Did Polly Holliday's departure make the show less interesting? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

seventies_sitcoms · 07-04-2005, 06:37 PM

When Flo left how many of you liked the show a little less? I know she wasn't the star of the show, and she seemed to be the favorite of a lot people (like me). I used to wonder why they took her off. I was just a kid, so I never knew the rumors and backstabbing that was supposed to have happened on the Alice set. Maybe it was true because I remember no Flo clips being used in the final flashback episode. I thought maybe it was because Polly hadn't been on the show for a long time, and it wouldn't make sense to showcase her. Maybe Linda Lavin did hate Polly.

Belle was okay. I didn't like her until years later in when I watched the reruns. Diane Ladd also did a good job of playing Flo in the Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore movie.

Jolene "My little shoebutton" was godawful. When they kept trying to bring on new characters portrayed by lousy actresses it was time to pull the plug. I can't believe the show ran from 1976 to 1985!

mstewart · 07-04-2005, 11:15 PM

The show did still manage to hold up when Belle came on. But it was Linda Lavin who killed the show. Her jealousy towards Polly Holliday and Diane Ladd drove them away from the show. From that point on Jolene was a horrible character and did not seemed to fit in. But she was not a threat to Linda Lavin so she stayed through the duration of the series.

Sammy Reed · 07-05-2005, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

I remember no Flo clips being used in the final flashback episode.

From what I remember, they only showed one clip of Flo, a token "Kiss my grits" clip, but that was it.

MOMMYSBOY · 07-24-2005, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

When Flo left how many of you liked the show a little less? I know she wasn't the star of the show, and she seemed to be the favorite of a lot people (like me). I used to wonder why they took her off. I was just a kid, so I never knew the rumors and backstabbing that was supposed to have happened on the Alice set. Maybe it was true because I remember no Flo clips being used in the final flashback episode. I thought maybe it was because Polly hadn't been on the show for a long time, and it wouldn't make sense to showcase her. Maybe Linda Lavin did hate Polly.

Belle was okay. I didn't like her until years later in when I watched the reruns. Diane Ladd also did a good job of playing Flo in the Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore movie.

Jolene "My little shoebutton" was godawful. When they kept trying to bring on new characters portrayed by lousy actresses it was time to pull the plug. I can't believe the show ran from 1976 to 1985!

It was a little sad to see Flo go but i knew about her tv show Flo coming out. I was very happy to see Diane Ladd Belle on the show. I love her in the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore playing Flo...

Boy was i MAD when Diane Ladd was gone from the show and they never gave her a goodbye episode. It was over for me when that NASTY Jolene character came to the show. By the way in the last episode they did not show any clips of Diane Ladd Belle they only showed 2 or 3 clips of Flo but that was it. I wish Linda Lavin or someone from Alice would have ask Polly Holliday to come back for the last episode Flo was a big part of the show.

Mr. Television · 07-24-2005, 03:31 AM

I liked Jolene a lot more than Belle. The show lost something when Flo left but I thought it remained entertaining until the end.

TVFactFan · 07-24-2005, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasCowboysFanatic

I liked Jolene a lot more than Belle. The show lost something when Flo left but I thought it remained entertaining until the end.

Was it Belle or Jolene that was similar to Flo?

Mr. Television · 07-24-2005, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroTVCollector

Was it Belle or Jolene that was similar to Flo?

Belle. She was to similar to her.

TV_Forever · 08-01-2005, 08:21 AM

I had heard that Ms Ladd only signed on for the time she spent there...does anyone know the truth about this that she may have only signed and intended to stay just as long as she did?

seventies_sitcoms · 08-01-2005, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV_Forever

I had heard that Ms Ladd only signed on for the time she spent there...does anyone know the truth about this that she may have only signed and intended to stay just as long as she did?

According to legend Diane Ladd was thrilled to play Belle, the Flo replacement ,since she played the original Flo in the movie. Linda Lavin felt she was threatened by Polly's popularity on the show and wanted her gone. Can you imagine her surprise when they brought in the "original Flo" as a replacement.

Diane Ladd said she felt that she was not welcomed nor wanted by Linda Lavin, and that the set had a very cold atmosphere. She went to CBS and told them she wanted out. That's the story I know.

mstewart · 08-01-2005, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

According to legend Diane Ladd was thrilled to play Belle, the Flo replacement ,since she played the original Flo in the movie. Linda Lavin felt she was threatened by Polly's popularity on the show and wanted her gone. Can you imagine her surprise when they brought in the "original Flo" as a replacement.

Diane Ladd said she felt that she was not welcomed nor wanted by Linda Lavin, and that the set had a very cold atmosphere. She went to CBS and told them she wanted out. That's the story I know.

