Scorsese's Movie Inspires 70s Hit Sitcom

While Martin Scorsese is predominantly known for his impactful crime and gangster films, his extensive career has also touched upon comedies and religious features. A lesser-known facet of his directorial work is the inspiration he provided for a highly successful 1970s television sitcom.

This sitcom, titled "Alice," premiered on CBS in 1976 and concluded its run in 1985. It was developed from Scorsese's 1974 motion picture, "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." The film starred Ellen Burstyn as the titular character, Alice, a recent widow embarking on a new life with her son, Tommy.

Both the film and its television adaptation share a common narrative thread: Alice's journey to revive her singing career after her husband's passing. In the sitcom, which shifted the setting to Phoenix, Alice takes on a waitressing role at a diner. There, she works alongside the diner's owner and cook, Mel, and her fellow waitresses, Vera and Flo, forming the core of the series' episodic adventures.