Belle Dupree
Encyclopedia
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.
, which underscored her strong Southern accent. She was known for wearing earrings that had bells in them. It was discovered that Belle was one of Mel Sharples
's first waitresses when he started working in restaurants. She had come into town to sell a song she wrote called "Uncle Bud" to the manager of a fictitious country singer named "Wailin' Tammy Hawkins". However, the manager put the moves on Belle and she cooled him off by dumping a whole bucket of ice in his pants.
For a while, Mel favored Belle. At first this situation did not endear her to her co-workers Alice Hyatt
and Vera Louise Gorman-Novak
. Belle, in fact, replaced Mel's sometime girlfriend, Marie Massey. Belle had also charmed Alice and Vera's dates. It wasn't until Alice and Vera had a sit-down with Belle that she realized that Mel was as awful as she remembered and that ended up clearing the air.
Afterwards, the three waitresses bonded and became good friends. Belle was always known for her homespun homilies of her childhood in Mississippi, and her way of letting people know what was what. Although she wasn't at all like Flo, she was a real down-to-earth and friendly soul underneath. She even said that she had a little voice in her head which always referred to her as Isabelle, her given name. This little voice often gave her advice. She would call people, "honey" or "sugar" a great deal of the time. At times, she showed no restraint in putting Mel in his place.
Whenever Belle served coffee to anyone, be they customer or her co-workers, she usually called it a little java for the veins. She eventually moved into an apartment in the same apartment complex as Alice, after staying with Vera, whom she helped make her feel more attractive. In the short time she lived in Phoenix, she also became close to Alice's son, Tommy
.
Belle had a natural tendency to defuse tension, whenever there was a lot of it. This trait came into play when Mel had a century-old tree over near his property that he wanted to cut down in order to expand his parking lot. This angered the nature loving Vera, and so forced herself to chain herself to said tree. Mel ordered her to unchain herself, but she replied with her stock phrase, In a rat's hat, dumbo! Later on, Alice and Belle were persuaded to join her, even though Mel called them all traitors. Even the contractors who he hired to cut it down, joined the waitresses in this plight, eventually.
Mel, by this time was furious and Vera was equally angry with Mel, but Belle comforted Vera by telling her something her grandmother Dupree always said, What goes around, comes around. That proverb came into play for Mel, when he went and cut the tree down himself, only to have it come crashing down through the roof of the diner, sending him into an absolute fit of rage. "MY DINER!" he wailed. He eventually made up for it by getting a new tree.
Belle, however, longed for a music and songwriting career, and after working with Mel, finally found her big break and went to Nashville, Tennessee
, where, some years later, Alice herself ended up going. She ended up becoming a backup singer in her cousin, Larry's band. She was replaced by former trucker, Jolene Hunnicutt
.
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...
. She was played by actress Diane Ladd
Diane Ladd
Diane Ladd is an American actress, film director, producer and published author. She has appeared in over 120 roles, on television, and in miniseries and feature films, including Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , Wild at Heart , Rambling Rose , Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors, 28 Days , and...
who, incidentally, played the character of Flo in the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
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...
, on which the television show was based.
She "moves like the waves in the ocean"
Belle was born in Yazoo City, MississippiYazoo City, Mississippi
Yazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
, which underscored her strong Southern accent. She was known for wearing earrings that had bells in them. It was discovered that Belle was one of 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...
's first waitresses when he started working in restaurants. She had come into town to sell a song she wrote called "Uncle Bud" to the manager of a fictitious country singer named "Wailin' Tammy Hawkins". However, the manager put the moves on Belle and she cooled him off by dumping a whole bucket of ice in his pants.
For a while, Mel favored Belle. At first this situation did not endear her to her co-workers Alice Hyatt
Alice Hyatt
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...
and 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...
. Belle, in fact, replaced Mel's sometime girlfriend, Marie Massey. Belle had also charmed Alice and Vera's dates. It wasn't until Alice and Vera had a sit-down with Belle that she realized that Mel was as awful as she remembered and that ended up clearing the air.
Afterwards, the three waitresses bonded and became good friends. Belle was always known for her homespun homilies of her childhood in Mississippi, and her way of letting people know what was what. Although she wasn't at all like Flo, she was a real down-to-earth and friendly soul underneath. She even said that she had a little voice in her head which always referred to her as Isabelle, her given name. This little voice often gave her advice. She would call people, "honey" or "sugar" a great deal of the time. At times, she showed no restraint in putting Mel in his place.
Whenever Belle served coffee to anyone, be they customer or her co-workers, she usually called it a little java for the veins. She eventually moved into an apartment in the same apartment complex as Alice, after staying with Vera, whom she helped make her feel more attractive. In the short time she lived in Phoenix, she also became close to Alice's 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...
.
Belle had a natural tendency to defuse tension, whenever there was a lot of it. This trait came into play when Mel had a century-old tree over near his property that he wanted to cut down in order to expand his parking lot. This angered the nature loving Vera, and so forced herself to chain herself to said tree. Mel ordered her to unchain herself, but she replied with her stock phrase, In a rat's hat, dumbo! Later on, Alice and Belle were persuaded to join her, even though Mel called them all traitors. Even the contractors who he hired to cut it down, joined the waitresses in this plight, eventually.
Mel, by this time was furious and Vera was equally angry with Mel, but Belle comforted Vera by telling her something her grandmother Dupree always said, What goes around, comes around. That proverb came into play for Mel, when he went and cut the tree down himself, only to have it come crashing down through the roof of the diner, sending him into an absolute fit of rage. "MY DINER!" he wailed. He eventually made up for it by getting a new tree.
Belle, however, longed for a music and songwriting career, and after working with Mel, finally found her big break and went 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, some years later, Alice herself ended up going. She ended up becoming a backup singer in her cousin, Larry's band. She was replaced by former trucker, 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 :...
.