FLO - the Series
Polly Holliday left "Alice" in the middle of it's fourth season to star in her own show, where Flo moves to Texas. The series ran from March 24, 1980 to July 21, 1981. 29 episodes aired, though it is unknown whether more episodes where produced and filmed. However, it is highly likely that all filmed episodes were aired.
Overview
Florence Jean Castleberry leaves Mel's Diner and Phoenix, thinking she is going to become a restaurant hostess in Houston. Along the way, Flo stops in her hometown of Cowtown, Texas. There, she decides to stay in Cowtown with her mother, "Mama," sister Fran, and best friend Miriam. She decides to buy a run-down restaurant and liven it up. She renames the restaurant Flo's Yellow Rose. Her bartender, Earl, is sexist, and Les is Flo's piano player. Frequent customers include Farley Walters of a nearby bank, Randy, of a local garage, and Chester. Rounding out the characters is Fran's fiance, Randy. "Flo" was somewhat successful in the spring of 1980, but when it returned in the fall, ratings were mediocre.
FLO is currently available on DVD or can be downloaded. See the DVD page for more details.
FLO Cast
Polly Holliday
as Flo
For more information about Polly, see Polly Holliday in the "Cast Biographies" section.
Geoffrey Lewis
as Earl
Geoffrey Lewis was born July 31, 1935, in Plainfield, New Jersey. He had a love of acting from an early age and performed off-Broadway and at various local theaters. In the 1960's and 70's, he appeared in numerous TV show such as "Bonanza," "Gunsmoke," "Mission: Impossible," and "Magnum, P.I. In 1980, he played a starring role opposite Polly Holliday in the "Alice" spin-off "Flo," for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.
In addition to television, he had many film credits, including movies such as Down in the Valley, The Butcher, Maverick, and When Every Day Was the Fourth of July. In the 1980s, Lewis was also a member of musical storytelling group Celestial Navigations with musician and songwriter Geoff Levin.
Sudie Bond
as Mama Castleberry
Sudie Bond was born on July 13, 1928 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Ms. Bond made her New York acting debut as Mrs. Winemiller in a revival of Tennessee Williams' ''Summer and Smoke'' at the Circle in the Square in 1952. She later won three Obie Awards for her Off-Broadway theater performances in Edward Albee's ''The American Dream'' and Samuel Beckett's ''The Sandbox'' and ''The Endgame." In 1957, she made her Broadway debut in "Waltz of the Toreadors." She went on to perform in other productions, including "Auntie Mame," "Grease," and "the Egg."
Lucy Lee Flippen
as Fran
Lucy Lee Flippin was born on July 23, 1943. She appeared as the third phone caller in the X-rated film, "The Third Telephone Book" in 1971. She has made over 60 film and television appearances but is best remembered as Eliza Jane Wilder in "Little House on the Prairie," as well as Flo's sister, Fran Castleberry in "Flo," and as Grace La Della in "Lady in White."
Joyce Bulifant
as Miriam
Joyce Bulifant was born on December 16, 1937 in Newport News, Virginia, USA as Joyce Caroline Boulifant. She is an actress, known for various roles, including in "Airplane!," "Match Game 73", and "Sport Billy."
She is currently married to actor Roger Perry.
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