Beth Howland

{{Infobox person

| name = Beth Howland

| image = Beth Howland 1976.jpeg

| caption = Howland as Vera in Alice (1976)

| birth_name = Elizabeth Howland

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|05|28|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Brighton, Massachusetts, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|12|31|1941|05|28|mf=y}}

| death_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S.

| known_for = Alice
Company

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1959–2002

| spouse = {{Plain list |

{{marriage|Michael J. Pollard|1961|1969|reason=divorce}}
{{marriage|Charles Kimbrough|2002}}

}}

| children = 1

}}

Elizabeth HowlandGrimes, William (New York Times). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/444594777/?clipping_id=162060754 "Beth Howland, ditsy waitress on 'Alice'"]. The Boston Globe. May 26, 2016. p. B8. Retrieved January 1, 2025. (May 28, 1941 – December 31, 2015){{cite web |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/beth-howland-77010 |title=Beth Howland |publisher=IBDB.com |accessdate=November 30, 2023}} was an American actress known for her work on stage and television. She was best known for playing waitress Vera Gorman in the sitcom Alice.{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/16175/alice-doesnt-live-here-any-more#credits| title=Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 25, 2016}}

Howland originated the role of Amy in the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim's Company, where she introduced the patter song "Getting Married Today".{{cite web| url=https://www.npr.org/2016/05/29/479913351/from-broadway-to-tv-an-actress-death-takes-us-down-cultural-rabbit-hole| title=From Broadway to TV, An Actress' Death Takes Us Down Cultural Rabbit Hole| website=NPR.org| date=May 26, 2016| access-date=August 17, 2021| series=Weekend Edition}}

Early life

Howland was born on May 28, 1941, in Brighton, Massachusetts. At the age of 16, she left home to follow a dancer friend to New York City.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/arts/television/beth-howland-accident-prone-waitress-from-the-sitcom-alice-dies-at-74.html| newspaper=The New York Times| title=Beth Howland, Accident-Prone Waitress from the Sitcom Alice, Dies at 74| last=Grimes| first=William| date=May 24, 2016| accessdate=May 25, 2016}} After some time of struggling, Howland made her Broadway debut in 1959 as Lady Beth in the 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.{{cite news| url=https://www.theatermania.com/broadway/news/beth-howland-dies-at-74_77193.html| title=Beth Howland, Company's Original Amy, Dies at 74| journal=TheaterMania News| date=May 25, 2016| first=Haley| last=Levitt| access-date=October 18, 2021}}

Career

File:Beth Howland.JPG (1959)]]

Howland can be seen dancing and singing in the chorus of the movie 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,{{cite news| url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Original-COMPANY-Cast-Member-ALICE-Star-Beth-Howland-Dies-at-74-20160525| title=Original Company Cast Member & Alice Star Beth Howland Dies at 74| journal=Broadway World| date=May 25, 2016| accessdate=May 27, 2016}} where she made guest appearances on television series such as Love, American Style, Cannon, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Little House on the Prairie, Eight Is Enough, and The Love Boat.{{cite news| url=https://people.com/tv/beth-howland-dead-alice-star-dies-at-74/| title=Alice Star Beth Howland Dead at 74| journal=People| date=May 25, 2016| first=Char| accessdate=May 27, 2016| last=Adams}}{{cite news| url=https://www.thewrap.com/beth-howland-vera-from-sitcom-alice-dies-at-74/| title=Beth Howland, Vera from Sitcom Alice, Dies at 74| journal=TheWrap| date=May 25, 2016| first=Tim| accessdate=May 27, 2016| last=Kenneally}} 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 A Caribbean Mystery.{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/25/us/actress-beth-howland-dies| title=Actress Beth Howland Dies; Played Waitress on TV Show Alice| work=CNN| date=May 25, 2016| first=Ralph| accessdate=May 27, 2016| last=Ellis}}