That's the story I knew as well. I read about when Ruth Buzzi guest starred on an episode Linda Lavin was not welcoming towards her and projected that it is her show and she is the star. That's too bad but no matter I will always be a Linda Lavin fan. I wanted to name my daughter, if I would had a child, Linda because of Linda Lavin.

Brian Damage · 08-01-2005, 11:51 PM

The show was never the same after Flo left.

JeffRuss1972 · 08-02-2005, 12:26 AM

Flo was the heart and soul of the show, even if Lavin was the star. Her leaving was like James leaving Good Times, Barney moving from Mayberry, etc. It lost a MAJOR key player.

seventies_sitcoms · 08-02-2005, 10:27 PM

Flo was the real reason to watch this show. To me, Polly was the star. They should've got rid of Linda Lavin and retitled Alice to "Flo" instead of giving Polly the bad spin-off called Flo.

Jeek · 08-03-2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

When Flo left how many of you liked the show a little less? I know she wasn't the star of the show, and she seemed to be the favorite of a lot people (like me). I used to wonder why they took her off. I was just a kid, so I never knew the rumors and backstabbing that was supposed to have happened on the Alice set. Maybe it was true because I remember no Flo clips being used in the final flashback episode. I thought maybe it was because Polly hadn't been on the show for a long time, and it wouldn't make sense to showcase her. Maybe Linda Lavin did hate Polly.

Belle was okay. I didn't like her until years later in when I watched the reruns. Diane Ladd also did a good job of playing Flo in the Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore movie.

Jolene "My little shoebutton" was godawful. When they kept trying to bring on new characters portrayed by lousy actresses it was time to pull the plug. I can't believe the show ran from 1976 to 1985!

The show was just as entertaining after Flo left.

Jeek · 08-03-2005, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstewart

But it was Linda Lavin who killed the show. Her jealousy towards Polly Holliday and Diane Ladd drove them away from the show. From that point on Jolene was a horrible character and did not seemed to fit in. But she was not a threat to Linda Lavin so she stayed through the duration of the series.

Quote a source, or stop posting B.S. about Linda Lavin.

07-04-2005, 06:37 PM	#1
seventies_sitcoms * Senior Member Join Date: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 2,244	Did Polly Holliday's departure make the show less interesting? When Flo left how many of you liked the show a little less? I know she wasn't the star of the show, and she seemed to be the favorite of a lot people (like me). I used to wonder why they took her off. I was just a kid, so I never knew the rumors and backstabbing that was supposed to have happened on the Alice set. Maybe it was true because I remember no Flo clips being used in the final flashback episode. I thought maybe it was because Polly hadn't been on the show for a long time, and it wouldn't make sense to showcase her. Maybe Linda Lavin did hate Polly. Belle was okay. I didn't like her until years later in when I watched the reruns. Diane Ladd also did a good job of playing Flo in the Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore movie. Jolene "My little shoebutton" was godawful. When they kept trying to bring on new characters portrayed by lousy actresses it was time to pull the plug. I can't believe the show ran from 1976 to 1985!

07-24-2005, 03:31 AM	#5
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	I liked Jolene a lot more than Belle. The show lost something when Flo left but I thought it remained entertaining until the end.
	__________________ Sonny

08-01-2005, 08:21 AM	#8
TV_Forever Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 31, 2005 Posts: 184	Belle... I had heard that Ms Ladd only signed on for the time she spent there...does anyone know the truth about this that she may have only signed and intended to stay just as long as she did?

08-02-2005, 12:26 AM	#12
JeffRuss1972 70s Sitcoms Rule!!! Eternal Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 11, 2005 Location: Villa Rica, GA Posts: 1,257	Flo was the heart and soul of the show, even if Lavin was the star. Her leaving was like James leaving Good Times, Barney moving from Mayberry, etc. It lost a MAJOR key player.
	__________________ Previously JalanRuss for a SHORT time, but got my OLD Username Back! Hello Again

07-04-2005, 11:15 PM	#2
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	The show did still manage to hold up when Belle came on. But it was Linda Lavin who killed the show. Her jealousy towards Polly Holliday and Diane Ladd drove them away from the show. From that point on Jolene was a horrible character and did not seemed to fit in. But she was not a threat to Linda Lavin so she stayed through the duration of the series.

08-01-2005, 11:51 PM	#11
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	The show was never the same after Flo left.

08-02-2005, 10:27 PM	#13
seventies_sitcoms * Senior Member Join Date: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 2,244	Flo was the real reason to watch this show. To me, Polly was the star. They should've got rid of Linda Lavin and retitled Alice to "Flo" instead of giving Polly the bad spin-off called Flo.