Beth Doesn’t Live Here Any More

Or

Vera....Vera...What Has Become of You?

Beth Howland, best remembered as Bea in the last episode of The Tick, has died of lung cancer at the age of 74. The stage actress found a long-time home as Vera Louise Gorman, the "dinghy" neurotic waitress at Mel’s Diner for the entire run of Alice, winning 4 Golden Globe nominations. And then pretty much retired, save the occasional cameo appearance. Also of interest is the disparity of her marriages, first to professional weirdo Michael J. Pollard, then to the buttoned up Charles Kimbrough, best remembered as Jim Dyal on Murphy Brown, who honored Howland’s request and didn’t mentioned her death for 5 months.