Alice Hyatt
Encyclopedia
Alice Hyatt is a fictional character in the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
and in the subsequent television remake Alice
. In the movie, she was played by Ellen Burstyn
, who won an Academy Award for the role. In the television series, Alice was played by actress and singer Linda Lavin
.
. While still young, she met and married truck driver Donald Hyatt. (She and Donald met at a club she was singing at in Newark, New Jersey
.) Out of that union came a son, Tommy
. Some time later (within a year of the series beginning), Don died in a trucking accident. Now a widow, with a twelve-year-old son to care for, Alice had to decide what to do. She loved to sing, and she set off for California
to make it big, but there was one problem. Her car broke down outside Phoenix, Arizona
.
Fortunately, she was resourceful to have enough for security and first month's rent, since she got an apartment at the Phoenix Palms Apartments. She had to find a job, which she did as a waitress at a greasy spoon called Mel's Diner, which was run by one Mel Sharples
.
The first episode began with Alice already working in the diner; a lot of the concepts of the car breakdown and Alice seeking work at Mel's were inferred with the opening credits and other remarks made in the first season. In the series pilot, she had been at the diner five weeks.
Mel's Diner wasn't the best job in the world for Alice, but it was a job, which she needed. The theme song hinted that "if things work out she's gonna stay" and that she did for nine seasons.
Along the way, Alice made friends, and even Mel became a needed father figure for Tommy, although some of his shenanigans met with some disapproval from Alice. Although she could (and did) put Mel in his place at times, she occasionally referred to him as "Boss" as she really did had a great deal of respect for him. (An example was when he returned, she would say, "Hi, Boss").
She also got on quite well with Mel's mother, Carrie Sharples
. Carrie often greeted Alice with the line, "You little Dickens you!" which was her sign of affection for Alice. They also bonded as both were from the same area. Whilst Alice was from New Jersey, Carrie was from New York City
.
In the first few seasons, her best friend was Florence Jean Castleberry
. Alice sometimes called her Floey. She took a motherly role to Alice when she started at the diner, and helped Alice grow into the job. She also became friends with the shy Vera Louise Gorman-Novak
.
Even Mel tended to respect Alice, and it was she, in her disguise as a hit man–mobster named "Sam Butler" that saved him from disaster as well as her other friends' bacon many a time.
Alice was the character that seemed to always give advice, but also the one that everyone turned to for advice. In more than one episode, Alice was persuaded to break the news of something controversial to another character when it really wasn't her place to be telling it.
Despite her working at the diner, Alice was able to sing periodically, not necessarily with Mel's support, as he despised moonlighting and frequently verbalized it. Her choice of music was the old standards and sometimes that felt out of place in the Southwest. But she was a trouper and pulled it off. In later episodes, her main venue for singing was at Vinnie's House of Veal, which was run by a friend of Mel's with locations in both Phoenix and Lake Havasu City.
Invariably, whenever Mel was out of the diner for some reason or other (like going to the bank, or a haircut or some other errand), sometimes, Alice would take up the beanie and the spatula and do some of the cooking; and she often did a decent job, enough to bring business to the diner. After years of cooking for Tommy, she was able to do a great enough job of cooking for Mel's customers. This also showed the amount of trust that Mel had for Alice.
Tommy also inherited his mother's love of music and played quite a mean guitar. Several episodes featured Tommy and Alice singing together, and in several occasions, Alice, Vera and Jolene formed a trio, including the highly-rated Joel Gray two-part episode. Even in the first episode, Alice showed her musical talent, when Flo rolled a piano into the diner; and Mel approved of Alice's singing.
Alice was also friendly with one of the diner's main regulars, telephone company worker, Henry Beesmeyer. Their friendship was once misunderstood by Henry's usually never-seen wife, Chloe.
As Flo left for Houston, Texas
for a hostessing job, Alice became the head waitress (as she had become knowledgeable in being a waitress); the motherly figure for the other waitresses and helped both of Flo's replacements, Belle Dupree
and Jolene Hunnicutt
get used to the long hours, little pay and trying to keep one step ahead of Mel.
Alice was the emotional center of the diner and often the voice of reason. Even Mel looked to her for advice, as she was most level-headed, even though he tended to dismiss her as a "broad" just like the other waitresses. Alice often had to help defuse the tension whenever someone (usually Mel) would make a ruckus.
However, she was also passionate enough to get into situations she would later regret. Throughout the series' run, she would confront members of her family. The first season introduced Alice's mother-in-law and father-in-law, Rose and Charlie Hyatt, in a two-part episode (Rose, who was played by actress Eileen Heckart
lived up to every stereotype of her role and more). In the fifth and seventh seasons, Doris Roberts
played Alice's mom, Mona Spivak.
