Alice (TV series)

[ClassyCo]

If there's any truth to that theory, then Lavin was proven correct. The show ran 9 seasons and remained in the Top 10 for a few years even after Holiday and Ladd were gone.

You're right. That theory of theirs was certainly shaky. Even if Polly Holliday and her Flo character were audience favorites, the show continued to draw solid Nielsen numbers, finishing in 25th place as late as the end of its eighth season in 1984. Seasons 7 and 9 were a little rocky it seems because of time slot shifts and the lessening of Lavin's role that final year.

 

[Crimson]

I find myself wonder: has any show been negatively impacted by the loss of its "break-out" supporting character or co-star?

ALICE lasted 5 years without Flo; THREE'S COMPANY did okay without the Ropers and even Chrissy; I think MARY TYLER MOORE was lessened without Rhoda, but the show still carried on just fine.

 

[ClassyCo]

I find myself wonder: has any show been negatively impacted by the loss of its "break-out" supporting character or co-star?

ALICE lasted 5 years without Flo; THREE'S COMPANY did okay without the Ropers and even Chrissy; I think MARY TYLER MOORE was lessened without Rhoda, but the show still carried on just fine.

It really all depends on the show, I'd say. A lot shows that lost the fan favorite character wasn't automatically shafted in terms of audience viewership, but some suffered.

 

[Seaviewer]

With Happy Days the reverse happened. By all accounts Ron Howard was happy to let Henry Winkler shine as Fonzie and it was to the good of the show. When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead.

 

[ClassyCo]

With Happy Days the reverse happened. By all accounts Ron Howard was happy to let Henry Winkler shine as Fonzie and it was to the good of the show. When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead.

That is a very good example. Fonzie was barely in the show those early seasons (heck, he was even wearing a different jacket), but amid much fanfare he grew in popularity. Henry Winkler ended up getting second billing to Ron Howard, and after Howard left, he became the focal point with everything spinning around him. Happy Days was never quite the same after about the first six seasons, and when it became all about Fonzie, and occasionally Joanie and Chachi, it got drab.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Fonzie/Winkler was not even in the opening credits when he first appeared, and eventually it was "All Fonzie, All The Time". And that was even before Ron Howard left. If ever they needed to develop a spin-off (in order to preserve the parent show's integrity), it was the Fonzie situation. Had they spun him off (as they did with several other lesser characters), HD could have continued to be the story of the Cunninghams, and the new show could have been another Laverne and Shirley-sized hit. Instead, they let Fonzie eat the show in much the same way Urkel ate Family Matters and left it looking nothing like its premise.

Has any show been negatively impacted by the loss of its "break-out" supporting character or co-star?

Herve Villachaize (I hope I did not butcher that name too badly) leaving Fantasy Island comes to mind, but I have trouble coming up with another such example.

 

[TJames03]

They wanted to have him in his own series, but he said no and that the character was popular because of the way Fonzie interacted with the Cunningham’s. He was right. Happy Days had some really stinker spin-offs, though. “Blansky’s Beauties,” “Out of the Blue,” “Joanie Loves Chachi,” etc.

“Laverne and Shirley” was good for the first four seasons, but then got repetitive. “Mork and Mindy” was screwed up with the changes they made in Season 02.

 

[ClassyCo]

They wanted to have him in his own series, but he said no and that the character was popular because of the way Fonzie interacted with the Cunningham’s. He was right. Happy Days had some really stinker spin-offs, though. “Blansky’s Beauties,” “Out of the Blue,” “Joanie Loves Chachi,” etc.

“Laverne and Shirley” was good for the first four seasons, but then got repetitive. “Mork and Mindy” was screwed up with the changes they made in Season 02.

Fonzie would not have worked as a lead in a spin-off, but really Happy Days became all about him in the end, even though it still masquerading as being the "same show".

 

[Chris2]

The Alice episodes without Flo are unwatchable to me. Holliday stole every scene she was in, and Flo’s relationships with others on the show were the most interesting.

Alice was best during its first year, IMO. But CBS wasn’t happy with it and changed the producers a few times, before settling on Lucy vets Bob Carroll and Madelyn Davis. That’s when we started getting plots centered around ridiculous misunderstandings, cheezy guest stars playing themselves, and musical numbers featuring Lavin.

 

[Billy Wall]

My best memories of Alice was when I didn’t have school and it would come on in the mornings along with Good Times. Great show.

 

[DallasFanForever]

This is one show I never got. Did nothing for me. It was very popular in my house growing up but I just never went for it.

 

[ClassyCo]

This is one show I never got. Did nothing for me. It was very popular in my house growing up but I just never went for it.

The episodes are pretty thin. I can watch ALICE, but it really isn't a go-to show for me. Any time I might want to watch something a little different, I might get the nudge to pop my DVDs in. But it has been a while since I've had that nudge.

 

[Sarah Danner]

For the first season, the opening theme was beautiful. Then as the seasons went on and the music was re-recorded, it became too lounge-singer sounding.

 

[darkshadows38]

i used to was this and Flo as well growing up i do not remember it at all when they both were still on the air to be honest so they were in repeats on whatever channel it was i don't honestly remember

 

[Monzo]

Rest in Peace, Linda Lavin.

Linda Lavin, Star of TV’s ‘Alice’ and a Tony Winner, Dies at 87

Linda Lavin, star of the 1970s sitcom 'Alice' and a Tony winner who remained active in TV and on stage into her 80s, died Sunday. She was 87.

variety.com

Just last night I saw Linda Lavin in “B Positive” (watching season 2 right now) and recently as a guest star in “Elsbeth”, so she is still omnipresent in my tv schedule.

 

[ClassyCo]

For the first season, the opening theme was beautiful. Then as the seasons went on and the music was re-recorded, it became too lounge-singer sounding.

Yeah, they should've left it alone. Change the pictures, sure, but leave the recording alone.

 

[AndyB2008]

Out of the 4 actors to be there for the full run of Alice, Linda Lavin was the only surviving member by then. (Philip McKeon died in 2019, Vic Tayback died in 1990 and Beth Howland in 2015).

Polly Holliday, Diane Ladd and Celia Weston are still alive, however they weren't there for the full run.

 

[Monzo]

In German, Alice was called "Imbiss mit Biss", a play on words. Translated into English it means snack with a bite. In German "Biss" means to bite, but it's also a joke full of irony or a particularly crude joke. However, only seasons 4 to 10 aired, and to this day I don't know why the first three seasons were omitted. Were the first three seasons different from the others?

 

[Chris2]

Polly Holliday, Diane Ladd and Celia Weston are still alive, however they weren't there for the full run.

As is Alfred Lutter (Tommy in the pilot episode, reprising his role from “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”)

 

[Crimson]

I must admit, I'm surprised to find out Polly Holliday is still with us. I thought she passed long ago, presumably since she's been retired for more than a decade. I knew Linda was still around (well, until this week) since she'd turn up in various projects right through 2024.