Beth Howland, Vera From Sitcom ‘Alice,’ Dies at 74
TV
Actress died of lung cancer in December, husband says
Beth Howland, who played ditzy, high-strung waitress Vera Louise Gorman on the sitcom “Alice,” has died, the New York Times reports. She was 74.
According to Howland’s husband, actor Charles Kimbrough, the actress died on Dec. 31 in Santa Monica, though he withheld the announcement of her death per her request.
Kimbrough said that Howland died of lung cancer.
Howland played Gorman from 1976 to 1985 in the CBS sitcom, which was based on the 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” Valerie Curtin played the role of Vera in the film.
The series also starred Linda Lavin in the title role, Polly Holliday as sassy waitress Flo and Vic Tayback as gruff diner owner Mel.
Born May 28, 1941, in Boston, Howland performed in stage productions including “Once Upon an Mattress” and “Bye Bye Birdie” before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in television. She appeared on series such as “Love, American Style,” “Cannon” and “The Rookies” prior to being cast on “Alice.”
Following her run on “Alice” Howland appeared in guest roles on shows such as “Eight Is Enough” and “Little House on the Prairie"
Me too I wasn't alive for most of its original run but they used to show this on E! in reruns and watched it then. Really enjoyed the show didn't realize the actor who played Alice's son was the RL brother of Nancy McKeon.
Kiss my grits! went from an omnipresent tagphrase to nothin. Kinda like Where's the beef?! Last pop culture reference to the show was in Dumb & Dumber when Jim Carey said to the waitress, "Excuse me...Flo??..."
I've heard that it was based on the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, but they probably neglect to mention VERY VAGUELY. I doubt Scorsese made a movie that was simply rolled over to a low budget sitcom. His 70s movies were fairly intense on the whole. It's like believing the sitcom Taxi was based based on the movie Taxi Driver. _________________ GOAT MAGIC REEL SEDALE TRIBUTE EDDIE DONX!
Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 2500 Location: Inland Empire
Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 9:19 pm Post subject:
All I can picture is Mel going "Dingy!" When I see her.
Bye. _________________ "This trophy removes the most odious sentence in the English Language. It can never be said again that 'the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics.'" -Dr. Jerry Buss (1985) R.I.P., 33 x M.V.O.
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