Tommy Hyatt
Encyclopedia
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
.
. His father died in a truck driving accident when he was twelve, and then he moved, with his mother, to California, so she could break into singing. However, car troubles forced Alice to stop in Phoenix, Arizona
, where they eventually got an apartment, and his mother got a job as a waitress at Mel's Diner. During the first two seasons, Tommy was a very precocious kid, with lots of funny comeback lines and some surprising knowledge about sexual matters making him wise beyond his years.
In the first season two part episode "Mother in Law", Tommy's paternal grandmother, Rose Hyatt (Eileen Heckart
) was trying to manipulate Tommy to move away from his mother, and back to New Jersey, which infuriated Alice, and caused her to confront her interfering in-law about it. Eventually, she discovered that her husband had left her, and she had planned to move to Phoenix; however, Alice brought her in-laws back together, and they headed back to New Jersey.
As the series progressed, Tommy's character went from a 12 year old pre-teen to an early teen by the third season. By this time, McKeon had become a teen sensation, featured often in magazines like Tiger Beat and Teen Beat. By the seventh season, Tommy was graduating from high school and attending Arizona State University
.
Throughout the series, Tommy had many friends, and was quite popular with the ladies, sometimes to Alice's dismay. His mother's boss, Mel Sharples
, was at times shown as a needed father figure to him, even though some of his shenanigans met with Alice's disapproval. It made Mel proud that Tommy was as popular with the ladies, as Mel seemed to think himself to be. Alice also fretted that Mel would make Tommy as chauvinistic as he was, but Tommy never became chauvinistic. He was generally self-effacingly pleasant.
Like his mother, Tommy loved music, and was a talented guitarist. He and his mother performed a couple of duets during the show's run. Also, Mel trained him to be a fry cook, like he was, even going so far as to wear a beanie and T-shirt, like Mel did; at first this was met with stringent resistance by Alice, but she eventually relented when Tommy showed genuine talent at it.
Tommy's strongest interest, however, was basketball. Luckily, one of Flo's boyfriends, Earl Hicks (played by Dave Madden
), was a basketball coach at his high school. With practice, he won a basketball scholarship at Arizona State University
, where he joined a fraternity to meet more girls and make friends. At one time, Tommy felt burned out, and almost lost his scholarship. Fortunately, with some encouraging words by Meadowlark Lemon
of the Harlem Globetrotters
, he regained his love for the game, and stuck it out. At one point, Tommy also joined the Navy, encouraged by Mel and his navy buddy, who had become a military recruiter. He also tried his hand at acting and singing on several episodes.
His mother's co-workers, Florence Jean Castleberry
, known as Flo, called him "Tiger"; and Vera Louise Gorman-Novak
called him "Toms". He also was close to Flo's two replacements, Belle Dupree
and Jolene Hunnicutt
. Jolene was only a few years older than Tommy, and in a couple episodes, they were seen dancing together or otherwise sharing a good laugh, although neither displayed any romantic interests in each other. Tommy did have several girlfriends throughout the series, the first on portrayed by Olivia Barash
in the third season.
An episode in the final, ninth season dealt with alcoholism. Tommy was portrayed going to many college parties, drinking before breakfast and before tests, and losing motivation and interest in his collegiate studies. The drinking leads to Tommy losing Alice's boyfriend Nick's borrowed car, which is returned with a giant cactus planted in it. By the end of the episode, Alice convinces Tommy to get counseling, and the alcohol problem is never mentioned again.
At the end of the series, Tommy made mention that the diner was special to him; in that he practically grew up there and called Mel his second father. Mel, touched by this, reciprocated by saying that he would have never had a kid to raise.
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 the television sitcom 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...
. Tommy was played by Alfred Lutter
Alfred Lutter
Alfred Lutter is an American child actor who starred along with Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore...
in the movie and the television series pilot. Throughout the rest of the series, he was played by Philip McKeon
Philip McKeon
Philip McKeon is an American actor. He is known for playing the role of Tommy Hyatt, the son of the title character, in the long-running sitcom Alice, from 1976 to 1985.-Life and career:...
.
Alice's pride and joy
Tommy was the son of Donald and Alice HyattAlice 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...
