Seems to me he was a lot more interesting than dull Elliot!! Did the writers not think of this? They thought enough of Steve to bring him back in a Christmas episode later when Elliot thought Vera was having an affair with Steve!:lol:

I do not remember Vera Marrying Steve Marsh

She didn't and that was not what I asked.

The actor who played Steve Marsh was Kip Niven. He was Linda Lavin's real-life husband at the time. It was reported that Linda was upset when he did not get to play Vera's husband. I thought him and Vera were better together than her and Elliot. I did not like Elliot. He was too nerdy.

Wow--was that her second husband? I knew she was married at one time to Ron Liebman (sp?) who was in the short-lived "Kaz" and also in the movie "Norma Rae".

And yes totally agree with you--why they stuck her with Elliot is beyond any sense.

According to imdb, she was married to Ron Leibman from 7 September 1969 - 1981, Kip Niven from 22 August 1982 - 1991 and she married Steve Bakunas on 14 February, 2005 (it shows her as currently married to him)
I didn't know she had been married to Ron Leibman, I remember seeing him on Friends as Rachel's dad.

And keep in mind, Kip comes back towards the end of the series to play his brother Travis Marsh, who Alice ends up leaving with, to finally become a singer.

Whenever I see Ron Liebman, I always think of Linda Lavin. I remember them more as a couple than when she was with Kip Niven. I cannot imagine them as a couple (Kip and Linda), too weird. :crazy: Especially since I seen that movie that starred Kip Niven, NEW YEARS EVIL which also starred Roz Kelly (Pinky Tuscadero from Happy Days). It was a cheesy horror movie and he was the killer.

Seems to me he was a lot more interesting than dull Elliot!! Did the writers not think of this? They thought enough of Steve to bring him back in a Christmas episode later when Elliot thought Vera was having an affair with Steve!:lol:

Totally agree! He would have made a much better husband for Vera. She actually seemed more together & sane when she was around him. :lol: And of of course him being handsome was another plus!

Gotta admit that Kip Niven was more attractive than the actor who played Elliot. LOL

Bumping this one up--so folks, now that we have seen Elliot with Vera, whaddya think?

My opinion has not changed--he is still a dull, dull person. I agree with Linda Lavin being upset over not allowing Vera to marry Steve Marsh.

Bumping this one up--so folks, now that we have seen Elliot with Vera, whaddya think?

My opinion has not changed--he is still a dull, dull person. I agree with Linda Lavin being upset over not allowing Vera to marry Steve Marsh.


Well as long as they didn't show Vera and Elliot at home I was ok with his character popping in every once in a while at the Diner. I think he was similar to her anyway, dorky and sweet-lol They just should have made him a dentist or something instead of a police officer

Well as long as they didn't show Vera and Elliot at home I was ok with his character popping in every once in a while at the Diner. I think he was similar to her anyway, dorky and sweet-lol They just should have made him a dentist or something instead of a police officer


oh but Sol, my boy, prepare thyself for Season 9 :rolleyes:
Linda spent more time directing and less time as Alice; Vera and Elliot become the focus of more episodes.

oh but Sol, my boy, prepare thyself for Season 9 :rolleyes:
Linda spent more time directing and less time as Alice; Vera and Elliot become the focus of more episodes.


Season 9 on ION is just about isn't it? Season 1 should be starting again this week

Nope, season 9 is getting ready to start! The opening changes radically in look--the car is gone and the titles flip around like tile pieces on a memory game. Vera gets preganant and we eventually have Alice meeting up with Travis Marsh (Steve's brother) to go off to at last follow her musical dreams.

Nope, season 9 is getting ready to start! The opening changes radically in look--the car is gone and the titles flip around like tile pieces on a memory game. Vera gets preganant and we eventually have Alice meeting up with Travis Marsh (Steve's brother) to go off to at last follow her musical dreams.


But the ep-"Vera's Fine Feathered Friends" aired on 3/18/84 and was on ION this past week so isn't that near the end? The shw ended in March of 84 right? Or was it 85?

85 :)

85 :)


Oh ok, well season 1 will be in late april

A few comments. I'm assuming they changed the opening to make room for Charles Levin's (Elliot) credits, since he was credited as a star in the 9th season. Vera did get pregnant, but it wasn't until the last episode. The last episode aired March 19, 1985. The last season was shorter, only 16 episodes. The 9th season starts this Tuesday at 7:30pm, and since it's 16 episodes, the last episode should be on Tuesday April 8th at 7pm, and the first one at 7:30pm. If anyone is interested, I'll try and keep that info up to date, in case it changes, so you can see the last and first episode (and see what a difference the show was from the end to the start! ;) )

Why were only 16 episodes made?

I'm not sure why they only had 16 episodes. Maybe it was like Friends and Raymond, where they agreed to do a last season, but not a full one. (this is just a guess)

Why were only 16 episodes made?
From what I understood about season 9 for starters Linda did not want to do the final season and the writers ran out of ideas in the final season so that was why they shot 16 episodes. It was a hard season to watch because it was obvious that the show ran its course and that was apparent in the previous season.

that ep about Vera and Elliot moving into their new home seemed like a SET UP ep for a spinoff-lol

Solomon...:lol: Everything seems like a set-up for a spin-off to you doesn't it?

Solomon...:lol: Everything seems like a set-up for a spin-off to you doesn't it?


Not the ep when Florida Evans stopped working for Maude-lol It was nothing that said spinoff about that ep-lol

Actually I was thinking the same thing--wonder if that went through the producers' mind. Esp with the wacky reverend thrown in LOL