Name Beth Howland Role Actress | Children Holly Pollack | |
Full Name Elizabeth Howland Occupation stage and television actress Movies and TV shows Nominations Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television Similar People Vic Tayback, Philip McKeon, Polly Holliday, Charles Kimbrough, Linda Lavin | ||
Beth howland 1941 2015
Elizabeth "Beth" Howland (May 28, 1941 – December 31, 2015) was an American actress. She worked on stage and television and was best known for playing Vera Gorman in the sitcom Alice, inspired by the Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974).
Contents
- Beth howland 1941 2015
- Alice Actress Beth Howland Dies at 74
- Early life
- Career
- Personal life
- Death
- Filmography
- References
Howland also originated the role of Amy in the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim's Company, in which she introduced the patter song "Getting Married Today".
'Alice' Actress Beth Howland Dies at 74
Early life
Howland was born on May 28, 1941, in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 16, she left home and followed a dancer friend to New York City.
After a time of struggling, Howland made her Broadway debut in 1959 as Lady Beth in the Carol Burnett musical Once Upon a Mattress, which transferred from off-Broadway. She went on to have roles in the musicals Bye Bye Birdie, High Spirits, Drat! The Cat! and Darling of the Day.
Career
Howland can be seen dancing and singing in the chorus of Li'l Abner (1959) as Clem's wife, alongside future television star Valerie Harper. After appearing in Company, she left New York to relocate to California, where she made guest appearances on television series such as Love, American Style; Cannon; Mary Tyler Moore (twice--once as Bert Convy's wife, once as a hook-up of Ted Bessell); Little House on the Prairie; Fantasy Island; Eight Is Enough; and The Love Boat. For her work on Alice, Howland received four Golden Globe Award nominations. She later took on numerous telefilm roles, including You Can't Take It with You (as Essie) and Agatha Christie's: A Caribbean Mystery.
She remained on Alice throughout its nine seasons. After the sitcom ended in 1985, Howland went into semi-retirement. She made occasional guest appearances (including Murder, She Wrote; Chicken Soup for the Soul; Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; and The Tick) and starred in the ABC Afterschool Special titled "Terrible Things My Mother Told Me".
Personal life
From 1961–69, Howland was married to character actor Michael J. Pollard, with whom she had a daughter. She was married to actor Charles Kimbrough, an actor of Broadway and Murphy Brown fame, until her death. Kimbrough and Howland had appeared together in Company.
Death
Howland died of lung cancer on December 31, 2015, at age 74. Per her request, her death was not reported to the media and was not made public until May 24, 2016, four days before what would have been her 75th birthday.
Filmography
Actress
2002
As Told by Ginger (TV Series) as
Dr. Leventhal
- And She Was Gone (2002) - Dr. Leventhal (voice)
2002
The Tick (TV Series) as
Bea
- Arthur, Interrupted (2002) - Bea
2000
Batman Beyond (TV Series) as
Singer
- Out of the Past (2000) - Singer (voice)
2000
Chicken Soup for the Soul (TV Series) as
Diane
- Thinking of You/Mama's Soup Pot/The Letter (2000) - Diane
1997
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV Series) as
Mrs. Ericson
- Cat Showdown (1997) - Mrs. Ericson
1993
Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) as
Sandy Oates
- Lone Witness (1993) - Sandy Oates
1988
You Can't Take It with You (TV Series) as
Anita Briggs
- For Whom the Phone Rings (1988) - Anita Briggs
1988
ABC Afterschool Specials (TV Series) as
Eleanor Flemming
- Terrible Things My Mother Told Me (1988) - Eleanor Flemming
1985
Comedy Factory (TV Series) as
Kate Weston
- It Takes Two (1985) - Kate Weston
1976
Alice (TV Series) as
Vera Louise Gorman
- Th-th-th-that's All Folks (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Grounded Gumshoe (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- One on One (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Night They Raided Debbie's (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Doesn't Work Here Anymore: Part 2 (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Doesn't Work Here Anymore: Part 1 (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera, the Nightbird (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Kiss the Grill Goodbye (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Anniversary Blues (1985) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Footloose Mel (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Undercover Mel (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy's Lost Weekend (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Houseful of Hunnicutts (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Big Bad Mel (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Space Sharples (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Romancing Mr. Stone (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Be It Ever So Crowded (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel Spins His Wheels (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Don't Play It Again, Elliot (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene Is Stuck on Mel (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Fine Feathered Friends (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- My Dinner with Debbie (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Dollars to Donuts (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Hot Air Romance (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice and the Devoted Dentist (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Lies My Mother Told Me (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene Throws a Curve (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera, the Horse Thief (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy Goes Overboard (1984) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tis the Season to Be Jealous (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Robot Wore Pink (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Wedding (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera Gets Engaged (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Over-the-Hill Girls (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- It Had to Be Mel (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Blind Date (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene Gets Her Wings (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Secret Lover (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel Is Hogg-Tied (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene Lets the Cat Out of the Bag (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy Hyatt, Business Consultant (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Sweet Erasable Mel (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Cousin Wendy? (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera on the Lam (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy Fouls Out (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Grass Is Always Greener (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera, the Torch (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Come Back Little Sharples (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Dream Car (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene and the Night Watchman (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy, the Jailbird (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Faces the Music (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera the Virtuoso (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Sees the Light (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene's Brother Jonas (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Carrie on the Rebound (1983) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Turkey of a Thanksgiving (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Joel Grey Saves the Day (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice at the Palace (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Secret of Mel's Diner (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Do You Take This Waitress? (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Sorry, Wrong Lips! (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- My Mother the Landlord (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Spell Mel's (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Monty Falls for Alice (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Reunion Romance (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Give My Regrets to Broadway (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel Wins by a Nose (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Jolene Hunnicutt, Dynamite Trucker (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice and the Acorns (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Best Little Waitress in the World (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Valentine's Day Massacre (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Sharples vs. Sharples (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera, Queen