When I was younger, I always wondered if the Arlene that called Thelma about her hat in the episode where she tries to learn to drive is the same Arlene that Iola becomes friends with years later.

ALSO, in the episode where Naomi calls Dr. Joyce Brothers on their local TV show, at first the host is reading off a list of names who have overdue library books and he reads off Bert Wimbly... Could that be the same Bert Wimbly that got Carl's job in the birthday flashback episode?

One that has drawn some speculation here over the years ... is the "Mizz Boylen" shown while Thelma learns to drive and who draws occasional mentions in the NBC years also Iola's mother? :D She's clearly a neighbor. Now we all know Iola wasn't conceived until the syndicated years but it's fun to speculate/pretend that they could be the same person.
One huge difference is the neighbor shown is not an invalid and/or morbidly obese, as Iola described her mother several times.
Buzz also mentions a Tommy Boylen, who in the show universe could be another relative.

One that has drawn some speculation here over the years ... is the "Mizz Boylen" shown while Thelma learns to drive and who draws occasional mentions in the NBC years also Iola's mother? :D She's clearly a neighbor. Now we all know Iola wasn't conceived until the syndicated years but it's fun to speculate/pretend that they could be the same person.
One huge difference is the neighbor shown is not an invalid and/or morbidly obese, as Iola described her mother several times.
Buzz also mentions a Tommy Boylen, who in the show universe could be another relative.


The Boylens have been mentioned as being Thelma's neighbors almost from the beginning of the creation of Mama and the characters.... There are even a few references to the Boylens as far back as the Family Sketches on the Carol Burnett Show.... So yeah I think they just expanded on that family in the syndicated years.

It's hard to say if the woman setting trash out was Iola's mother, she looked nothing like Iola described her mother. And apparantly Iola's mom had been in poor health most of her life... even in the flash back episode in Sins of a Mother, little Iola talks about her mom being unable to get out of bed for the Church function.

Or it could be that several Boylens lived on the street, perhaps all from the same family, and chose to live close to each other.

Yeah I've never seriously thought that was Iola's mother purely because of the physical descriptions, but it provides a quick laugh to think so anyway. Certainly provides an extra bit of continuity between the NBC and syndicated years.
When you take the entire show universe into account, you can say Iola still visited in the NBC years, just never on camera ...

When you take the entire show universe into account, you can say Iola still visited in the NBC years, just never on camera ...


Yeah I think we're supposed to see it that way.... but I just cannot picture the EARLY Mama, from Mama's Silver and Alien Marriage being friends with Iola. Can you imagine Mama and Vint being in one of their HEATED fights ~Vint was such a hothead in those early episodes ~ And Iola popping in with her cheerful "knock knock" and being like "Hi Vint"... I could almost see the early Vint being like, "What the hell do YOU want?!"

When you take the entire show universe into account, you can say Iola still visited in the NBC years, just never on camera ...


Yeah I think we're supposed to see it that way.... but I just cannot picture the EARLY Mama, from Mama's Silver and Alien Marriage being friends with Iola. Can you imagine Mama and Vint being in one of their HEATED fights ~Vint was such a hothead in those early episodes ~ And Iola popping in with her cheerful "knock knock" and being like "Hi Vint"... I could almost see the early Vint being like, "What the hell do YOU want?!"

I could, however, see Fran and Iola being good friends

Indeed- both Fran and Iola loved them some pink. :p

Indeed- both Fran and Iola loved them some pink. :p

Yeah! That is another similarity.

One that has drawn some speculation here over the years ... is the "Mizz Boylen" shown while Thelma learns to drive and who draws occasional mentions in the NBC years also Iola's mother? :D She's clearly a neighbor. Now we all know Iola wasn't conceived until the syndicated years but it's fun to speculate/pretend that they could be the same person.
One huge difference is the neighbor shown is not an invalid and/or morbidly obese, as Iola described her mother several times.
Buzz also mentions a Tommy Boylen, who in the show universe could be another relative.
"Crazy old Mrs. Boelyn next door" was mentioned by Mama on one of the last "Family" skits on The Carol Burnett Show, the one where Eunice and Mickey are helping Mama pack up to move into a retirement home but she ends up moving in with Eunice instead.

