Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Flo

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Genre
  
Sitcom

Based on
  
Character created by Robert Getchell

Written by
  
Tom Biener John Boni David Brown Dick Clair George Geiger Robert Getchell Phillip Harrison Hahn Bob Illes Ron Landry Jenna McMahon Stephen A. Miller Richard Orloff James R. Stein

Directed by
  
Marc Daniels Bob LaHendro Dick Martin

Starring
  
Polly Holliday Geoffrey Lewis Jim B. Baker Stephen Keep Sudie Bond Lucy Lee Flippin

Theme music composer
  
Susan Glicksman Fred Werner

Flo is an American sitcom and a spin-off of Alice that aired on CBS from March 24, 1980 to July 21, 1981. The series starred Polly Holliday as the title character of sassy and street-smart waitress Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry who returns to her hometown of Cowtown, Texas and becomes the proprietor of a rundown old roadhouse that she renames "Flo's Yellow Rose". Although the series was successfully in the Top 20 throughout its run, it was cancelled at the end of its second season.

Contents

Synopsis

After four seasons as a waitress at Mel's Diner on Alice, Flo is on her way to a new restaurant hostess job in Houston, Texas as described in her final appearance, "Flo's Farewell" (season 4, episode 18). She stops to visit her family in her hometown of Cowtown, Texas and in a fit of nostalgia, Flo buys a rundown old roadhouse she had enjoyed in her formative years and renames it "Flo's Yellow Rose". Coping with the business (such as chauvinistic bartender Earl (Geoffrey Lewis) and the greedy and obnoxious banker Farley (Jim B. Baker) who holds the mortgage), as well as her mother Velma (Sudie Bond) and strait-laced sister Fran (Lucy Lee Flippin), caused most of the conflict in the series.

The rest of Flo's staff at the Yellow Rose includes her childhood best friend Miriam (Joyce Bulifant) as waitress/bookkeeper and chain-smoking piano player Les (Stephen Keep). Randy, the mechanic (Leo Burmester) who worked at the garage next door, and Chester (Mickey Jones), were regular customers. Vic Tayback made one guest appearance as Mel Sharples from Alice. Once Flo began, Polly Holliday never appeared again on Alice, except in flashback clips in the last episode.

Cast

  • Polly Holliday as Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry
  • Geoffrey Lewis as Earl Tucker
  • Jim B. Baker as Farley Waters
  • Sudie Bond as Mama Velma Castleberry
  • Leo Burmester as Randy Stumphill
  • Joyce Bulifant as Miriam Willoughby
  • Lucy Lee Flippin as Fran Castleberry
  • Stephen Keep as Les Kincaid
  • George Flower as Roy
  • Mickey Jones as Chester
  • Terry Willis as Wendell Tubbs (1980)

    • Theme song

    The theme song, "Flo's Yellow Rose", written by Fred Werner and Susie Glickman, was sung by Hoyt Axton who would co-star with Holliday in the 1984 film Gremlins.

    Lyrics
    Rowdy redhead headin' for the big time Lookin' like a Texas sequined star Makin' eyes at every tight-jeaned cowboy Sassin' good old boys around the bar Flo's Yellow Rose Flashin' neon every trucker knows The door is always open and the beer is always cold At Flo's Yellow Rose Flo's Yellow Rose

    Broadcast history

    Flo was broadcast in these following timeslots during its two-season run on CBS:

  • March 1980 – April 1980: Monday 9:30-10:00 p.m.
  • July 1980 – January 1981: Monday 8:00-8:30 p.m.
  • February 1981: Saturday 9:00-9:30 p.m.
  • March 1981 – May 1981: Saturday 8:30-9:00 p.m.
  • June 1981 – July 1981: Tuesday 8:30-9:00 p.m.

    • Reception and cancellation

    The short first season (spring 1980) was a ratings success ranking at #7 and had 24.4 million viewer average. The following season brought a sharp decline in numbers (due to a timeslot change), and thus ended Flo.

    Award nominations

  • Nominated: 1980 Primetime Emmy Award – Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Polly Holliday)
  • Nominated: 1981 Golden Globe Award – Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical (Polly Holliday)
  • Nominated: 1981 Golden Globe Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television (Geoffrey Lewis)

    • Home media release

    On November 5, 2013, Flo: The Complete Series was released on DVD in Region 1 by Warner Home Video via their Warner Archive Collection. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release available via WBShop.com & Amazon.com.

    References

    Flo Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA