"Alice" (1976) TV series 1976-1985

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 (107 episodes, 1976-1985)
Polly Holliday	...	Florence Jean 'Flo' Castleberry (90 episodes, 1976-1980)
Celia Weston	...	Jolene Hunnicutt (90 episodes, 1981-1985)
Marvin Kaplan	...	Henry (82 episodes, 1977-1985)

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 / executive producer (178 episodes, 1977-1985)
Madelyn Davis	....	producer / executive producer (178 episodes, 1977-1985)
Mark Egan	....	producer (62 episodes, 1982-1985)
Mark Solomon	....	producer (62 episodes, 1982-1985)
Jerry Madden	....	co-producer (29 episodes, 1978-1982)
Linda Morris	....	producer (24 episodes, 1981-1982)
Vic Rauseo	....	producer (24 episodes, 1981-1982)
R.S. Allen	....	executive producer (23 episodes, 1976-1977)
William P. D'Angelo	....	executive producer (23 episodes, 1976-1977)
Harvey Bullock	....	executive producer (22 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bruce Johnson	....	producer (2 episodes, 1976)
Thomas Kuhn	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
V. Dale Palmer		(7 episodes, 1978-1984)

Series Film Editing by
Jerry Davis		(4 episodes, 1979-1980)
Andy Zall		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Casting by
Vivian McRae		(4 episodes, 1978-1980)

Series Art Direction by
Thomas Azzari		(7 episodes, 1978-1984)
Lynn Griffin		(6 episodes, 1978-1984)
Scott Ritenour		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Set Decoration by
Hub Braden		(70 episodes, 1978-1984)
Sidney Clifford		(5 episodes, 1976-1980)
Ed Baer		(3 episodes, 1980-1984)

Series Costume Design by
Patricia Landis		(6 episodes, 1978-1984)
Jac McAnelly		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Makeup Department
Sylvia Surdu	....	hair stylist / key hair stylist (6 episodes, 1978-1984)
Rosalind Mercier	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1980)
Dulcie Smith	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Michael McDaniel	....	production supervisor (1 episode, 1976)
Jerry Madden	....	production consultant (1 episode, 1977)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christine Ballard	....	associate director (4 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Art Department
Gil Sprague	....	property master (202 episodes, 1976-1985)
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman (14 episodes, 1977-1985)

Series Sound Department
Bill MacMeekin	....	sound / audio (5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Gordon Klimuck	....	audio / 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 (17 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jay Nefcy	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 1976)
Tom Tcimpidis	....	video controller (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jac McAnelly	....	costumes (1 episode, 1976)

Series Music Department
Alan Bergman	....	lyricist: theme music (202 episodes, 1976-1985)
Marilyn Bergman	....	lyricist: theme music (202 episodes, 1976-1985)
Linda Lavin	....	singer: theme music (202 episodes, 1976-1985)
David Shire	....	composer: theme music (202 episodes, 1976-1985)

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

Series Other crew
Susie Gunter	....	script supervisor (106 episodes, 1980-1985)
Don Corvan	....	stage manager (6 episodes, 1978-1980)
Bob Fisher	....	executive script consultant / executive story consultant / ... (6 episodes, 1978-1980)
Arthur Marx	....	executive script consultant / executive story consultant / ... (6 episodes, 1978-1980)
Tom Whedon	....	executive story editor (5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Charles Isaacs	....	executive story supervisor (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
Linda Morris	....	script consultant / story consultant (3 episodes, 1980)
Vic Rauseo	....	script consultant / story consultant (3 episodes, 1980)
Arnold Kane	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Paul Rose	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Lee Lochhead	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1978)
Paula Burr	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1980)
A.J. Cunningham	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1980)
Gary Markowitz	....	story editor (unknown episodes)
Mark Miller	....	technical director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Television (1976-1985)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976-1985) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2012) (USA) (DVD) (complete first season) (DVD-R)
• Warner Home Video (2012) (USA) (DVD) (complete second season) (DVD-R)
• Warner Home Video (2013) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R) (complete third season)

Other Companies

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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

The show may have been loosely based on "Mel's Diner" on NW Grand Ave in Phoenix, Arizona. However, nothing but the lighted sign with the coffee cup was used. Nothing about the set (staged and filmed in Burbank, CA) is even close to the diner's actual interior layout. "Pat's Family Diner" was the original name and since then, has been re-named, "Mel's Diner".

Quotes:

Florence Jean Castleberry:Kiss my grits!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the '80s Strikes Back: 1980 (#1.1)" (2003)

Alice doesn't show here anymore....

What happened to "Alice"? You can't find it on DVD, can't find it on cable, and can't even locate it late at night in local syndicated reruns. It's hard to guess why the powers-that-be at TV Land or Nick at Nite haven't realized that this show would be popular as part of their lineup.

Anyway, this show set itself apart from many of its era by its semi-unpredictability. Every plot didn't have a happy ending, and there wasn't necessarily a "good" lesson taught to the viewer by the end. For example, in one episode when Flo enrolls in night school to finally earn her high school diploma, she has trouble concentrating on her homework, and is "forced" by Alice to stay home and study. Rather than provide the viewer with the happy and P.C. ending where Flo realizes the value of an education, the episode concludes with her sneaking out the window to go on a date. Presumably, Flo never gets that diploma.

The show did a good job presenting a blue-collar "diner" setting. None of the waitresses were beautiful, and outside of the endless parade of famous guest stars, the clientele shown in Mel's fit well with that of a '70s greasy spoon in a city like Phoenix. Supporting characters such as Henry and Earl -- everymen in all senses of the term -- fit in well with this motif.

Each character brought something to the show. Alice was the sensible single mom with big hopes and dreams. Vera was the childlike ditz. Flo was the outspoken, aging, oversexed country woman. Mel was gruff and selfish, but was kind-hearted beneath the surface. "Kiss my grits" became a household phrase.

Unfortunately, with Flo's departure, the show took a steady turn downhill. Diane Ladd's Belle and Celia Weston's Jolene were nowhere near as colorful as Flo, and as a result, the plots started to slip, as well. A lot of the later episodes were stupid and downright embarrassing. Many of the early elements that made this show great were simply missing in the later years.

Overall, this was a very entertaining show, and it's a shame that it can no longer be found. Hopefully this will change in future years.