She remained on Alice throughout its nine seasons. After the sitcom ended in 1985, Howland went into semi-retirement. She made occasional guest appearances in shows including Murder, She Wrote, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and The Tick.{{cite news| url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/beth-howland-dead-alice-vera-1201762576/| title=Beth Howland Dies: Actress Who Played Vera on Alice Was 74| journal=Deadline Hollywood| date=May 25, 2016| first=Erik| accessdate=May 27, 2016| last=Pedersen}} She also starred in the ABC Afterschool Special, "Terrible Things My Mother Told Me".{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/19/arts/tv-review-things-my-mother-told-me.html| title=TV Review: 'Terrible Things My Mother Told Me'| last=O'Connor| first=John| newspaper=The New York Times| date=January 19, 1988| accessdate=May 27, 2016}}

Personal life

From 1961 to 1969, Howland was married to actor Michael J. Pollard, with whom she had a daughter.{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/actress-beth-howland-played-vera-alice-dies-74-article-1.2649392| title=Actress Beth Howland, Who Played Vera on Alice, Dies at 74| newspaper=New York Daily News| agency=Associated Press| date=May 25, 2016| accessdate=May 25, 2016}}

In 2002, she wed actor Charles Kimbrough and remained married to him until her death in 2015. Kimbrough and Howland had appeared together in Company.{{cite web| title=Company| url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/company-3077| url-status=live| access-date=December 6, 2021| website=Internet Broadway Database| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420033433/http://www.ibdb.com:80/broadway-production/company-3077 | archive-date=2018-04-20 }}

Death

Howland died of lung cancer on December 31, 2015, at the age of 74. Per her request, her death was not reported to the media until May 24, 2016.

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1959 \| Li'l Abner \| Clem's wife \| Uncredited Musical film based on the comic strip of the same name, created by Al Capp, and the successful Broadway musical of the same name that opened in 1956. The film was produced by Norman Panama and directed by Melvin Frank.{{cite web\| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81424/lil-abner#credits\|title=Li'l Abner\| website=Turner Classic Movies\| access-date=May 25, 2016}}
1970 \| Original Cast Album: Company \| Herself / Amy \| Documentary film by D. A. Pennebaker, observing the marathon recording session to create the original cast album for the Stephen Sondheim musical Company.
1972 \| The Mary Tyler Moore Show \| Linda Foster \| Episode: "Have I Found a Guy for You" (S 3:Ep 10)
rowspan="2"\| 1973 \| The Ted Bessell Show \| Margaret \| Made-for-TV movie directed by Bill Persky.{{cite web\| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/477678/the-ted-bessell-show#credits\| title=The Ted Bessell Show\| website=Turner Classic Movies\| access-date=May 25, 2016}}
Love, American Style \| Rita \| Episode: "Love and Carmen Lopez/Love and the Cover/Love and the Cryin' Cowboy" (S 5:Ep 13)
1974 \| Thunderbolt and Lightfoot \| Vault Manager's Wife \| Uncredited Crime film written and directed by Michael Cimino.{{cite web\| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/15865/thunderbolt-and-lightfoot\| title=Thunderbolt and Lightfoot\| website=Turner Classic Movies\| access-date=May 25, 2016}}
rowspan="4" \| 1975 \| Cannon \| Secretary \| Episode: "Nightmare" (S 5:Ep 1)
The Rookies \| Mrs. Ross \| Episode: "Reading, Writing and Angel Dust" (S 4:Ep 2)
Bronk \| June Kramer \| Episode: "Echo of Danger" (S 1:Ep 4)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show \| Joan \| Episode: "Mary Richards Falls in Love" (S 6:Ep 11)
1976 \| Little House on the Prairie \| Clerk \| Episode: "The Pride of Walnut Grove" (S 2:Ep 14)
1976–85 \| Alice \| Vera Louise Gorman \| Contract role (202 episodes)
1977 \| Eight Is Enough \| Mavis \| Episode: "Is There a Doctor in the House?" (S 2:Ep 1)
rowspan="2" \| 1979 \| The Love Boat \| Lee Noble \| Episode: "Third Wheel/Grandmother's Day/Second String Mom" (S 2:Ep 27)
You Can't Take It with You \| Essie Carmichael \| Made-for-TV movie directed by Paul Bogart.{{cite web\| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/482494/you-cant-take-it-with-you#credits\| title=You Can't Take It with You\| website=Turner Classic Movies\| access-date=May 25, 2016}}
1980 \| The Wild Wacky Wonderful World of Winter \| Stripper \| Made-for-TV movie
1981 \| The Love Boat \| Eloise Farnsworth \| Episodes: {{Plain list \| "Farnsworth's Fling/Three in a Bed/I Remember Helen/Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia/Gopher Farnsworth Smith: Part 1" (S 5:Ep 8) "Farnsworth's Fling/Three in a Bed/I Remember Helen/Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia/Gopher Farnsworth Smith: Part 2" (S 5:Ep 9) }}
1982 \| American Playhouse \| Housewife \| Episode: "Working" (S 1:Ep 14)
rowspan="3" \| 1983 \| rowspan="2" \| The Love Boat \| Jeannie Davis \| Episodes: {{Plain list \| "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" (S 6:Ep 27) "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" (S 6:Ep 28) }}
Captain Bernice Tobin \| Episode: "Youth Takes a Holiday/Don't Leave Home Without It/Prisoner of Love" (S 7:Ep 4)
A Caribbean Mystery \| Evelyn Hillingdon \| Made-for-TV movie directed by Robert Michael Lewis.{{cite web\| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/20242/agatha-christies-a-caribbean-mystery#credits\| title=Agatha Christie's: A Caribbean Mystery\| website=Turner Classic Movies\| access-date=May 25, 2016}}
1985 \| Comedy Factory \| Kate Weston \| Episode: "It Takes Two" (S 1:Ep 6)
rowspan="2" \| 1988 \| ABC Afterschool Special \| Eleanor Flemming \| Episode: "Terrible Things My Mother Told Me" (S 16:Ep 5){{cite web\| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/478313/terrible-things-my-mother-told-me#credits\| title=Terrible Things My Mother Told Me\| website=Turner Classic Movies\| access-date=May 27, 2016}}
You Can't Take It with You \| Anita Briggs \| Episode: "For Whom the Phone Rings" (S 1:Ep 14)
1993 \| Murder, She Wrote \| Sandy Oates \| Episode: "Lone Witness" (S 9:Ep 19)
1997 \| Sabrina the Teenage Witch \| Mrs. Ericson \| Episode: "Cat Showdown" (S 1:Ep 19)
rowspan="2" \| 2000 \| Chicken Soup for the Soul \| Diane \| Episode: "Thinking of You/Mama's Soup Pot/The Letter" (S 1:Ep 17)
Batman Beyond \| Singer (voice) \| Episode: "Out of the Past" (S 3:Ep 5)
rowspan="2" \| 2002 \| The Tick \| Bea \| Episode: "Arthur, Interrupted" (S 1:Ep 8)
As Told by Ginger \| Dr. Leventhal (voice) \| Episode: "And She Was Gone" (S 2:Ep 23)