Nine years later, with Tommy grown up and attending Arizona State University
, Alice finally realized her singing dream, although in a different fashion than she imagined. She wound up going to Nashville, Tennessee
, where incidentally, her friend Belle had gone to, with singer Travis Marsh (played by Linda Lavin's second husband, Kip Niven), the twin brother of a former boyfriend of her close friend, Vera
.
Travis had originally kidnapped Alice, and wanted her to join his band. Alice, however, acceded to his request on the condition that she end her current romantic relationship with a writer; and that she end her job at Mel's. It was fortuitous that Mel had sold the diner and was closing for good. Alice, like the rest of her coworkers, received a $5,000 farewell bonus from Mel. While cleaning her locker, she came across the "Waitress Wanted" sign that she saw in the window, nine years previous, when she arrived in Phoenix and was looking for work.
Those who watched Alice faithfully over the years (from 1976 to 1985) noticed that the character's hairstyle changed once or more during each season, going from long to short and straight to curly (and back again) during its nine seasons. The theme song was re-recorded the first six seasons, so that added to the continually changing and evolving nature of the series.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a 1974 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Robert Getchell. It stars Ellen Burstyn as a widow who travels with her preteen son across the American Southwest in search of a better life, along with Alfred Lutter as her son and Kris...
and in the subsequent television remake Alice
Alice (TV series)
Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to July 2, 1985 on CBS. The series was based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job...
. In the movie, she was played by Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn is a leading American actress of film, stage, and television. Burstyn's career began in theatre during the late 1950s, and over the next ten years she appeared in several films and television series before joining the Actors Studio in 1967...
, who won an Academy Award for the role. In the television series, Alice was played by actress and singer Linda Lavin
Linda Lavin
Linda Lavin is an American singer and actress. She is best known for playing the title character in the sitcom Alice and for her Broadway performances.After acting as a child, Lavin joined the Compass Players in the late 1950s...
.
From New Jersey to Phoenix
Alice (maiden name, Graham in the movie; Spivak in the television series) was born and raised in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. While still young, she met and married truck driver Donald Hyatt. (She and Donald met at a club she was singing at in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.) Out of that union came a son, Tommy
Tommy Hyatt
Tommy Hyatt is a fictional character in the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and the television sitcom Alice. Tommy was played by Alfred Lutter in the movie and the television series pilot. Throughout the rest of the series, he was played by Philip McKeon.-Alice's pride and joy:Tommy was the...
. Some time later (within a year of the series beginning), Don died in a trucking accident. Now a widow, with a twelve-year-old son to care for, Alice had to decide what to do. She loved to sing, and she set off for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to make it big, but there was one problem. Her car broke down outside Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Fortunately, she was resourceful to have enough for security and first month's rent, since she got an apartment at the Phoenix Palms Apartments. She had to find a job, which she did as a waitress at a greasy spoon called Mel's Diner, which was run by one Mel Sharples
Mel Sharples
Melvin Emory Sharples is a fictional character in the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and the television sitcom series, Alice. The character was played by the late Vic Tayback, who reprised his movie role for the television show.- The man with the Spatula :Melvin Emory Sharples was born...
.
The first episode began with Alice already working in the diner; a lot of the concepts of the car breakdown and Alice seeking work at Mel's were inferred with the opening credits and other remarks made in the first season. In the series pilot, she had been at the diner five weeks.
Mel's Diner wasn't the best job in the world for Alice, but it was a job, which she needed. The theme song hinted that "if things work out she's gonna stay" and that she did for nine seasons.
Along the way, Alice made friends, and even Mel became a needed father figure for Tommy, although some of his shenanigans met with some disapproval from Alice. Although she could (and did) put Mel in his place at times, she occasionally referred to him as "Boss" as she really did had a great deal of respect for him. (An example was when he returned, she would say, "Hi, Boss").
She also got on quite well with Mel's mother, Carrie Sharples
Carrie Sharples
Carrie Sharples was a fictional character in the television series Alice. She was played, in typically loud-mouthed fashion, by the late Martha Raye.-Mel's boisterous mother:...
. Carrie often greeted Alice with the line, "You little Dickens you!" which was her sign of affection for Alice. They also bonded as both were from the same area. Whilst Alice was from New Jersey, Carrie was from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In the first few seasons, her best friend was Florence Jean Castleberry
Florence Jean Castleberry
Florence Jean Castleberry , better known to all as "Flo", is a fictional character in the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, the subsequent television series, Alice, and that show's spinoff, Flo...
. Alice sometimes called her Floey. She took a motherly role to Alice when she started at the diner, and helped Alice grow into the job. She also became friends with the shy Vera Louise Gorman-Novak
Vera Louise Gorman-Novak
Vera Novak was a fictional character in the long-running television series Alice. She was played by actress Beth Howland.-The "Dingy":Vera was the only original waitress besides Alice who lasted all of the show's run...
