Surprising Stories from the Set of the Sitcom Alice

Vic Tayback originated Mel Sharples in the 1974 film and brought him back for the 1976 TV series — but he reportedly pushed back when scripts leaned too far into making Mel a full-blown buffoon. Tayback believed Mel could be gruff and cheap without becoming a total cartoon.

As the sitcom format encouraged bigger laughs, there was pressure to heighten Mel’s bluster. Tayback advocated for keeping some edge and credibility in the character. That balance is part of why Mel works — blustery, yes, but still human enough to run a diner you’d actually walk into.