Beth Howland, prolific TV actress and Alice star, passed away at the age of 74 in December, reports The New York Times. 

Howland played the neurotic waitress Vera Louise Gorman on the CBS sitcom from 1976 to 1985. Inspired by the 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, the series starred Linda Lavin as a widow who moves to Arizona and finds work at a small diner.

Born in Massachusetts, Howland got her her start in acting on Broadway opposite Carol Burnett in the 1959 production of Once Upon a Mattress. After appearing in several Broadway shows, like Bye Bye Birdie and High Spirits, she moved to Los Angeles.

There, Howland played small roles in several TV shows, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Little House on the Prairie, Eight is Enough, and The Love Boat. For her memorable role on Alice, she received four Golden Globe nominations.

In 2002, Howland gave her last TV performance as the voice of Dr. Leventhal in the animated Nickelodeon series As Told by Ginger.

What do you think? Did you watch Howland on Alice? What’s your favorite role of hers?