Victor "Vic" Tayback, BHS 1948

Victor "Vic" Tayback, BHS 1948
 Jan 6 , 1930 - May 25, 1990

Daily News of Los Angeles (CA) - May 26, 1990

TAYBACK, CO-STAR OF 'ALICE'

Vic Tayback, the actor best known as the gruff diner owner and cook Mel Sharples in the television comedy "Alice," died Friday May 25, 1990 of a heart attack in his Glendale home, officials said.

Tayback, 60, had a history of heart trouble and underwent triple bypass surgery in 1983.

"Tayback's wife, Sheila, (told police) he had gotten out of bed, walked a few feet and fell to the floor," said Glendale police spokesman Chris Loop. Tayback was in full cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived at 1:08 a.m.

He was pronounced dead at 1:56 a.m. at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

Tayback was the only cast member of the 1975 film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More" to star in the television situation-comedy "Alice," which was based on the film. Tayback played Mel, whose penny-pinching and poor cooking were a running joke on the show, which ran from 1976 to 1985.

"I'm just devastated. I loved Vic very dearly and my heart goes out to Sheila and Chris," said actress Polly Holliday, who co-starred with Tayback as the wise-cracking waitress Flo on "Alice."

Tayback played supporting roles in a number of other films, including ''Papillon," "Bullitt" and "The Choirboys." His television movie credits include "They Call It Murder" (1971), "The Night the City Screamed" (1980), "The Jesse Owens Story" (1984) and "The Three Kings" (1987).

In the 1960s, he co-founded the Silver Lake-based Company of Angels theater group with Sally Kellerman and Richard Chamberlain. He was a member of the Actor's Studio for 20 years.

After the "Alice" series ended in 1985, Tayback starred in such plays as "12 Angry Men," "Death of a Salesman" and "Brighton Beach Memoirs."

As recently as May 12, he played a Lebanese immigrant in S.K. Hershewe's comedy "An Oasis in Manhattan" at the Venture Theatre in Burbank.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. of Syrian parents, Tayback attended Glendale Community College and the Frederick A. Speare School of Radio and TV Broadcasting. Before turning to acting full time, he was a bank teller and a cab driver.

"Everybody loved him," said Fred Amsel, Tayback's agent and friend of 20 years. "He was a first-class guy. He was a very compassionate man. He always had his hand out to help other people, and he always spoke his mind."

Tayback is survived by his wife, Sheila; son Christopher; mother Helen; sister Emily, and brother Joe.

Funeral services are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Incarnation Church, 1001 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Burial will be Wednesday at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Hollywood Hills.