2. Alice - The Honeymooners
Interestingly enough, the famed Alice on The Honeymooners was actually not the original. In fact, the show featured a different actress, Pert Kelton, in the role of sarcastic, long-suffering Alice, always there with some level-headed wisdom during Ralph's ill-advised schemes. She played the role for the first seven episodes of the show's run, when she was replaced by Audrey Meadows. Kelton brought a bit of a sharper edge to the role, actually sending The Honeymooners into dark comedy territory, where Meadows had a softer touch with Alice. The casting change can likely be attributed to the political climate of the United States during the early days of the Cold War. Officially, she left the show because of health issues that prevented her from continuing. But Kelton's husband had recently been blacklisted during the infamous McCarthy hearings with the House of Un-American Activities Committee, and his shunning by the Hollywood community had a sudden and dramatic effect on her career. One woman's misfortune is another's blessing, and Audrey Meadows is the actress remembered for the iconic 1950s television show.