If Polly Holliday had rejoined the cast...

[Frump]

I heard that when Polly's show Flo was cancelled that they offered her to come back and join Alice, but Polly didn't want to, b/c she said it would be like a step back.

IF Polly had come back *Celia Weston was on the show at that time*, do you think they would have kicked Celia off, OR I wonder if both Polly and Celia would have been on the show and Mel would have worked 4 waitresses, including Flo and Jolene both?

[Dr. Thong]

I never heard about Polly being asked back, but I'm sure if she did come back, they would have just brought Flo back and not had Celia Weston's character.

Too bad if she actually did refuse, because she didn't do anything that I knew of after Flo tanked.

[Frump]

I never heard about Polly being asked back, but I'm sure if she did come back, they would have just brought Flo back and not had Celia Weston's character.

Too bad if she actually did refuse, because she didn't do anything that I knew of after Flo tanked.

I think one reason also she didn't want to return is b/c there was conflict between her and Linda Lavin.

But it would kinda seem cruel to just boot Celia Weston off the show, especially since she had just gotten there and I assume under contract maybe for at least a season. I'd wanna think BOTH characters would have been on the show at least until Celia's contract ran out.

[Dr. Thong]

If Polly Holliday had returned, there would have been no need for the Celia Weston character. Flo and Jolene would never have been together on the show.

[Frump]

If Polly Holliday had returned, there would have been no need for the Celia Weston character. Flo and Jolene would never have been together on the show.

What I mean is Jolene was already there, so it just kinda seems wrong to just FIRE her if Polly came back.

If Polly came back maybe Celia could have been just a frequesnt guest on the show, maybe she woudl have opened up that beauty parlor or something and not been a waitress.

[Dr. Thong]

Okay, gotcha. Still, if Jolene was there, they wouldn't need an additional character, so if Polly had returned, they probably would have fired Celia Weston.

The show had enough characters and didn't need any additional ones, IMO.

But I also think Flo should never have left.

[Frump]

Yeah that's what I was asking, if Polly came back MAYBE Celia would have stayed on for at least the rest of the season or until her contract ran out then she could have left. Hell maybe they could have written it like she was an old friend of Flo's lol



I used to think Mel could have used another waitress that way they could have gotten more time off, I didn't use to see how he ran the place with just 3, since most places have like 5 or 6.

BUT with the crowds he had now I think 3 might have been more than enough.

Honestly though I DID like Jolene pretty well, I usaully find myself laughing at most of the things she says, just the way she says it.

[McGillicuddy]

The series Flo began in the spring of 1980. So Polly Holliday left before Alice completed its 4th season. The character of Belle (Diane Ladd) joined Alice in the spring of 1980 and left in the spring of '81, not finishing out season 5. So Celia Weston (Jolene) would have only been there for the spring of '81, probably about (4 or 6 episodes) at the time Flo was canceled. If Holliday came back, it would have been the start of season 6, and they easily could have let go of Weston. Also Celia Weston may have been told she was on a trial run at first, as they may have known Flo could have been dropped.

[Jude The Obscure]

Mel's Diner was a small place so 3 was sufficient, although did he work them all day--breakfast, lunch and dinner? that would be LOOOOOOOONG hours.

anyhoo, had Polly came back, I think "Alice"'s ratings would have skyrocketed, at least for that initial comeback season--who knows, the show could have had a shot at topping the Nielsens.

[Frump]

Mel's Diner was a small place so 3 was sufficient, although did he work them all day--breakfast, lunch and dinner? that would be LOOOOOOOONG hours.

anyhoo, had Polly came back, I think "Alice"'s ratings would have skyrocketed, at least for that initial comeback season--who knows, the show could have had a shot at topping the Nielsens.

It would be interesting to see how Flo's character would have fit in with the later "catroony" environment of the show. The episodes I'm talking about are like the ones where Mel hires a robot to work in the diner and the UFO episode.

But If I'm not mistaken weren't the Jolene episodes rated some of the highest of the series?

Honestly I AM glad that Jolene was on the show I thought she was pretty funny, and it gave us a chance to see the gang interact with another waitress. Belle I could take or leave, but again it was nice to see the gang interact with someone new.

[JAlanRuss72]

At the time the show was on- or at least in reruns- I never cared for the character of Belle. I always compared her to Flo and found myself wishing Flo were there and thinking about how much better she might have been in certain scenes. That being said, looking back, I now see that the Belle character just wasn't very developed by the writers, and came off more like just a "fill in" (maybe in hopes Flo might come back? not sure). Diane Ladd is a great actress and this wasn't her fault, but by the time Jolene came along, they gave her more of a different kind of character that worked a bit better. Neither of them would ever be as great a character as Flo was, IMHO. The original group seemed to interact the best.