EXHIBIT 5.1

                                October 25, 2001




Alberto-Culver Company
2525 Armitage Avenue
Melrose Park, Illinois 60160

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                       Registration Statement on Form S-8

     I have represented Alberto-Culver Company, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), in connection with a registration statement on Form S-8 (the
"registration statement") filed under the Securities Act of 1933 for the purpose
of registering under that Act 5,000,000 shares of Class A common Stock, $.22 par
value (the "Shares"), which may be offered and sold from time to time pursuant
to the Alberto-Culver Company Employee Stock Option Plan of 1988 (the "Plan").
In this connection, I have examined originals or copies certified or otherwise
identified to my satisfaction of such documents, corporate and other records,
certificates and other papers as I deemed it necessary to examine for the
purpose of this opinion.

     Based on such examination, it is my opinion that the Shares covered by the
registration statement, when issued in accordance with the Plan, constitute
legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock of the
Company.

     I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the registration
statement. In giving this consent I do not admit that I am within the category
of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933.

                                          Very truly yours,
                                          Alberto-Culver Company

                                          /s/ Gary P. Schmidt, Esq.

                                          Gary P. Schmidt, Esq.

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