ALICE

Show Type: Sitcom

First Telecast: August 31, 1976

Last Telecast: July 2, 1985

Theme Music: "There's A New Girl In Town," by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and David Shire. Sung over the opening credits by Linda Lavin

Broadcast History:

August 1976, Monday 9:30-10:00 on CBS

September 1976-October 1976, Wednesday 9:30-10:00 on CBS

November 1976-September 1977, Saturday 9:30-10:00 on CBS

October 1977-October 1978, Sunday 9:30-10:00 on CBS

October 1978-February 1979, Sunday 8:30-9:00 on CBS

March 1979-September 1982, Sunday 9:00-9:30 on CBS

October 1982-November 1982, Wednesday 9:00-9:30 on CBS

March 1983-April 1983, Monday 9:00-9:30 on CBS

April 1983-May 1983, Sunday 9:30-10:00 on CBS

June 1983-January 1984, Sunday 8:00-8:30 on CBS

January 1984-December 1984, Sunday 9:30-10:00 on CBS

January 1985-March 1985, Tuesday 8:30-9:00 on CBS

June 1985-July 1985, Tuesday 8:30-9:00 on CBS

Cast

Alice Hyatt..... Linda Lavin

Tommy Hyatt..... Philip McKeon

Mel Sharples..... Vic Tayback

Florence Jean Castleberry (Flo) (1976-1980)..... Polly Holliday

Vera Louise Gorman..... Beth Howland

Belle Dupree (1980-1981)..... Diane Ladd

Jolene Hunnicutt (1981-1985)..... Celia Weston

Carrie Sharples (1982-1984)..... Martha Raye

Eliot Novak (1983-1985)..... Charles Levin

Nicholas Stone (1984-1985)..... Michael Durrell

Henry (1977-1985)..... Marvin Kaplan

Andy (1976-1978)..... Pat Cranshaw

Jason (1978-1979)..... Patrick J. Cronin

Cecil (1978-1979)..... Bob McClurg

Earl Hicks (1978-1985)..... Dave Madden

Chuck (1978-1985)..... Duane R. Campbell

Marie (1978-1980)..... Victoria Carroll

Mike (1979-1980)..... Michael Ballard

Brian (1979-1980)..... Alan Haufrect

Charlie (1979-1981)..... Ted Gehring

Ralph (1979-1981)..... Michael Alldredge

Raleigh (1979-1981)..... Raleigh Bond

Mitch Aames (1981-1982)..... Phillip R. Allen

Jerry (1981-1982)..... Jerry Potter

Artie (1982-1985)..... Tony Longo

Danny (1984-1985)..... Jonathan Prince

Doug (1984-1985)..... Doug Robinson

SYNOPSIS

When this sitcom first premiered in 1976, it was the story of a recently widowed aspiring singer with a very precocious 12-year-old son. Alice Hyatt had moved from her home in New Jersey to look for work in Phoenix. While attempting to find a singing job, she kept her household together by working as a waitress at Mel's Diner. The two other waitresses at Mel's provided quite a contrast. Flo, the old hand, was lusty, outspoken and crude (her favorite line was "Kiss my grits"), but had difficulty hiding a soft heart. Vera, on the the other hand, was young, impressionable and rather quiet. Mel Sharples, the owner of the diner, was also its cook and the creator of Mel's Famous Chili, which was so popular in the are that it (along with fun-loving Flo) attracted a loyal and regular clientele. In fact, all of the listed cast members from Henry on down (with the exception of Mel's sometime girlfriend Marie) were regulars at the diner.

The series was based on the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, the title role of which was played by Ellen Burstyn, who received an Academy Award for her performance. The only member of the movie cast to make the transition to the TV series was Vic Tayback, re-creating his role as the crusty owner of Mel's Diner. He was joined in the spring of 1980 by Diane Ladd, who had played Flo in the movie but turned up as Belle in the TV series. Belle was hired by Mel as a waitress when Flo moved to Houston to run her own restaurant (see the spin-off series Flo). She was from Mississippi, wrote country-and-western songs and lived in the Phoenix Palms Apartments, where Alice and Tommy also resided. Belle admirably filled the void left by Flo - the accent may have been different, but her earthy outlook on life and aggressive personality endeared her to Mel's regulars. She left after 1 year as was replaced by Jolene.

Carrie, Mel's pushy, loud-mouthed Mother, moved to Phoenix after her divorce, took up residence with her son and practically took over the diner. Next to her, Mel was a real softie. In the fall of 1983, after a whirlwind courtship, shy Vera married policeman Elliot Novak and the following fall found Alice with a new boyfriend, Nicholas Stone.

In the last original episode of the series (March 19, 1985), Mel sold the diner and, despite his reputation for cheapness over the years, gave each of his waitresses a $5,000 farewell bonus. All worked out for the best, however, since Jolene was planning to quit to open a beauty shop, Vera had become pregnant and was looking forward to becoming a full-time Mother, and Alice, after all the years at the diner, was moving to Nashville as lead singer with a band.

CBS aired reruns of Alice on weekday mornings from June 1980 until September 1982.

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