"Alice" (1976) TV series 1976-1985

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Creator:

Robert Getchell
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

31 August 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A greasy-spoon diner in Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this long-running series. The title character...

Plot Keywords:

Diner | Aspiring Singer | Spunky | Phoenix Arizona | Waitress

Awards:

Won 8 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 22 nominations

Cast

Linda Lavin	...	Alice Hyatt (202 episodes, 1976-1985)
Beth Howland	...	Vera Louise Gorman (202 episodes, 1976-1985)
Vic Tayback	...	Mel Sharples (200 episodes, 1976-1985)
Philip McKeon	...	Tommy Hyatt (105 episodes, 1976-1985)
Polly Holliday	...	Florence Jean 'Flo' Castleberry (90 episodes, 1976-1980)
Celia Weston	...	Jolene Hunnicutt (90 episodes, 1981-1985)
Marvin Kaplan	...	Henry (81 episodes, 1977-1985)

(more)

Series Directed by
Marc Daniels		(86 episodes, 1977-1985)
William Asher		(27 episodes, 1977-1979)
John Pasquin		(12 episodes, 1982-1984)
Linda Lavin		(10 episodes, 1980-1984)
Don Corvan		(10 episodes, 1983-1985)
Lee Lochhead		(9 episodes, 1979-1981)
Kim Friedman		(7 episodes, 1977-1978)
Norman Abbott		(6 episodes, 1976-1980)
Mel Ferber		(6 episodes, 1982-1983)
Alan Rafkin		(5 episodes, 1977)
William P. D'Angelo		(4 episodes, 1976-1977)
Christine Ballard		(4 episodes, 1980-1982)
Nancy Walker		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bruce Bilson		(2 episodes, 1976)
Jim Drake		(2 episodes, 1976)
Bill Persky		(2 episodes, 1976)
James Sheldon		(2 episodes, 1976)
Noam Pitlik		(2 episodes, 1978)
Nick Havinga		(2 episodes, 1981)
Oz Scott		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Writing credits
Bob Fisher		(40 episodes, 1977-1981)
Arthur Marx		(40 episodes, 1977-1981)
Mark Egan		(26 episodes, 1979-1985)
Mark Solomon		(26 episodes, 1979-1985)
Tom Whedon		(24 episodes, 1977-1981)
Linda Morris		(21 episodes, 1980-1985)
Vic Rauseo		(21 episodes, 1980-1985)
Gail Honigberg		(11 episodes, 1981-1984)
Bob Bendetson		(11 episodes, 1983-1985)
Howard Bendetson		(11 episodes, 1983-1985)
Charles Isaacs		(9 episodes, 1978-1981)
David Silverman		(9 episodes, 1983-1985)
Stephen Sustarsic		(9 episodes, 1983-1985)
Robert Getchell		(7 episodes, 1976-1980)
Arnold Kane		(6 episodes, 1976-1977)
R.S. Allen		(5 episodes, 1976-1977)
Chet Dowling		(5 episodes, 1982)
Sandy Krinski		(5 episodes, 1982)
Harvey Bullock		(4 episodes, 1976-1977)
Art Baer		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Ben Joelson		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Martin Donovan		(3 episodes, 1976)
Chris Hayward		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Roy Kammerman		(3 episodes, 1977)
Cindy Begel		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lesa Kite		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lloyd Garver		(2 episodes, 1976)
Bruce Johnson		(2 episodes, 1976)
Bob Carroll Jr.		(2 episodes, 1977-1985)
Madelyn Davis		(2 episodes, 1977-1985)
Michael Loman		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Warren S. Murray		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Dawn Aldredge		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Marion C. Freeman		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
George Arthur Bloom		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Bob Brunner		(2 episodes, 1981)
Ken Hecht		(2 episodes, 1981)
Michael Cassutt		(2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Barry Gold		(2 episodes, 1983)
Lisa A. Bannick		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jack Carrerow		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Sid Dorfman		(2 episodes, 1984)
Harvey Weitzman		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Produced by
Bob Carroll Jr.	....	producer (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Madelyn Davis	....	producer (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Jerry Madden	....	co-producer (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
R.S. Allen	....	executive producer (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Harvey Bullock	....	executive producer (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
William P. D'Angelo	....	executive producer (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Thomas Kuhn	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
David Susskind	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
V. Dale Palmer		(4 episodes, 1978-1980)

Series Film Editing by
Andy Zall		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jerry Davis		(2 episodes, 1978-1981)
Tucker Wiard		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Vivian McRae		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Art Direction by
Thomas Azzari		(4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Lynn Griffin		(3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Scott Ritenour		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Set Decoration by
Sidney Clifford		(4 episodes, 1976-1979)

Series Costume Design by
Patricia Landis		(3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Jac McAnelly		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Makeup Department
Sylvia Surdu	....	hair stylist / key hair stylist (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Dulcie Smith	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Jerry Madden	....	production consultant (1 episode, 1977)

Series Art Department
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman (14 episodes, 1977-1985)

Series Sound Department
Bill MacMeekin	....	sound (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Gordon Klimuck	....	sound (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jerry Clemans	....	post-production sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Don Helvey	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Ken Speed	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Don McCuaig	....	camera operator (18 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jay Nefcy	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 1976)
Tom Tcimpidis	....	video controller (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
David Shire	....	composer: theme music (6 episodes, 1976-1980)

Series Transportation Department
Gina August	....	driver (22 episodes, 1979)

