Lorna Thayer, who played waitress in 'Five Easy Pieces," dies at 85

LOS ANGELES - Actress Lorna Thayer, the waitress who memorably refused to let Jack Nicholson order toast in the 1970 movie "Five Easy Pieces," has died. She was 85.

Thayer died June 4 at the Motion Picture and Television Fund retirement home in Woodland Hills after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Her career spanned 40 years during which she appeared in more than 40 motion pictures and had dozens of guest roles on television shows. Most of her work, however, was bit parts. She often was cast in movies credited only as "flower vendor," "warden" or "suntan lady," although she did co-star in the 1956 horror cult favorite "The Beast With a Million Eyes."

It was her testy exchange with Nicholson's character, Bobby Dupea, that made movie history. She told her daughter she based the character on waitresses she had met during her years on the road as an actress.

"Most waitresses are wonderful, but we've all encountered a waitress that kind of grates on you," said her daughter, Adrienne Cataldo.

The trouble starts when Dupea tries to order wheat toast, which isn't included with the omelet he wants. After trying repeatedly to get around the diner's "no substitutions" policy, he finally tells Thayer's increasingly annoyed waitress to bring him a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast and to hold the butter, the lettuce, the mayonnaise and the chicken.

When she asks him sarcastically, "You want me to hold the chicken, huh?" he replies, "I want you to hold it between your knees" and sends everything on his table crashing to the floor.

Cataldo said her mother didn't mind that her name was rarely mentioned by people who vividly recalled the scene.

In addition to Cataldo, Thayer is survived by another daughter, Nikki Savitsky, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and a sister, Anne Budzisz.

Dupea: I'd like a plain omelette, no potatoes, tomatoes instead, a cup of coffee, and wheat toast.
Waitress: (She points to the menu) No substitutions.
Dupea: What do you mean? You don't have any tomatoes?
Waitress: Only what's on the menu. You can have a number two - a plain omelette. It comes with cottage fries and rolls.
Dupea: Yeah, I know what it comes with. But it's not what I want.
Waitress: Well, I'll come back when you make up your mind.
Dupea: Wait a minute. I have made up my mind. I'd like a plain omelette, no potatoes on the plate, a cup of coffee, and a side order of wheat toast.
Waitress: I'm sorry, we don't have any side orders of toast...an English muffin or a coffee roll.
Dupea: What do you mean you don't make side orders of toast? You make sandwiches, don't you?
Waitress: Would you like to talk to the manager?
Dupea: ...You've got bread and a toaster of some kind?
Waitress: I don't make the rules.
Dupea: OK, I'll make it as easy for you as I can. I'd like an omelette, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.
Waitress: A number two, chicken sal san, hold the butter, the lettuce and the mayonnaise. And a cup of coffee. Anything else?
Dupea: Yeah. Now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules.
Waitress (spitefully): You want me to hold the chicken, huh?
Dupea: I want you to hold it between your knees.
Waitress (turning and telling him to look at the sign that says, "No Substitutions") Do you see that sign, sir? Yes, you'll all have to leave. I'm not taking any more of your smartness and sarcasm.
Dupea: You see this sign? (He sweeps all the water glasses and menus off the table.)

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