of the Soaps (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Not with My Niece, You Don't (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Calls the Shots (1982) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Wild One (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Christmas Carol (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- After Mel's Gone (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Bouncing Check (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Cousin, Wendell (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Big Four-Oh! (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Halloween Surprise (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Comrade Mel (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Guinness on Tap (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Bet a Million, Mel (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Baby Makes Five (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Who's Kissing the Great Chef of Phoenix? (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Strikes Up the Band (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Great Escape (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Macho, Macho Mel (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Carrie Chickens Out (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Son, the Drop-Out (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Bye Bye Birdie (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Jerry Reed Fish Story (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera Goes Out on a Limb (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Locks Belle Out (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Henry's Bitter Half (1981) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Carrie Sings the Blues (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The New Improved Mel (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy's T.K.O. (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Aunt Agatha (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Too Many Robert Goulets (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Hello Vegas, Goodbye Diner (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Dog Day Evening (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel and the Green Machine (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Here Comes Alice Cottontail (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Cook's Tour (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Profit Without Honor (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera, the Vamp (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- One Too Many Girls (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- For Whom the Belle Toils (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Flo's Farewell (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Auld Acquaintances Should Be Forgot (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- My Funny Valentine Tux (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Carrie's Wedding (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Beats the Clock (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice in TV Land (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Good Buddy Flo (1980) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel, the Magi (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- My Cousin, Art Carney (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Cabin Fever (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's in the Kitchen with Dinah (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Carrie Sharples Strikes Again (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Little Alice Bluenose (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Flo's Chili Reception (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera Robs the Cradle (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel Loves Marie (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mona Lisa Alice (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Has Anyone Here Seen Telly? (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Flo Finds Her Father (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- My Fair Vera (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- If the Shoe Fits (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Last Stow It: Part 2 (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Last Stow It: Part 1 (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice's Decision (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Broken Heart (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel Grows Up (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Tommy's First Love (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Fourth Time Around (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Sweet Charity (1979) - Vera Louise Gorman
- What're You Doing New Year's Eve? (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Reporter (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Bus (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Principal of the Thing (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- A Slight Case of ESP (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Happy Hoofers (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Who Ordered the Hot Turkey? (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's in a Family Way (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Better Never Than Late (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- What Happened to the Class of '78? (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Block Those Kicks (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Popcorn Romance (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Citizen Mel (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Car Wars (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Take Him, He's Yours (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Earthquake (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Recession (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Star in the Storeroom (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Don't Lock Now (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Big Five-O (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Cuban Connection (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Florence of Arabia (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Love Me, Love My Horse (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Pharmacist (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Close Encounters of the Worst Kind (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Love Is a Free Throw (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Eyes of Texas (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Oh, George Burns! (1978) - Vera Louise Gorman
- A Semi-Merry Christmas (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Love Is Sweeping the Counter (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- That Old Back Magic (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Sixty Minutes Man (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Single Belles (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice by Moonlight (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- 86 the Waitresses (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Indian Taker (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Second Time 'Round (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Happy Burger (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Bundle (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's Cup (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- A Night to Remember (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Odd Couple (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Pain of No Return (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Hex (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Failure (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Accident (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mel's in Love (1977) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Vera's Mortician (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mother-in-Law: Part 2 (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Mother-in-Law: Part 1 (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Who Killed Bugs Bunny? (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Dilemma (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Good Night, Sweet Vera (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Big Daddy Dawson's Coming (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Sex Education (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- The Last Review (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- A Call to Arms (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Pay the Fifty Dollars (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- A Piece of the Rock (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Alice Gets a Pass (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
- Pilot (1976) - Vera Louise Gorman
1983
A Caribbean Mystery as
Evelyn Hillingdon
1979
The Love Boat (TV Series) as
Jeannie Davis / Eloise Farnsworth / Captain Bernice Tobin / ...
