1981-1983)
Jerry Potter as Jerry (1981-1982)
Jonathan Prince as Danny (1984-1985)
Production
Credits:
Episodes:
Airdates:
|
The Archives
Related Links