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1959

| Li'l Abner

| Clem's wife

| Uncredited
Musical film based on the comic strip of the same name, created by Al Capp, and the successful Broadway musical of the same name that opened in 1956. The film was produced by Norman Panama and directed by Melvin Frank.{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81424/lil-abner#credits|title=Li'l Abner| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 25, 2016}}

1970

| Original Cast Album: Company

| Herself / Amy

| Documentary film by D. A. Pennebaker, observing the marathon recording session to create the original cast album for the Stephen Sondheim musical Company.

1972

| The Mary Tyler Moore Show

| Linda Foster

| Episode: "Have I Found a Guy for You" (S 3:Ep 10)

rowspan="2"| 1973

| The Ted Bessell Show

| Margaret

| Made-for-TV movie directed by Bill Persky.{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/477678/the-ted-bessell-show#credits| title=The Ted Bessell Show| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 25, 2016}}

Love, American Style

| Rita

| Episode: "Love and Carmen Lopez/Love and the Cover/Love and the Cryin' Cowboy" (S 5:Ep 13)

1974

| Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

| Vault Manager's Wife

| Uncredited
Crime film written and directed by Michael Cimino.{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/15865/thunderbolt-and-lightfoot| title=Thunderbolt and Lightfoot| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 25, 2016}}

rowspan="4" | 1975

| Cannon

| Secretary

| Episode: "Nightmare" (S 5:Ep 1)