- Youth Takes a Holiday/Don't Leave Home Without It/Prisoner of Love (1983) - Captain Bernice Tobin
- Hits and Missus/Return of Annabelle/Just Plain Folks Medicine/Caught in the Act/The Real Thing/Do Not Disturb/Lulu & Kenny (Country Music Jamboree): Part 2 (1983) - Jeannie Davis
- Hits and Missus/Return of Annabelle/Just Plain Folks Medicine/Caught in the Act/The Real Thing/Do Not Disturb/Lulu & Kenny (Country Music Jamboree): Part 1 (1983) - Jeannie Davis
- Farnsworth's Fling/Three in a Bed/I Remember Helen/Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia/Gopher Farnsworth Smith: Part 2 (1981) - Eloise Farnsworth
- Farnsworth's Fling/Three in a Bed/I Remember Helen/Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia/Gopher Farnsworth Smith: Part 1 (1981) - Eloise Farnsworth
- Third Wheel/Grandmother's Day/Second String Mom (1979) - Lee Noble
1982
American Playhouse (TV Series) as
Housewife
- Working (1982) - Housewife
1980
The Wild Wacky Wonderful World of Winter (TV Movie) as
Stripper
1979
You Can't Take It with You (TV Movie) as
Essie Carmichael
1977
Eight Is Enough (TV Series) as
Mavis
- Is There a Doctor in the House? (1977) - Mavis
1976
Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) as
Clerk
- The Pride of Walnut Grove (1976) - Clerk
1972
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (TV Series) as
Joan / Linda Foster
- Mary Richards Falls in Love (1975) - Joan
- Have I Found a Guy for You (1972) - Linda Foster
1975
Bronk (TV Series) as
June Kramer
- Echo of Danger (1975) - June Kramer
1975
The Rookies (TV Series) as
Mrs. Ross
- Reading, Writing and Angel Dust (1975) - Mrs. Ross
1975
Cannon (TV Series) as
Secretary
- Nightmare (1975) - Secretary
1974
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot as
Vault Manager's Wife (uncredited)
1973
Love, American Style (TV Series) as
Rita (segment "Love and the Cover")
- Love and Carmen Lopez/Love and the Cover/Love and the Cryin' Cowboy (1973) - Rita (segment "Love and the Cover")
1973
The Ted Bessell Show (TV Movie)
1959
Li'l Abner as
Clem's Wife (uncredited)
Producer
1988
You Don't Have to Die (Documentary short) (executive producer)
Soundtrack
2017
Madam Secretary (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- The Seventh Floor (2017) - (performer: "Company (from "Company")" - uncredited)
1984
The 38th Annual Tony Awards (TV Special) (performer: "Getting Married Today")
1982
Alice (TV Series) (performer - 2 episodes)
- The Secret of Mel's Diner (1982) - (performer: "Tea for Two", "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
- Alice and the Acorns (1982) - (performer: "At the Hop", "It's All in the Game" - uncredited)
1982
American Playhouse (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- Working (1982) - (performer: "Just a Housewife")
1970
Original Cast Album: Company (Documentary) (performer: "Getting Married Today")
1959
Li'l Abner (performer: "Put 'Em Back")
Self
2005
Special Thanks to Roy London (Documentary) as
Self
1993
Reading Rainbow (TV Series) as
Self
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (1993) - Self (voice)
1985
Musical Comedy Tonight III (TV Special) as
Self
1985
Night of 100 Stars II (TV Special) as
Self
1984
The 38th Annual Tony Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Presenter
1982
The 36th Annual Tony Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Performer
1981
The Toni Tennille Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.77 (1981) - Self
1979
The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (TV Series) as
Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 18 February 1980 (1980) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 19 November 1979 (1979) - Self - Panelist
1979
Dance Fever (TV Series) as
Self
- Jack Carter, Sherman Hemsley, Beth Howland (1979) - Self
1977
The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) as
Self - Actress
- Episode #18.85 (1979) - Self - Actress
- Episode #17.22 (1977) - Self - Actress
1971
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 13 April 1971 (1971) - Self
1970
Original Cast Album: Company (Documentary) as
Self (Amy)
1968
The 40th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Audience Member
Archive Footage
2021
History of the Sitcom (TV Series documentary) as
Vera Gorman
- Movin' on Up (2021) - Vera Gorman
2017
The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV Special) as
Self - In Memoriam
2013
Six by Sondheim (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
2009
TV's 50 Funniest Catch Phrases (TV Movie) as
Self
2004
Broadway: The American Musical (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Amy (in 'Company')
- Tradition: 1957-1979 (2004) - Amy (in 'Company')
References
Beth Howland Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA