The Beth Howland Appreciation Thread

Vera Louise Gorman was my idol

She was a gifted, very underrated performer.

I liked her better with Steve than Mac.

Beth & hubby were great AIDS advocates during their careers.

I thought she was fantastic. She was my fave on Alice.

Three-time passenger on the Pacific Princess!

Polly Holiday is probably not too happy with this thread.

Her exploding the straws is pretty amazing the way they flew everywhere. I wonder if she got it in one take? Seeing it over and over again in the gif really shows what a great slapstick moment it was.

She had a very fast processing mind.

I always think about her when I see Howland Street in PTown.

Really OP? You've stated "I’ve remained troubled since her death was announced in 2015."

For seven years you've been/remained "troubled"? You stay up late at night pondering her husbands' actions? You can't focus at work because you're distracted during the day? There you are in the grocery store and suddenly Beth Howland fills your mind and you can't remember what you were going to purchase?

For ALL of the events of the past SEVEN YEARS and this is what clouds your thoughts? Incredible - we really are doomed.

Has the cause of her death been revealed anywhere?

YES r12

I'd post her Housewife song from Working, but I can't find it anywhere.

Loved her on "Alice," and also was very sad to learn about her passing some years back. I know that Lavin and the show get knocks from a lot of people, but I remember when it debuted that it was so different and the cast so eccentric in primetime, the writing and interaction between the characters at least onscreen always seemed fun and warm. Like secret comfort-food TV sitcom-viewing. Having original "Lucy" writers onboard helped, too, I believe. The show was good at letting you get to know Vera and the other characters' lives and interactions in and out of work, including the interesting group of guest starts that repeatedly popped in and out of many episodes and holiday-themed plots.

Her cheeks are what implant survivors pictured going in.

R12 just made me laugh harder and longer than anything has in weeks.

Any pics before she had her nose bobbed?

R19 I guarantee you it had to be better than how it turned out.

Even for that era - whoops!

R10, Howland Syndrome is very real.

The straws bit occurred in the very first episode, and remained in the credits through the run of the show. Everyone remembers that. Vera was America's sweetheart.

Always loved her face. It screams 70s, early 80s!

[quote] Polly Holiday is probably not too happy with this thread.

Victoria Wyndham is downright furious!

I met her once at Joe Allen. I texted her a photo of her and Chris Walken as dancers in “High Spirits” in 1964. She was SHY, hilarious, very thankful, and went out for a smoke every three minutes. Died of lung cancer.

Her husband Charles Kimbrough was a total sweetheart. She was EXACTLY how you expect Vera to be in real life.

Meanwhile, I was a TOTAL NOBODY! I just happened to be within a group with Valerie Harper (who I only met once) and was in the movie of “Li’l Abner” with Beth and they were friends for 40 years.

Both Beth and Valerie were very kind.

You only met once but you were texting buddies?

I love you for posting r25! You’re simply the best.

R35 And here are Beth, Valerie, and male body builders in 1959 in “Li’l Abner.”

^^^ R25, not 35.

I just watched her in an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

She was a neurotic neighbor. But not likable like Vera.

She did the “Just A Housewife” song from the filmed version of Working. It used to be on YouTube but I can’t find it anymore.

She was amazing in the after school ABC movie “Things My Mother Told Me” playing a verbally abusive mother to a teenaged girl.

I’m really into Vera Louise Gorman-Novak. My fave TV character of all-time.

This fan created artwork depicting Vera Louise Gorman-Novak and Mel Sharples is very thrilling to me.

Here is another sweet fan created sketch of Vera Louise Gorman-Novak.

RIP my favorite actress, Beth Howland. You meant so much to millions around the world. Vera was our champion of the lunch counter.

Extremely talented. Should have gotten a lot more and better work.

R37 oh god was she?! I really appreciated the comic genius and neurotic tendencies of Vera.

Actress Laura Main ("Call the Midwife") reminds me so much of Howland. Her character 'Shelagh' is the copycat of Vera. They look alike, talk alike, act alike.

She should have played Karen Carpenter in an Oscar winning film.

Did Beth have the Slimmer's Disease, too? Or was it just the smokes that gave her that skin-on-skull look?

R40 you should dig her up and ask her directly.

I love Howland!

R37, could be true, but didn't Howland step back and then away from acting of her own? More and better work implies that she was being turned down for roles. I don't that's the case.

Im sure working with Lavin for 9 years had to leave her with some form of PTSD.

She was perfect as the character Vera Louise Gorman-Navak. Perfectly cast.

I’ve just got to track this ABC After school special from 1988 down online and watch.

Terrible Things My Mother Told Me

Hard-working 16-year-old Julia does not realize that her mother Eleanor - who alternately harasses and ignores Julia, while doting on lazy younger daughter Katie - is being emotionally and verbally abusive. But when Julia is given the lead in a school play directed by popular Randy, she realizes she is every bit as worthy of Eleanor's support and encouragement as her pampered sister.

Cast

Beth Howland as Eleanor Flemming Katherine Kamhi as Julia Flemming Ian Ziering as Randy Forrester Ita DeMarco as Katie Flemming Stephen James as Mr. Bacharan Carol Goodheart as Mary Forrester Stephanie Winters as Beth Sotheby

“Li’l Abner” looks like the stupidest musical in existence.

R47 it does

R47 It isn't, actually. It's smart satire.

What happened with Vera used to happen all the time back in the day. The character started out quirky and interesting. There was a darkness to her, a la the Vera character in the movie. In one season one episode, she actually attempts suicide after being dumped.

As the show goes on, she stops being quirky and starts to get dumb. Real dumb. Like, retarded. To the point where when she meets George Burns, she believes he's God. I can't believe some of the things they used to do on shows like Alice and Happy Days. It's like it was written for children.

R49 it’s a lot more enjoyable than a bitch like you.

R46, it is great fun if you find it.

"What's the capital of Romania?"

"Uhhhh, uhmmmm....Budapest?"

"Bucharest! BU-CHAREST!!!!"

R50 Wha? What's enjoyable? Alice? I agree. But you have to admit, as the series wore on the scripts were pretty poor.

Why am I a bitch? I'm confused by your post.

R52 fuck off

I'm Vera Louise and I'm here to please.

Give me a V

Give me an E

Give me an R

Give me an A

What’s that spell?

VERA! VERA! VERA!

Gayle is reporting COVID

Vera was the best thing about Mel’s diner

Why didn’t Polly, Linda, and Beth do a summer tour of THREE SISTERS?

I would have liked that.

Linda Lavin was born to play Masha!

Beth is obviously an Irina.

Polly and Linda will have to wrestle for Masha - though Vanessa Redgrave eventually downgraded herself to playing Olga when Lynn was NOT HAVING that role. So, there’s hope for an amicable resolution.

I’m into Howland. I watch Alice and my fave is Vera Louise Gorman Navik

Thinking about Beth tonight…..

Was she related to Mayflower John Howland? She was from Mass.

R63 were you related to Old Stupid Ass from Mass?