Robert Fisher Movies
- 1981
Alice (Linda Lavin) is honored when she is made the new manager of her apartment building. But it's hardly an honor when her first assignment is to lock out a tenant who's behind in her rent--namely, her fellow waitress Belle (Diane Ladd). John Sylvester White, formerly the pesky Mr. Woodman on Welcome Back, Kotter, essays a similarly odious role in this episode, which also marks the return of Alice's "alter ego" Sam Butler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
TV sitcom icon Eve Arden appears as a pscyhologist who runs a TV talk show for teenagers. Everyone at the diner is delighted when Tommy (Philip McKeon) appears on the show to air his opinions. But "delight" is not the operative word when the boy spends his air time telling embarrassing tales about his elders--including his mom Alice (Linda Lavin). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
It looks as though Alice's lifelong dream of a big show-business break is about to come true. A popular travelling trio of singers is short one member, and Alice (Linda Lavin) just fills the bill. But there's a catch: If Alice goes on the road, she will have to leave her son Tommy (Philip McKeon) behind. (If you can't guess what her "decision" is, please note that Season Three of Alice still has several episodes to go!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
In order to pay for college, Tommy (Philip McKeon) takes a night job as a singer in a non-alcoholic bar. Unfortunately, Tommy's nocturnal duties are so demanding that he begins cutting classes in the daytime, prompting Alice (Linda Lavin) to take a hand in matters. This proves disastrous for both mother and son when Alice's well-meaning interference ends up getting her fired. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Eddie Barth guest stars as "Rocky" Rockwell, an old buddy of diner owner Mel (Vic Tayback). Paying Mel and extended visit, Rocky arrives bearing news that his wife Mildred (Reva Rose) has walked out on him. Naturally, this places Mel in an awkward position--which gets akwarder and akwarder as the episode progresses. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
In the opening episode of Alice's sixth season, diner owner Mel (Vic Tayback) once again allows his judgment to be clouded by his mania for gambling. Specifically, Mel plans to make a 90-to-1 bet on a horse race, using $10,000 borrowed against his diner. To save Mel from himself--and to save their jobs in the bargain--Alice (Linda Lavin) and the girls overpower their boss and rope him to a chair (and in case you're curious, Mel proves that he can still yell "Stow It!" with a gag in his mouth!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
In this classic episode, Alice (Linda Lavin) is willing to make a profound sacrifice to cure Mel (Vic Tayback) of his gambling habit. A deal is struck: if Mel will give up his favorite vice, all the other diner workers will do likewise for 48 hours. This proves difficult when Alice's yen for chocolate, Flo's (Polly Holliday) desire for coffee and Vera's (Beth Howland) craving for tobacco get the better of them, culminating in a wild game of "gotcha" in Alice's apartment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Alice (Linda Lavin) and Flo (Polly Holliday) need "wheels", so Mel (Vic Tayback) offers to sell them his battered old Volkswagen. Unfortunately, the car has a few minor technical deficiencies--for example, it won't start. The plot thickens when Mel gets a better offer for the car and tries to buy it back, only to meet with some unexpected resistance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Mel (Vic Tayback) is none too happy when his mom Carrie (Martha Raye) takes over the kitchen and starts turning out her famous chicken pies. An argument inevitably arises, ending when Mel kicks Carrie out of the diner. This proves to be a major blunder when Carrie goes to work for Mel's chief rival Benny Conway (Jack Kruschen)--and syphons off Mel's profits in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Martha Raye returns as Mel's overbearing mother Carrie Sharples. With Mel (Vic Tayback) laid up by another bad injury, Carrie insists upon helping out in the diner's kitchen. This "can it get any worse?" situation soon does get worse--and how!--when it turns out that Carrie's chicken pies are attracting far more customers than Mel's chili ever has! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
After an argument at the diner, Alice (Linda Lavin) suggests a psychological experiment that will allow the employees to air their petty differences. The plan involves "role reversal", with Alice pretending to be Flo (Polly Holliday), Mel (Vic Tayback) pretending to be Vera (Beth Howland) and so on. As a result, what began as a minor skirmish ends up as full-scale warfare! (Note: although the original TV Guide synopsis lists Avery Schreiber in the role of Dr. Turner, Schreiber does not appear). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Richard B. Schull appears as Barney of Barney's Burger Barn, the much-maligned (but hitherto unseen) chief competitor of Mel's Diner. Barney glides into Mel's and sweeps Flo (Polly Holliday) off her feet, declaring his undying love. But Mel (Vic Tayback) smells a rat: His chili has just been named "Best in the West" by a local magazine, and he strongly suspects that Barney is using Flo to get his mitts on Mel's top-secret recipe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Polly Holliday makes her final regular Alice appearance in this episode, designed as a lead-in for the actress' new spinoff series Flo (which debuted exactly one month later, on March 24, 1980). When a wealthy Houston restauranteur offers Flo a terrific new job, the "Kiss Mah Grits" girl bids farewell to the gang at Mel's diner--and receives a gala party in honor. The fact that Flo would end up laboring away at her own truck stop in the flyspeck community of Cowtown, Texas was of course not revealed to her (or the viewer) until the situation's full comic value could be realized. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Telly Savalas takes time off from his Kojak duties to appear as himself in this first episode of Alice's fourth season. All agog when Telly stops over at the diner for a quick bite to eat, starry-eyed Vera (Beth Howland)--who happens to be the only one on duty--can't wait to tell her co-workers. Unfortunately, no one, not even Alice (Linda Lavin), believes Vera's story, and this disbelief snowballs into a near-disaster. Also showing up in a guest bit is Telly Savalas' brother George Savalas, who likewise appeared on Kojak, billed as "Demosthenes". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
