Do you feel that Alice was the 'comic relief'? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

nerrad · 08-10-2006, 01:50 PM

Let's face it. The Brady's needed an Alice in their household. To me, the entire family weren't all the funny, especially with the one-liners. Hey, come to think of it, Alice and Sam were perfect for one another. They both like to joke.

PrettyinPink55 · 08-10-2006, 06:16 PM

I love how Alice liked to joke here and there. She did provide a lot of comic relief, you are right.

tv star collector · 08-10-2006, 06:30 PM

Yes, Ann B. Davis was the "comic relief." And she came well-equipped for the
role, having played Bob Cummings' secretary Schultzy on THE BOB CUMMINGS
SHOW (a.k.a. THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW), back in the 1950s. She was the
funniest person on that series, too.

jehobden · 08-10-2006, 08:28 PM

Sherwood Schwartz has stated as much. He originally wanted Monty Margetts (who appeared on Bewitched & many other sitcoms of that time) as a more serious Alice to play against Joyce Bulifant (the original choice for Carol), who came across as funnier. When Florence Henderson, who seemed more serious in demeanor than Ms. Bulifant, won the role, Schwartz went for Ann B. Davis as a more comic housekeeper.

Tweety · 08-10-2006, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tv star collector

Yes, Ann B. Davis was the "comic relief." And she came well-equipped for the
role, having played Bob Cummings' secretary Schultzy on THE BOB CUMMINGS
SHOW (a.k.a. THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW), back in the 1950s. She was the
funniest person on that series, too.

I believe she won two Emmys for her role as Shultzy as well. But that's off the top of my head, and could be wrong...

Jack1000 · 08-10-2006, 11:42 PM

Alice was great!

In fact I appreciated her even more when I got older watching the syndicated prints. When I first started watching The Brady Bunch though around early 1975, I didn't really care for her at all. But being only about 8 years old at the time, I didn't understand some of the great humor that she interjected into the show. Now, I think that because of her humor, it brought even more adults into watching and learning about The Brady's. As an adult, I don't think that she was in too many Brady Bunch scenes that didn't work.

Jack

tv star collector · 08-11-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweety

I believe she won two Emmys for her role as Shultzy as well. But that's off the top of my head, and could be wrong...

You are absolutely correct. Ann B. Davis won an Emmy Award for her role on
THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW in 1957 and 1958 (and was also nominated in 1955
and 1956). Source: "THE EMMY AWARDS," by Thomas O'Neil (1998)

GARFIELDKOOL · 08-11-2006, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nerrad

Let's face it. The Brady's needed an Alice in their household. To me, the entire family weren't all the funny, especially with the one-liners. Hey, come to think of it, Alice and Sam were perfect for one another. They both like to joke.

Considering the Brady Brat's problems they went through, yes, Alice was comic relief. Just about everything that came out of her mouth was a joke.

nerrad · 08-11-2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack1000

Alice was great!

In fact I appreciated her even more when I got older watching the syndicated prints. When I first started watching The Brady Bunch though around early 1975, I didn't really care for her at all. But being only about 8 years old at the time, I didn't understand some of the great humor that she interjected into the show. Now, I think that because of her humor, it brought even more adults into watching and learning about The Brady's. As an adult, I don't think that she was in too many Brady Bunch scenes that didn't work.

Jack

I agree jack. I started watching BB around the same time you did and at first I didn't appreciate her that much. I just knew that whenever she said something, everyone would laugh. Think about her moments:

Stepping in a bucket
The famous scene where she fell into the dunking machine.
Hula in Hawaii
Afraid of Myron

Can you imagine being stuck with Kay as the housekeeper?

comedyfreak · 08-12-2006, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

Considering the Brady Brat's problems they went through, yes, Alice was comic relief. Just about everything that came out of her mouth was a joke.

Alice was the comic relief, she worked on the timing with the kids. I'd hardly call the kids brats.