The Rookies

| Mrs. Ross

| Episode: "Reading, Writing and Angel Dust" (S 4:Ep 2)

Bronk

| June Kramer

| Episode: "Echo of Danger" (S 1:Ep 4)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

| Joan

| Episode: "Mary Richards Falls in Love" (S 6:Ep 11)

1976

| Little House on the Prairie

| Clerk

| Episode: "The Pride of Walnut Grove" (S 2:Ep 14)

1976–85

| Alice

| Vera Louise Gorman

| Contract role (202 episodes)

1977

| Eight Is Enough

| Mavis

| Episode: "Is There a Doctor in the House?" (S 2:Ep 1)

rowspan="2" | 1979

| The Love Boat

| Lee Noble

| Episode: "Third Wheel/Grandmother's Day/Second String Mom" (S 2:Ep 27)

You Can't Take It with You

| Essie Carmichael

| Made-for-TV movie directed by Paul Bogart.{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/482494/you-cant-take-it-with-you#credits| title=You Can't Take It with You| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 25, 2016}}

1980

| The Wild Wacky Wonderful World of Winter

| Stripper

| Made-for-TV movie

1981

| The Love Boat

| Eloise Farnsworth

| Episodes: {{Plain list |

"Farnsworth's Fling/Three in a Bed/I Remember Helen/Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia/Gopher Farnsworth Smith: Part 1" (S 5:Ep 8)
"Farnsworth's Fling/Three in a Bed/I Remember Helen/Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia/Gopher Farnsworth Smith: Part 2" (S 5:Ep 9)

}}

1982

| American Playhouse

| Housewife

| Episode: "Working" (S 1:Ep 14)

rowspan="3" | 1983

| rowspan="2" | The Love Boat

| Jeannie Davis

| Episodes: {{Plain list |

"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" (S 6:Ep 27)
"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" (S 6:Ep 28)

}}

Captain Bernice Tobin

| Episode: "Youth Takes a Holiday/Don't Leave Home Without It/Prisoner of Love" (S 7:Ep 4)

A Caribbean Mystery

| Evelyn Hillingdon

| Made-for-TV movie directed by Robert Michael Lewis.{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/20242/agatha-christies-a-caribbean-mystery#credits| title=Agatha Christie's: A Caribbean Mystery| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 25, 2016}}

1985

| Comedy Factory

| Kate Weston

| Episode: "It Takes Two" (S 1:Ep 6)

rowspan="2" | 1988

| ABC Afterschool Special

| Eleanor Flemming

| Episode: "Terrible Things My Mother Told Me" (S 16:Ep 5){{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/478313/terrible-things-my-mother-told-me#credits| title=Terrible Things My Mother Told Me| website=Turner Classic Movies| access-date=May 27, 2016}}

You Can't Take It with You

| Anita Briggs

| Episode: "For Whom the Phone Rings" (S 1:Ep 14)

1993

| Murder, She Wrote

| Sandy Oates

| Episode: "Lone Witness" (S 9:Ep 19)

1997

| Sabrina the Teenage Witch

| Mrs. Ericson

| Episode: "Cat Showdown" (S 1:Ep 19)

rowspan="2" | 2000

| Chicken Soup for the Soul

| Diane

| Episode: "Thinking of You/Mama's Soup Pot/The Letter" (S 1:Ep 17)

Batman Beyond

| Singer (voice)

| Episode: "Out of the Past" (S 3:Ep 5)

rowspan="2" | 2002

| The Tick

| Bea

| Episode: "Arthur, Interrupted" (S 1:Ep 8)

As Told by Ginger

| Dr. Leventhal (voice)

| Episode: "And She Was Gone" (S 2:Ep 23)

References

External links

{{IMDb name|0398191}}
{{rotten-tomatoes-person|beth_howland}}
{{IBDB name}}
[https://www.alicehyatt.com/cast-biographies/beth-howland-vera Beth Howland biography from Alice]
[http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=8306 Beth Howland](Aveleyman)

Category:1941 births

Category:2015 deaths

Category:Actresses from Boston

Category:American film actresses

Category:American musical theatre actresses

Category:American stage actresses

Category:American television actresses

Category:Deaths from lung cancer in California

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:21st-century American actresses