In a semi-remake of the third-season episode "Take Him, He's Yours"--which, appropriately, is referenced in this episode!--Tommy (Philip McKeon) again spends a few days in the home of Mel (Vic Tayback). Knowing her boss' low patience threshold, Tommy's mom Alice (Linda Lavin) places a bet that Mel will ultimately kick the boy out. In turn, Mel bets Alice that she won't be able to resist spying on her son--which she does, dressed in a rabbit costume!. This is the final episode of Alice's fourth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Brad Gorman appears as Stretch Parker, a high school basketball star whom Tommy idolizes. Unfortunately, Stretch takes advantage of Tommy's idolatry by making a pass at the boy's mother Alice (Linda Lavin)! Originally shown as a "special" Tuesday-night episode (outside the series' usual Sunday-night slot), "Love is a Free Throw marks the first appearance of Marvin Kaplan in the recurring role of Henry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
The inimitable Martha Raye makes her first series appearance as Carrie Sharples, the overbearing mother of diner owner Mel (Vic Tayback). Having figured that he'd escaped his mom's clutches year earlier, Mel learns to his dismay that Carrie intends to spend the entire winter in Phoenix. Will Mel be able to withstand Carrie's verbal slings and arrows--or will he stand up to her at long last? (Trivia note: Alice's boyfriend in this episode, identified as "Greg Lawrence", was known as "Greg Stemple" in most of his appearances). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Mel (Vic Tayback) is so intent upon wedding his girlfriend Marie (Victoria Carroll) that he purchases a very expensive engagement ring. Marie is impressed, but she's not about to give in so quickly. Before any wedding bells will ring, Marie demands that Mel sign a prenuptual agreement which she has drawn up with the help of resident legal expert Earl (Dave Madden). The contract turns out to be so draconian that Mel may well remain a bachelor til the end of his days! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The problem: the overhead at Mel's diner is exceeding the profits. The solution: Mel (Vic Tayback) must fire one of the three waitresses. The dilemma: Which one of three will be axed: Alice (Linda Lavin), Flo (Polly Holliday) or Vera (Beth Howland). Among other things, this episode allows viewers their first glimpse of Mel's apartment (Yecccccchhh!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
As indicated by the title, Art Carney is the guest star in this episode. And yes, Carney is someone's cousin--actually the sixth-cousin of daffy waitress Vera (Beth Howland). Hoping to capitalize on this fact, Vera's boss Mel tries to persuade the actor to endorse a new line of frozen chili called--are you ready?--"Chili Con Carney." And for this Art left The Honeymooners? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Evidently still working for the same children's-theater company depicted in the previous episode "If the Shoe Fits", Vera (Beth Howland) receives glowing reviews for her portrayal of Cinderella. In fact, Vera is so impressive that a TV producer offers her the opportunity to star in a supermarket commercial. Suffice to say the results indicate that Vera had better hold on to her day job! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Mel (Vic Tayback) couldn't be happier to have his favorite waitress Belle (Diane Ladd) working for him again. Alice (Linda Lavin) and Vera (Beth Howland) aren't quite so happy: In fact, they're getting REALLY ticked off by Belle's irritatingly "helpful" suggestions as to how they can improve their service. The inevitable showdown occurs just before the final commercial, with a huge cake brought into play as a weapon! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
With the help of local legal expert Earl Hicks (Dave Madden), Mel (Vic Tayback) signs a profit-sharing agreement with waitresses Alice (Linda Lavin), Belle (Diane Ladd) and Vera (Beth Howland). No sooner has the ink dried than Mel is apprised of a means by which he can make more money than ever before. Unfortunately, this would require him to allow the city to condemn the diner--leaving the waitresses holding the bag (but no dough!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Alice's date Whizzer (Clifford A. Pellow) manages to get hold of two extra tickets to an upcoming celebirty charity ball. Trouble is, Alice (Linda Lavin) works with three people--and she knows a lot of others. As tension mounts over who will get the tickets, Alice finds herself in the middle of another grand-scale brouhaha amongst her angry acquaintances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The focus in this first episode of Alice's third season is on Tommy (Patrick McKeon), the 14-year-old son of single mom/waitress/aspiring singer Alice Hyatt (Linda Lavin). By Alice's account, Tommy is currently passing "from puberty to impossible", and she's at her wit's end. When her bombastic boss Mel (Vic Tayback) claims that he'd do a better job raising Tommy than she, Alice gets even by taking him up on his "offer"--and the result is literally painful for at least one of the principal characters. This episode, in which Alice spends a goodly portion of time posing as "Sam Butler", was one of several Alice installments directed by Bewitched veteran William Asher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
