Was Beth Howland blackballed after "Alice"?

Yes she was. Lavin hated her both because of her talent and beauty.

Such a shame.

Beth Howland was a fabulous in musical theater before "Alice." I imagine she never needs to work again, but wouldn't it be great if she returned to the stage?

She must've invested her Alice money extremely well because she hasn't worked in 30 years. And tv stars didn't get paid anywhere near what they make now, even adjusted for inflation.

[quote]Yes she was. Lavin hated her both because of her talent and beauty.

Se looks like J Lo's husband in a wig.

She as fabulous in Company...I've met both and Howland was just darling...Linda nice too but kind of , we'll, very unnatractive with a younger handsome husband...buying an apartment..

Howland is married to Charles Kimbrough. They did COMPANY together back in the 70's. Saw him in a show a few years back and she was at the theatre. Very lovely lady. If Lavin hated her so much why did Howland stay with Alice so long? Diane Ladd got off the show after one season.

Lavin saved most of her vitriol for Polly Holliday, whose performance outshone hers.

Polly Holliday is cra cra with a capital CRA.

I don't think anyone has balled Beth Howland in YEARS.

What is there to substantiate Linda Lavin as a bitch? Linda was pretty old when she did Alice. I liked the series, but I didn't pick up on any hostilities between any of the actors. Polly and Alice are both about 76 and Beth is no spring chicken at 72. All of these gals could hold their own in a disagreement. I believe Polly was the second highest paid at series end. Some of these character attacks are rather sad.

Did/does Lavin have the power to blackball anyone? Holiday got her own (unsuccessful) spinoff from Alice and had a very successful career.

And, although I haven't always heard nice things about Lavin, no one has ever accused her of being unprofessional or vindictive.

...and certainly not BLACK balled her in years - if ever.

R10 Diane Ladd has said that Linda became very cold and nasty to her after she was the Golden Globe and got great reviews.

yes r10 I agree....who'd have thought there would be celebrity gossip on ....a gossip site. Go clutch your pearls somewhere else if you are so upset.

Beth Howland can live her life quietly. That's the difference. I wouldn't be surprised if she was blackballed by Linda Lavin. I always thought that Linda Lavin was a racist bitch who got lucky.

More Alice gossip

To quote nancy pelosi, "Who cares?".

r9 allow me to direct you to Linda Lavin University parts 1 & 2

Linda Lavin u part 2

OP. Why not blame Linda Lavin? Everyone else blames her, probably with good reason, for every fucking thing that happens in this world. Floods, pestilence, Republicans...

Well at least Beth Howland is not appearing on reality tv shows these days. I respect that. I also respect the fact that she stopped acting when Alice went off the air.

I blame Mel.

She pretty much did what she did best on "Alice." What was she supposed to do after nine years of that?

Beth Howland was permanently blackballed for spilling so many straws all over the set.

Linda Lavin told her to get out of showbusiness or she'd be floating in the Hudson with the other garbage.

She could easily be from old money; Howland is a Mayflower name.

Sitcoms are a bizarro world. You're hired because you do one thing or one character the best. And maybe it's your only trick.

Then, no matter what you did before that (theater, movies, etc.) your persona is so ingrained in the casting director's minds that they won't consider Fonzie or The Brady Kids for anything.

Any gig like that should be treated like a lottery win or a big day in Vegas: save your money- it may your only shot at the big money.

She has "Alice" money; her husband has "Murphy Brown" money. I don't think they're hurting.

"Alice" was over 30 years ago. And being a virtual nobody in an ensemble, she probably just got the stock sitcom actor salary back then.

I don't remember the show doing well in syndication, so there wouldn't be that many residual$.

Howland was quite the talent, by all accounts she did her celebrated straws bit in just one take. Astonishing really.

In truth, Howland left show business after "Alice" left the air to raise her family. Her husband, Charles Kimbrough, continues to act - after Murphy Brown (which ran TEN years so he's got plenty of money), they came back to NY where they still live and Charlie did/does lots of theater.

Before marrying Charlie, Beth was married to Michael J. Pollard all thru the 1960s - yes, the same Michael J. Pollard who was in "Bonnie & Clyde". You can see her sitting next to Pollard on the youtube of the 1968 Oscars. Pollard and Beth had a daughter Holly, whom she raised after she divorced Pollard.

