"The Facts Of Life" (1979-1988)
One of the most fondly remembered sitcoms of the 1980's followed four girls who attended a prestigious prep school. Blair Warner (Lisa Whelchel) was the blond, haughty rich girl; Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey (Kim Fields) was the sunny, friendly one, and one of the few African-American students at Eastland; Natalie Green (Mindy Cohn) was the class clown; and Jo Polniaczek (Nancy McKeon) was the tough girl from the Bronx.
When the series began, there were several girls to keep track of (including a young Molly Ringwald), but soon, the plots only focused on the four girls and Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae), who was the housemother. Mrs. Garrett had been Mr. Drummond's housekeeper on "Different Strokes", of which this show was a spin-off. The girls experienced enough pre-teen and teenage mishaps to keep Mrs. Garrett busy with advice and Kleenex. Even when Mrs. Garrett left Eastland to open her own gourmet shop (later a malt shop), the girls followed her along. Mrs. Garrett's character was gone for good after 1986, when she remarried and moved away. Her chatty sister Beverly Ann (Cloris Leachman) became the girls new "housemother".
The show continued for nearly ten years and followed the girls as they graduated, went on the college, and began to deal with being adults. There was an episode where Natalie went all the way with her boyfriend Snake (Robert Romanus), although it was not shown on camera. Blair was missing from that episode because actress Lisa Whelchel, a conservative Christian, did not want to endorse pre-martial sex.
A reunion TV movie several years later found Natalie had found sucess as a writer, Tootie had become an actress (and had a daughter), and Blair was having some martial problems. Jo sent her daughter to represent her at the reunion (Nancy McKeon had declined appearing in the film).
Charlotte Rae had a long career on TV, including playing the wife of Officer Schauser on "Car 54, Where Are You?" (1961-1963). Kim Fields was a child actress who had appeared in a series of adorable Mrs. Butterworth's Syrup commercials during the 1970s. She was also a regular on the 1990's sitcom "Livin' Single". Cloris Leachman is an excellent actress who has appeared in many films including, The Last Picture Show. Lisa Whelchel married a pastor, and is now an author of Christian books. George Clooney ("ER", Ocean's Eleven) appeared on the show for one season as handyman George Burnett. Geri Jewell, an comedian who has cerebral palsy, appeared as Blair's cousin for a few seasons.
When the series began, there were several girls to keep track of (including a young Molly Ringwald), but soon, the plots only focused on the four girls and Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae), who was the housemother. Mrs. Garrett had been Mr. Drummond's housekeeper on "Different Strokes", of which this show was a spin-off. The girls experienced enough pre-teen and teenage mishaps to keep Mrs. Garrett busy with advice and Kleenex. Even when Mrs. Garrett left Eastland to open her own gourmet shop (later a malt shop), the girls followed her along. Mrs. Garrett's character was gone for good after 1986, when she remarried and moved away. Her chatty sister Beverly Ann (Cloris Leachman) became the girls new "housemother".
The show continued for nearly ten years and followed the girls as they graduated, went on the college, and began to deal with being adults. There was an episode where Natalie went all the way with her boyfriend Snake (Robert Romanus), although it was not shown on camera. Blair was missing from that episode because actress Lisa Whelchel, a conservative Christian, did not want to endorse pre-martial sex.
A reunion TV movie several years later found Natalie had found sucess as a writer, Tootie had become an actress (and had a daughter), and Blair was having some martial problems. Jo sent her daughter to represent her at the reunion (Nancy McKeon had declined appearing in the film).
Charlotte Rae had a long career on TV, including playing the wife of Officer Schauser on "Car 54, Where Are You?" (1961-1963). Kim Fields was a child actress who had appeared in a series of adorable Mrs. Butterworth's Syrup commercials during the 1970s. She was also a regular on the 1990's sitcom "Livin' Single". Cloris Leachman is an excellent actress who has appeared in many films including, The Last Picture Show. Lisa Whelchel married a pastor, and is now an author of Christian books. George Clooney ("ER", Ocean's Eleven) appeared on the show for one season as handyman George Burnett. Geri Jewell, an comedian who has cerebral palsy, appeared as Blair's cousin for a few seasons.
Labels: Charlotte Rae, Cloris Leachman, George Clooney, Kim Fields, Molly Ringwald
posted by Hillari | 8:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home