Comparison with Three's Company

[sodalake]

I always thought Alice and Three's Company were similar in their cast changes. Alice went through three different blonde waitresses as Three's Company went through three different blonde roommates and pretty much about the same time. Alice was on 1976-1985 on CBS while Three's Company was on 1977-1984 on ABC.

Polly Holiday (Flo) (first blonde waitress) on Alice left in Spring 1980 to star in her own spin-off series Flo. It was a success during its trial season like The Ropers and then in its first full season it flopped due to a timeslot change (again like The Ropers).

Flo's replacement (second blonde waitress) Diane Ladd as Belle in 1980-1981 didn't last long much like Cindy didn't last long as their second roommate on Three's Company.

In 1981, Celia Weston joined the cast as the third and last blonde waitress Jolene and in 1981, Priscilla Barnes joined Three's Company as Terri-the last blonde roommate. Both actresses were finally a good fit to their respective series and stayed until the end of the series.

While Alice didn't have any highly publicized contract disputes like with Suzanne Somers, they did have their share of drama. Linda Lavin was said to be difficult and wanted the spotlight and drove away Polly Holiday and Diane Ladd. Many fans wondered why the Flo character didn't return to Alice after the spin-off series was cancelled and I assume it was due to Linda Lavin not wanting her back or Polly Holiday not wanting to return. Flo was the most popular of the waitresses so it would have made perfect sense to get Flo back (especially with Diane Ladd leaving), but due to the backstage feuding, it never happened.

[mstewart]

Originally Posted by sodalake

I always thought Alice and Three's Company were similar in their cast changes. Alice went through three different blonde waitresses as Three's Company went through three different blonde roommates and pretty much about the same time. Alice was on 1976-1985 on CBS while Three's Company was on 1977-1984 on ABC.

Polly Holiday (Flo) (first blonde waitress) on Alice left in Spring 1980 to star in her own spin-off series Flo. It was a success during its trial season like The Ropers and then in its first full season it flopped due to a timeslot change (again like The Ropers).

Flo's replacement (second blonde waitress) Diane Ladd as Belle in 1980-1981 didn't last long much like Cindy didn't last long as their second roommate on Three's Company.

In 1981, Celia Weston joined the cast as the third and last blonde waitress Jolene and in 1981, Priscilla Barnes joined Three's Company as Terri-the last blonde roommate. Both actresses were finally a good fit to their respective series and stayed until the end of the series.

While Alice didn't have any highly publicized contract disputes like with Suzanne Somers, they did have their share of drama. Linda Lavin was said to be difficult and wanted the spotlight and drove away Polly Holiday and Diane Ladd. Many fans wondered why the Flo character didn't return to Alice after the spin-off series was cancelled and I assume it was due to Linda Lavin not wanting her back or Polly Holiday not wanting to return. Flo was the most popular of the waitresses so it would have made perfect sense to get Flo back (especially with Diane Ladd leaving), but due to the backstage feuding, it never happened.

Flo was a redhead, Belle was a grayish blonde and Jolene was a blonde. The common thread those three had was they were from the South with southern accents.

If you watch Flo's final season on Alice you can see the tension between Polly Holliday and Linda Lavin. They did not interact too much on screen that seaon plus every time Flo said something funny and/or upstage Linda Lavin you can see Linda's rolling her eyes and looking at her with disdain.

You can slowly see the tension between Diane Ladd and Linda Lavin during Ladd's brief stay on the show.

Linda Lavin runied her series by wanting the center constantly. Too bad she did not learn from her former co-star, Hal Linden, from Barney Miller where she was a regular on. That was an ensemble show as well as the Dick Van Dyke Show and the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Every actor on those shows was important and funny in their own way.

[catlover79]

I never saw it that way, but to each his own.

[sodalake]

I'd have to be able to watch Flo's final season again to notice the tension. I do know from the Alice DVD have that in Flo's final episode when she decides to leave, that Alice is way too happy that Flo's leaving and doesn't seem the least bit sad to see her go. She plays it up as more of an exciting opportunity for Flo that she just can't pass up.

[comedyfreak]

Good observation Sodalake, welcome to the boards.