Iola Boylan
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Iola Lucille Boylan was a character on the television series, Mama's Family. She was played by Beverly Archer.
Iola lives across the street from Thelma Harper and her family. She continues to live with her eccentric parents, even into middle age, and has known the Harpers most of her life. Her catch-phrase is a friendly "knock, knock!" whenever she visits Thelma's house, and she never seems to wear anything but pink gingham.
A graduate in home economics, Iola is a whiz at homemaking and is also known for her absolutely ridiculous crafts, most notably her Monitor and Merrimac Kitchen cozies. She has had a huge crush on Vinton, ever since they were children, (they are roughly the same age) and aims to snare him away from his wife, Naomi Harper. This has led to an acrimonious and somewhat formal relationship between the two women. She has a brother, Verne, and a niece, Vernette.
Iola agrees with Thelma that Naomi isn't what a proper wife for Vinton should be. In fact, Iola seems to think that she would be better suited as his wife and soul mate. Despite her best attempts, however, Vinton remains faithful to his "Skeeter".
Usually, Iola is often the only other person that Thelma spends time with, outside of her family. They are often involved in civic work together, most notably the "CLL", the Church Ladies League. Invariably, Iola is often visiting them and eats dinner with them, much to the rest of the family's discomfort.
Although she and Thelma are best friends, sometimes, they would bicker and squabble over things. Most notably over a battle when Thelma tried to get an unprecedented second term as CLL president, and Thelma's nemesis, scheming Alberta Meechum tried to break up the friendship by proposing Iola as a candidate. Neither Thelma nor Iola won, because Lolly Perdue, who was able to separate the combatants, had won.
Sometime later, Iola and Thelma schemed to impeach Lolly, but her illiteracy came to the surface and the plan was abandoned.
Iola often rails and complains about her homebound mother and her even more eccentric father, but in spite of it, truly does love her family. Also, by extension, she loves the Harper family, and is proud to be part of them.
In a flashback episode, it was discovered that Iola had lived across from the Harpers all her life, and has known the family since she was a child. She didn't quite get along with Vint's sister, Eunice, but then again, nobody ever really got along with Eunice.
[edit] Trivia
During a reunion on Vicki Lawrence's later talk show, Beverly Archer, who played Iola swore that she would never look at pink again, given that Iola's prime color was Pink Gingham.
| Mama's Family |
| Main Characters: Thelma Harper | Vint Harper | Naomi Harper | Buzz Harper | Sonja Harper | Ellen Harper | Eunice Harper Higgins | Ed Higgins | Bubba Higgins | Fran Crowley | Iola Boylan Recurring Characters: Lloyd Meechum | Alberta Meechum | Alvin Tutweiler |
| Other: Raytown | Episodes |