"Crazy old Mrs. Boelyn next door" was mentioned by Mama on one of the last "Family" skits on The Carol Burnett Show, the one where Eunice and Mickey are helping Mama pack up to move into a retirement home but she ends up moving in with Eunice instead.
It was also mentioned in the movie Eunice.

When I was younger, I always wondered if the Arlene that called Thelma about her hat in the episode where she tries to learn to drive is the same Arlene that Iola becomes friends with years later.


As I recall, the Arlene on the phone had a high, very nasally voice, and Iola's friend Arlene didn't.

However, since the "learning to drive" episode took place before the "Iola's friend" episode(though we don't know how long before), it is possible that Arlene was younger and had a more nasal speaking voice back then.

As I recall, the Arlene on the phone had a high, very nasally voice, and Iola's friend Arlene didn't.

However, since the "learning to drive" episode took place before the "Iola's friend" episode(though we don't know how long before), it is possible that Arlene was younger and had a more nasal speaking voice back then.


On TV it seems like everyone on the phone has a high-pitched chipmunk type voice lol

On TV it seems like everyone on the phone has a high-pitched chipmunk type voice lol

Yeah, except on Charlie Brown cartoons... "Mmuah, muah, muah, muah!"(adults anyway):lol:

The Harper house also had the Whitakers as a neighbor as well- April Fool's episode featured borrowing a wheelbarrow from them. I also believe there's another episode (VCR) where Mama wants to watch TV- Colby's and Vint-Bubba is watching a baseball game. So Thelma tries watching her program from the neighbor's set- "I wish the Whitakers would get a bigger screen TV".

I also have wondered who was the Arlene and Irma? who calls the Harper home frequently. I think it was the same person in the NBC episodes.

In the very early episodes, Buzz mentions that he's friends with "Tommy Boylen." I've always wondered if he's Iola's nephew.

In the very early episodes, Buzz mentions that he's friends with "Tommy Boylen." I've always wondered if he's Iola's nephew.
I’m assuming he was related to Iola somehow or maybe he was Vern’s (Iola’s brother) boy.

I could, however, see Fran and Iola being good friends
I wouldn’t say GOOD friends, but I guess they would’ve been cool with each other.

I wouldn’t say GOOD friends, but I guess they would’ve been cool with each other.
I can see that. They would both be forthcoming with the "niceties" toward each other. But I can just see Fran's pained expression if/when Iola would bring over one of her handmade travesties(some of which I actually liked). That would have been fun to watch.

The Harper house also had the Whitakers as a neighbor as well- April Fool's episode featured borrowing a wheelbarrow from them. I also believe there's another episode (VCR) where Mama wants to watch TV- Colby's and Vint-Bubba is watching a baseball game. So Thelma tries watching her program from the neighbor's set- "I wish the Whitakers would get a bigger screen TV".

I also have wondered who was the Arlene and Irma? who calls the Harper home frequently. I think it was the same person in the NBC episodes.

It was never clear as to where the Whitakers lived in relation to Mama's house... in the April Fools' episode, Mama walks off to the left of her house to go to the Whitakers, but in the one where she's trying to watch TV through their window, they are in the house to the right lol

I can see that. They would both be forthcoming with the "niceties" toward each other. But I can just see Fran's pained expression if/when Iola would bring over one of her handmade travesties(some of which I actually liked). That would have been fun to watch.

:lol: Now that you mention it I can totally see Fran's "taken aback" look to Iola's crafts LMAO ... I can see Fran saying "Well....... it certainly is...... SOMETHING" It's too bad we never got to see that