. His father died in a truck driving accident when he was twelve, and then he moved, with his mother, to California, so she could break into singing. However, car troubles forced Alice to stop in 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...
, where they eventually got an apartment, and his mother got a job as a waitress at Mel's Diner. During the first two seasons, Tommy was a very precocious kid, with lots of funny comeback lines and some surprising knowledge about sexual matters making him wise beyond his years.
In the first season two part episode "Mother in Law", Tommy's paternal grandmother, Rose Hyatt (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...
) was trying to manipulate Tommy to move away from his mother, and back to New Jersey, which infuriated Alice, and caused her to confront her interfering in-law about it. Eventually, she discovered that her husband had left her, and she had planned to move to Phoenix; however, Alice brought her in-laws back together, and they headed back to New Jersey.
As the series progressed, Tommy's character went from a 12 year old pre-teen to an early teen by the third season. By this time, McKeon had become a teen sensation, featured often in magazines like Tiger Beat and Teen Beat. By the seventh season, Tommy was graduating from high school 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...
.
Throughout the series, Tommy had many friends, and was quite popular with the ladies, sometimes to Alice's dismay. His mother's boss, 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...
, was at times shown as a needed father figure to him, even though some of his shenanigans met with Alice's disapproval. It made Mel proud that Tommy was as popular with the ladies, as Mel seemed to think himself to be. Alice also fretted that Mel would make Tommy as chauvinistic as he was, but Tommy never became chauvinistic. He was generally self-effacingly pleasant.
Like his mother, Tommy loved music, and was a talented guitarist. He and his mother performed a couple of duets during the show's run. Also, Mel trained him to be a fry cook, like he was, even going so far as to wear a beanie and T-shirt, like Mel did; at first this was met with stringent resistance by Alice, but she eventually relented when Tommy showed genuine talent at it.
Tommy's strongest interest, however, was basketball. Luckily, one of Flo's boyfriends, Earl Hicks (played by Dave Madden
Dave Madden
Dave Madden is a Canadian-born American actor. He was born in Sarnia, Ontario, but was raised in Terre Haute, Indiana. His most famous role came in the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family in which he played the group's manager, Reuben Kincaid.- Career :Madden first gained notice as a milk-drinking,...
), was a basketball coach at his high school. With practice, he won a basketball scholarship at 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...
, where he joined a fraternity to meet more girls and make friends. At one time, Tommy felt burned out, and almost lost his scholarship. Fortunately, with some encouraging words by Meadowlark Lemon
Meadowlark Lemon
Meadow "Meadowlark" Lemon is an American basketball player, actor, and minister. For 22 years, Lemon was known as the "Clown Prince" of the touring Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. He played in more than 16,000 games for the Globetrotters and is a 2003 inductee of the Naismith Memorial...
of the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
, he regained his love for the game, and stuck it out. At one point, Tommy also joined the Navy, encouraged by Mel and his navy buddy, who had become a military recruiter. He also tried his hand at acting and singing on several episodes.
His mother's co-workers, 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...
, known as Flo, called him "Tiger"; 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...
called him "Toms". He also was close to Flo's two 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 :...
. Jolene was only a few years older than Tommy, and in a couple episodes, they were seen dancing together or otherwise sharing a good laugh, although neither displayed any romantic interests in each other. Tommy did have several girlfriends throughout the series, the first on portrayed by Olivia Barash
Olivia Barash
Olivia Barash is an American actress. She has appeared in many films, including the cult film Repo Man, as well as television series in her career, including Little House on the Prairie, Charlie's Angels, Soap, Fame, and St. Elsewhere...
in the third season.
An episode in the final, ninth season dealt with alcoholism. Tommy was portrayed going to many college parties, drinking before breakfast and before tests, and losing motivation and interest in his collegiate studies. The drinking leads to Tommy losing Alice's boyfriend Nick's borrowed car, which is returned with a giant cactus planted in it. By the end of the episode, Alice convinces Tommy to get counseling, and the alcohol problem is never mentioned again.
At the end of the series, Tommy made mention that the diner was special to him; in that he practically grew up there and called Mel his second father. Mel, touched by this, reciprocated by saying that he would have never had a kid to raise.