ise ▁Mat ri arch ▁Peg gy ▁In gram ▁( R ue ▁McC lan ah an ) ▁takes ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁bar ▁singer ▁B its y ▁Ma e ▁Har ling ▁( O liv ia ▁Newton - John ) ▁who ▁has ▁just ▁been ▁released ▁from ▁prison . ▁Peg gy ' s ▁wild ▁child ▁daughter ▁La V onda ▁( An n ▁Walker ) ▁lives ▁with ▁Peg gy ' s ▁chain - sm oking ▁sister ▁S iss y ▁( B eth ▁Grant ), ▁while ▁Peg gy ' s ▁good ▁girl ▁Lat rel le ▁( B on nie ▁Bed elia ) ▁maintain s ▁an ▁image ▁of ▁seem ing ▁per fection . ▁ ▁Peg gy ' s ▁third ▁child , ▁Earl ▁" Bro ther ▁Boy " ▁In gram ▁( Les lie ▁Jordan ), ▁is ▁locked ▁in ▁a ▁mental ▁institution ▁where ▁he ▁performs ▁as ▁Tam my ▁W yn ette . ▁He ▁plots ▁to ▁escape ▁while ▁he ▁att ends ▁ther apy ▁sessions ▁with ▁the ▁cra zy ▁Dr . ▁E ve ▁( R os em ary ▁Alexander ) ▁who ▁bel ieves ▁she ▁can ▁de hom osex ual ize ▁him . ▁ ▁La V onda ' s ▁white ▁tr ash ▁best ▁friend ▁N ole ta ▁( Car oline ▁R he a ) ▁lives ▁in ▁a ▁tra iler ▁in ▁S iss y ' s ▁back yard ▁with ▁her ▁husband ▁G . W . ▁( David ▁Ste en ), ▁a ▁Vietnam ▁veter an ▁with ▁two ▁wooden ▁legs . ▁G . W . ▁esc apes ▁regularly ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁bar ▁in ▁town ▁amid st ▁a ▁small