Series Other crew
Susie Gunter	....	script supervisor (106 episodes, 1980-1985)
Don Corvan	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Bob Fisher	....	executive script consultant / executive story consultant (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Arthur Marx	....	executive script consultant / executive story consultant (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Tom Whedon	....	executive story editor (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Christine Ballard	....	associate director / script supervisor (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Charles Isaacs	....	executive story supervisor (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Arnold Kane	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Paul Rose	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Randy Winburn	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Lee Lochhead	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1978)
Gary Markowitz	....	story editor (unknown episodes)
Mark Miller	....	technical director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976-1985)
• Warner Bros. Television (1976-1985)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976-1985) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Television (1982-)

Other Companies

• Burbank Studios, The  sound recording
• CBS Television City  recorded at

Runtime:

30 min (202 episodes) | West Germany:30 min (113 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

The actual restaurant that this show is based on is located in Phoenix, Arizona, at 1747 NW Grand Ave. It is currently called Pat's Family Restaurant. It was called Mel's Diner.

Quotes:

Vera Louise Gorman: [Repeated Line]
[about five seconds after realizing she's in a situation involving her and a motorized vehicle]
Vera Louise Gorman: Wait a minute. I don't know how to drive.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Phantom Planet (#10.2)" (1998)

"Alice"-The Television Series

Theme song: "There's A New Girl In Town"-lyrics and music by David Shire with Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Theme sung by Linda Lavin.

Based on the Oscar winning 1974 film directed by Martin Scorsese and starred Ellen Burstyn and Dianne Ladd under the title,"Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore",this was to become the front point of the television series "Alice",which was basically done under the same title,but with a different cast and different setting. For the astounding nine and half years that it ran on CBS from the premiere episode on August 31,1976 to the final episode of the series on July 2,1985 after producing 212 episodes,"Alice" was one of the shows that was part of the network's powerhouse lineup of shows during the decade of the 1970's,which included "One Day At A Time","All In The Family", "The Jeffersons","Kojak",and the medical drama "Trapper John,MD".

"Alice",was basically the forefront of the selection of "Good Blue Collar Comedy Shows"that emerged during that decade. This was a show that got to see the goings on behind and in front of a working establishment(a family diner)with the situations that occurred between each of the characters. It may have been a trashy sitcom to some of its critics,but for one it didn't rely on politics nor for that manner a lot of slapstick neither. But it was the focus of everyday people and everyday situations that kept the show in top of the Nielsens for the nine years that it ran on the air. Not to mention audiences also got the chance to hear Broadway sensation Linda Lavin singing abilities to boot as well as her acting chops. Also during its run,"Alice" garnered 16 nominations including several Golden Globe wins for Linda Lavin,Polly Holliday and not to mention here Vic Tayback. Not bad for a show that was CBS' top rated sitcom during the mid-1970's and well into the mid-1980's when the show was at the peak of perfection.

Here you had a host of characters that were sensational to watch as Alice Hyatt(Linda Lavin)puts up with Mel Sharples(Vic Tayback)and his male chauvinistic ways of thinking better than any woman on television. In other words Mel may have the upper hand,but in each sly and repulsive remarks he gives her,Alice gets him right back! Also,there were others that worked at the diner as well...you have dingy,innocent simpleton,naive and strangely weird(but cute)Vera Gorman(Beth Howland),then you have the Texas firecracker and the true definition of Southern country and Southern pride Florence "Flo" Jean-Castleberry(Polly Holliday)who was dynamite at getting back at Mel's views of thinking and the ONLY one that Mel couldn't keep her mouth shut,since she always had an opinion of what was on her mind at any time and would relate to the others about it. In other words,she was an high-octane nymphomaniac and the perfect foil for the street-tough New Jersey-bred Alice Hyatt. In other perspectives,Flo was an even better foil for Mel,and never hestitates to retort him with some valuable advice.....The phrase,"Kiss My Grits"!,became an national outcry when it was mentioned. However,the show did have a split personality until 1980,when Polly Holliday left the series,and went into her own spin-off of "Alice" titled "Flo",which lasted one season,and after that fiasco,Holliday was never heard from again. It was Polly Holliday who kept the show in the top of the ratings for the first five seasons of the show(1976-1980)and then the unthinkable happen.

After Holliday left the series in 1980,the show started to declined in the ratings and likely so. During the 1980-1981 season,Dianne Ladd(who was in the original 1974 film)appeared as Belle which was basically okay,but the show slipped even into a abyss during the last four seasons of the show. During the 1981-1982 season,a new waitress named Jolene was just as dumb as they come(Celia Weston)who remained on the show until the final episode of the series in 1985. Only actors Linda Lavin,Vic Tayback,Beth Howland,and Phillip McKeon(who played Alice's son Tommy)remained on the show for the remainder of its run. Cameo players such as Andy(Pat Crenshaw),Travis(Tom Mahoney),and Henry (Marvin Kaplan)were valuable assets which went great with the guest celebrities that were on the show too like George Burns,Martha Raye, Telly Savalas,Art Carney,and Ruth Buzzi. The final episode of the series came after a nine and-a-half years on the air on July 2,1985 where they had a montage of some of the best episodes and also all of the celebrity appearances. It also showed Mel leaving his diner after years in the business and selling it to someone else. At the end,Alice buys the diner and restores the business after Mel calls it quits. It is crying shame that the series is never on the air,but it needs to be since it was the best of the best.