.
Even Mel tended to respect Alice, and it was she, in her disguise as a hit man–mobster named "Sam Butler" that saved him from disaster as well as her other friends' bacon many a time.
Alice was the character that seemed to always give advice, but also the one that everyone turned to for advice. In more than one episode, Alice was persuaded to break the news of something controversial to another character when it really wasn't her place to be telling it.
Despite her working at the diner, Alice was able to sing periodically, not necessarily with Mel's support, as he despised moonlighting and frequently verbalized it. Her choice of music was the old standards and sometimes that felt out of place in the Southwest. But she was a trouper and pulled it off. In later episodes, her main venue for singing was at Vinnie's House of Veal, which was run by a friend of Mel's with locations in both Phoenix and Lake Havasu City.
Invariably, whenever Mel was out of the diner for some reason or other (like going to the bank, or a haircut or some other errand), sometimes, Alice would take up the beanie and the spatula and do some of the cooking; and she often did a decent job, enough to bring business to the diner. After years of cooking for Tommy, she was able to do a great enough job of cooking for Mel's customers. This also showed the amount of trust that Mel had for Alice.
Tommy also inherited his mother's love of music and played quite a mean guitar. Several episodes featured Tommy and Alice singing together, and in several occasions, Alice, Vera and Jolene formed a trio, including the highly-rated Joel Gray two-part episode. Even in the first episode, Alice showed her musical talent, when Flo rolled a piano into the diner; and Mel approved of Alice's singing.
Alice was also friendly with one of the diner's main regulars, telephone company worker, Henry Beesmeyer. Their friendship was once misunderstood by Henry's usually never-seen wife, Chloe.
As Flo left for Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for a hostessing job, Alice became the head waitress (as she had become knowledgeable in being a waitress); the motherly figure for the other waitresses and helped both of Flo's replacements, Belle Dupree
Belle Dupree
Isabelle Amanda Dupree better known as Belle, was a fictional character in the television series Alice. She was played by actress Diane Ladd who, incidentally, played the character of Flo in the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, on which the television show was based.-She "moves like the waves...
and Jolene Hunnicutt
Jolene Hunnicutt
Jolene Hunnicutt was a fictional character in the television series Alice. She was played, through the show's end in 1985, by theater actress, Celia Weston.- Pride of Myrtle Point :...
get used to the long hours, little pay and trying to keep one step ahead of Mel.
Alice was the emotional center of the diner and often the voice of reason. Even Mel looked to her for advice, as she was most level-headed, even though he tended to dismiss her as a "broad" just like the other waitresses. Alice often had to help defuse the tension whenever someone (usually Mel) would make a ruckus.
However, she was also passionate enough to get into situations she would later regret. Throughout the series' run, she would confront members of her family. The first season introduced Alice's mother-in-law and father-in-law, Rose and Charlie Hyatt, in a two-part episode (Rose, who was played by actress Eileen Heckart
Eileen Heckart
Eileen Heckart was an American actress of stage, screen, and television.-Early life:Heckart was born Anna Eileen Heckart in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Esther and Leo Herbert. She was legally adopted by her grandfather, J.W. Heckart. Her family was of Irish and German descent...
lived up to every stereotype of her role and more). In the fifth and seventh seasons, Doris Roberts
Doris Roberts
Doris Roberts is an American character actress of film, stage and television. She has received five Emmy Awards. She began her career in 1952, and may be best-known as Marie Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996–2005....
played Alice's mom, Mona Spivak.
Nine years later, with Tommy grown up and attending Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, Alice finally realized her singing dream, although in a different fashion than she imagined. She wound up going to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, where incidentally, her friend Belle had gone to, with singer Travis Marsh (played by Linda Lavin's second husband, Kip Niven), the twin brother of a former boyfriend of her close friend, Vera
Vera Louise Gorman-Novak
Vera Novak was a fictional character in the long-running television series Alice. She was played by actress Beth Howland.-The "Dingy":Vera was the only original waitress besides Alice who lasted all of the show's run...
.
Travis had originally kidnapped Alice, and wanted her to join his band. Alice, however, acceded to his request on the condition that she end her current romantic relationship with a writer; and that she end her job at Mel's. It was fortuitous that Mel had sold the diner and was closing for good. Alice, like the rest of her coworkers, received a $5,000 farewell bonus from Mel. While cleaning her locker, she came across the "Waitress Wanted" sign that she saw in the window, nine years previous, when she arrived in Phoenix and was looking for work.
Those who watched Alice faithfully over the years (from 1976 to 1985) noticed that the character's hairstyle changed once or more during each season, going from long to short and straight to curly (and back again) during its nine seasons. The theme song was re-recorded the first six seasons, so that added to the continually changing and evolving nature of the series.