Mel's Diner
Encyclopedia
Mel's Diner was the setting for the 1976-1985 American TV Series Alice
. It was a roadside diner on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona
that served locals and truckers alike. It had a counter, two large booths, and a couple of tables. Although one of the three waitresses, Alice, was the main character, the show revolved around all the waitresses and Mel Sharples
, the owner and cook. Most scenes of the show took place in the diner as well. The diner setting was so intertwined with the show that the series itself is often referred to erroneously as "Mel's Diner."
The large outside shot of the diner with the giant coffee cup sometimes seen in the opening credits of "Alice" is of a real Mel's Diner (1747 NW Grand Avenue) which is still in operation in Phoenix, the city in which "Alice" took place.
The restaurant in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
, the movie on which the series Alice was based, was called "Mel & Ruby's Cafe," and was located in Tucson, Arizona
.
Alice (TV series)
Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to July 2, 1985 on CBS. The series was based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job...
. It was a roadside diner on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
that served locals and truckers alike. It had a counter, two large booths, and a couple of tables. Although one of the three waitresses, Alice, was the main character, the show revolved around all the waitresses and Mel Sharples
Mel Sharples
Melvin Emory Sharples is a fictional character in the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and the television sitcom series, Alice. The character was played by the late Vic Tayback, who reprised his movie role for the television show.- The man with the Spatula :Melvin Emory Sharples was born...
, the owner and cook. Most scenes of the show took place in the diner as well. The diner setting was so intertwined with the show that the series itself is often referred to erroneously as "Mel's Diner."
The large outside shot of the diner with the giant coffee cup sometimes seen in the opening credits of "Alice" is of a real Mel's Diner (1747 NW Grand Avenue) which is still in operation in Phoenix, the city in which "Alice" took place.
The restaurant in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a 1974 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Robert Getchell. It stars Ellen Burstyn as a widow who travels with her preteen son across the American Southwest in search of a better life, along with Alfred Lutter as her son and Kris...
, the movie on which the series Alice was based, was called "Mel & Ruby's Cafe," and was located in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
.