TV Watcher · 08-12-2006, 11:22 AM

Alice wasn't there to give the moral lectures..that was Mike's job

mstewart · 08-12-2006, 11:56 AM

Alice was an enjoyable character to watch. There were times that some of her lines were forced so she can get some laughs but most of all she was naturally funny. I liked the fact that Alice was not trying to be their parent but more of a friend. I did like the comedy between her and Florence Henderson. Florence became more funnier after the second season and held her own as well. Her and Ann provided some good comedy together and you can tell that Alice and Carol were close.

kooky12 · 05-02-2008, 01:05 PM

Who can forget Alice's scream when the ghosts went by ?

Jude The Obscure · 05-02-2008, 08:08 PM

Les we forget that Carol was originally designed to be the "wacky wife", when Joyce Bulifant was initially cast, but when Florence wowed Sherwood over, he had to recast the maid part from sensible (someone named Monte Marketts was cast) to the more comical Ann B. Davis.

catlover79 · 05-03-2008, 01:29 AM

Ann B. Davis is a very underrated character actress - she had a terrific comedic delivery.

08-10-2006, 01:50 PM	#1
nerrad Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 06, 2003 Location: pfunkytown Posts: 1,253	Do you feel that Alice was the 'comic relief'? Let's face it. The Brady's needed an Alice in their household. To me, the entire family weren't all the funny, especially with the one-liners. Hey, come to think of it, Alice and Sam were perfect for one another. They both like to joke.

08-10-2006, 06:16 PM	#2
PrettyinPink55 Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 24,601	I love how Alice liked to joke here and there. She did provide a lot of comic relief, you are right.
	__________________ ♥♥♥

05-03-2008, 01:29 AM	#15
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Ann B. Davis is a very underrated character actress - she had a terrific comedic delivery.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

08-10-2006, 06:30 PM	#3
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	Yes, Ann B. Davis was the "comic relief." And she came well-equipped for the role, having played Bob Cummings' secretary Schultzy on THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW (a.k.a. THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW), back in the 1950s. She was the funniest person on that series, too.

08-10-2006, 08:28 PM	#4
jehobden Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2002 Location: DFW Area, TX Posts: 2,004	Sherwood Schwartz has stated as much. He originally wanted Monty Margetts (who appeared on Bewitched & many other sitcoms of that time) as a more serious Alice to play against Joyce Bulifant (the original choice for Carol), who came across as funnier. When Florence Henderson, who seemed more serious in demeanor than Ms. Bulifant, won the role, Schwartz went for Ann B. Davis as a more comic housekeeper.

08-10-2006, 11:42 PM	#6
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Alice was great! In fact I appreciated her even more when I got older watching the syndicated prints. When I first started watching The Brady Bunch though around early 1975, I didn't really care for her at all. But being only about 8 years old at the time, I didn't understand some of the great humor that she interjected into the show. Now, I think that because of her humor, it brought even more adults into watching and learning about The Brady's. As an adult, I don't think that she was in too many Brady Bunch scenes that didn't work. Jack

08-12-2006, 11:22 AM	#11
TV Watcher Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 28, 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 57	Alice wasn't there to give the moral lectures..that was Mike's job

08-12-2006, 11:56 AM	#12
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	Alice was an enjoyable character to watch. There were times that some of her lines were forced so she can get some laughs but most of all she was naturally funny. I liked the fact that Alice was not trying to be their parent but more of a friend. I did like the comedy between her and Florence Henderson. Florence became more funnier after the second season and held her own as well. Her and Ann provided some good comedy together and you can tell that Alice and Carol were close.

05-02-2008, 01:05 PM	#13
kooky12 Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 06, 2005 Posts: 2,022	Who can forget Alice's scream when the ghosts went by ?

05-02-2008, 08:08 PM	#14
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	Les we forget that Carol was originally designed to be the "wacky wife", when Joyce Bulifant was initially cast, but when Florence wowed Sherwood over, he had to recast the maid part from sensible (someone named Monte Marketts was cast) to the more comical Ann B. Davis.