I don't think Van and Holly interacted when they overlapped in '80-'81ish. Van certainly knew Andy and Barbara. Holly would've been in prison for shooting Roger during some of that. When Van returns in '89, she doesn't recognize Holly, and mistook her for Nadine. There were definite story bubbles back in the day.
I never got the sense that Alan really "knew" Vanessa. He saw someone of his class, who was supposed to abide by certain "rules". And that was enough. That he ever expected her to turn a blind eye to his attraction to Reva says to me he had no clue how territorial or jealous Van could be. He wasn't going to be able to control her any more than he could really control Reva.
By
P.J. ·
Edited by Soapsuds