Prior to COMPANY and the role that got her so much attention, Beth toiled as a chorus dancer on Broadway for years, starting in the late 1950s. She was one of Michael Kidd's favorites, and she (along with Valerie Harper) can be easily spotted in the dancing chorus of the movie version of LI'L ABNER - get it from Netflix. And although she and Charlie met when they did COMPANY on Broadway in 1970, they didn't get married until 2002!

R32 she had one kid that was in her early 20s when Alice went off the air.

[all posts by tedious, racist idiot removed.]

Isn't Charles Kimbrough gay?

Beth and Charles are both lovely people. I don't know the specifics of why she stopped working but I think if she had really wanted to market herself as an older version of the persona she did on "Alice" she could probably still be working plenty in episodics and small films.

Maybe between the two of them, they have enough money with pensions and residuals [I think they both do voice over work] and she just doesn't want to be bothered with long days doing essentially the same thing she did 30 years ago.

Whatever the reason, Beth is a genuinely talented actress who proved her chops on Broadway and whatever the reason she isn't working it is probably her choice based on what would be available to her.

Nobody can do "Getting Married Today" like she did.

Anybody ever see her perform it live?

She was an asshole to Mary Richards and Alice did piss poor in syndication.

R32 has it right.

R38, she WAS a bitch to Mary Richards. Not once, but TWICE. First, she wouldn't let Mary date her ex-husband -- THEN, she tricked with Joe. Remember,when Mary went to Joe's house with flowers and found Beth Howland there, dressing after sex?

Fuck you, Beth Howland.

She was killed by Alice

In fairness, MTM was kind of a bitch for wanting to fuck her one of her best friend's exes, r39. Poor decision on Mary's part - almost as bad as the changing of apartments and the hair-do she got during Season 6.

Mel had blue balls.

What's Linda Lavin been up to? Did she ever address the rumors about her being bitchy?

Yikes, just saw this.

Remember, Beth also had income from her role on Another World

Linda Lavin gets audited by the irs frequently. Polly holiday is a nasty c u next Tuesday The end

She chocked to death on a Leggs egg!

Beth won an Oscar, I like that in a co-star

R44 Yikes is right! The guys on both sides of the stage look scared of her & don't come alive until the last part of the performance.

The guy in the middle seems like he is in his own happy little world.

Why did Diane Ladd leave?

R50, because she wasn't funny. The chick who played Jolene fit in much better.

Environmental scientists believe Vera's weekly straw explosion to be the primary instigator of the Great Pacific garbage patch.

So Beth Howland is why we have to give up plastic straws!!!!!!!! That BITCH!

How many straws was that every week over 9 years? I'm sure it took multiple takes as well. Ugh.....

Vera Louise Gorman

Her career stalled after she was picked up for prostitution several times.

This is her mug shot:

Charles Kimbrough was desperate to get cast on MURPHY BROWN and Beth was desperate for him to land the role.

She invited Candy Bergen over for lunch one day...tuna on rye and a warm bowl of chili.

Beth: You know, Can, I'd be willing to do anything for Charles to land a spot on your little show. Anything.

Beth, sliding down the sofa towards the floor and in between Bergen's thighs.

Candice: Beth, I really don't want you to embarrass yourself here.

Beth: Embarrass...embarrass... I'll tell you about embarrassment. How about playing second fiddle to Linda fucking Lavin. Second fiddle to a box of straws! Now you just sit still and arrrhhhhhmmmmmhhhhhmmmm...

Candice: Beth! Stop. Stop it, Beth. Beth... Beth... Don't stop. Don't stop!!!

Um, thanks for that r56

Linda hated Polly. Prolly freaked out when Linda suggested they scissor out their differences.

^^^That's Linda's solution for EVERYTHING!

R51 I don’t even watch the Jolene years of the show. It became really stupid. In fact it was headed in that direction when Diane came on. I’m glad Celia found a great career as a character actress though.

[quote]I’m glad Celia found a great career as a character actress though.

That means "D-list"

^^Fuck you, shoebutton!

She should have shown up on Murphy Brown as one of her many secretaries.

We should always blame Linda Lavin. Word is she’s partially responsible for scatting in the hall of the capitol.

One Shelley Duvall is enough.

[quote]Was Beth Howland blackballed after "Alice"? Should we blame Linda Lavin

She made the mistake of scatting one day on set...

Lavin was livid!