You take the good, You take the bad, You take them both and there you have...

[samhexum]

Deadline hears a reboot of “The Facts of Life” is in early stages at Sony Pictures TV, with Appian Way, the company run by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson, in negotiations to produce the project alongside Jessica Biel via her Iron Ocean Films. The potential series is looking for a writer.

 

The studio declined comment.

 

“The Facts of Life,” a spinoff of “Diff’rent Strokes,”aired on NBC from 1979-88, making it one of the longest-running sitcoms of the decade. Charlotte Rae starred as Edna Garrett, a housemother at the fictional Eastland School, an all-female boarding school in Peekskill, NY. Garrett later is promoted to school dietitian, and four of the girls move into new quarters above the cafeteria. She eventually leaves the school and opens her own business, with help from her girls. The series focused on issues that teenage girls face such as drug use, sex, eating disorders and peer pressure.

 

“The Facts of Life,” created by Dick Clair and Jenna McMahon, was nominated for three Emmys over the course of its nine-year run, including lead actress in a comedy for Rae. The series starred Lisa Welchel as Blair, Kim Fields as Tootie, Mindy Cohn as Natalie and Nancy McKeon as Jo.

 

Sony TV recently successfully rebooted the Norman Lear classic “One Day At A Time,” which is heading into its third season on Netflix.

 

There have been two revivals of 1980s multicamera comedies to return to broadcast TV, “Roseanne” on ABC last season, and “Murphy Brown” on CBS this coming season. (“Roseanne” was canceled in May over star Roseanne Barr’s racial tweet and will be replaced by a spinoff series, “The Conners.“)

 

Additionally, the 1980s sitcom “ALF” also is plotting a comeback at Warner Bros. TV and is currently looking for a writer!!!

(I just hope Alf hasn't aged badly... it's so sad when you see great stars of yesteryear get old!)

Edited August 5, 2018 by samhexum

[samhexum]

Actress Charlotte Rae — who played Mrs. Garrett on “The Facts of Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes” — died Sunday at her home in Los Angeles, according to her publicist.

 

The Emmy-nominated television star was 92. Herdeath was confirmed by Fox News.

 

Loved ones were reportedly at Rae’s side when she passed away on Sunday. The actress had been diagnosed with bone cancer in April 2017, and pancreatic cancer about seven years earlier.

 

“At 91, every day is a birthday,” Rae said in a statement after revealing her most recent diagnosis.

 

“I’m feeling so terrific and so glad to be above ground,” she explained. “Now I have to figure out whether I want to go have treatment again or opt for life…I’ve had a wonderful one already…I’ve had a great life, but I have so many wonderful things happening. I’d like to choose life. I’m grateful for the life I’ve already had.”

 

Born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky, the actress grew up in Milwaukee and later attended Northwestern University — studying alongside a slew of acting greats, such as Charlton Heston and Paul Lynde.

 

She began her career in radio and theater before branching out to television in the 1950s.

 

Rae appeared in a number of hit shows, including “The Partridge Family” and “The Defenders,” before landing her most popular role in 1978.

 

As Edna Garrett, the witty housekeeper from “Diff’rent Strokes,” Rae managed to steal the hearts of millions — so much, in fact, that she later earned her own spinoff.

 

“The Facts of Life” debuted in 1979 and centered around Mrs. Garrett’s relationship with a group of girls she met in the season 1 finale of “Diff’rent Strokes.” The series went on to become one of TV’s longest-running sitcoms, even outlasting its predecessor by two years.

 

“I grew up watching Charlotte Rae teach us the facts of life,” wrote one Twitter user.

 

“In my mind probably one of the best mentors on a tv show to their fellow tv characters,” another said.

 

While Rae was best known for her work on the small screen, she also managed to score two Tony noms for parts she played on Broadway. The actress got recognized for the 1966 musical “Pickwick” and 1969 play “Morning, Noon and Night.”

 

Rae continued to work late into her career, earning roles on hit television shows like “ER,” “The King of Queens,” and “Murder, She Wrote.” She also appeared in movies, including “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” with Adam Sandler and “Ricki and the Flash” with Meryl Streep.

 

Some of her former co-stars took to Twitter on Sunday night to pay their respects.

 

“You all already know my heart is heavy yet,” tweeted actress Kim Fields, who played Dorothy “Tootie” Ramsey on Facts of Life.

 

“Sorry, no words at the moment just love and tears… and yeah, smiles.”

 

Mindy Cohn, who played Natalie Green on Facts of Life, said: “[Rae] was my champion, a teacher, a proud example of the tenacity and perseverance needed to live as a creative, along with your talent and gifts…I wish you the happiest of homecomings.”

[samhexum]

Jennifer Aniston will recreate episodes of “The Facts of Life” for a 90-minute special set to air on ABC Dec. 7. It will be available on Hulu the following day.

Aniston will play Blair. The fact that Aniston, 52, has been cast as a teenager may raise some eyebrows, but it’s all a part of the fun.

Gabrielle Union, 49, Kathryn Hahn, 48, and Allison Tolman, 40, will star opposite Aniston.

Ann Dowd, 65, will star as Mrs. Garrett.

Live In Front of a Studio Audience” will feature recreations of classic episodes of “The Facts of Life,” as well as a revival of iconic scenes and sketches from “Diff’rent Strokes.”  Kevin Hart will play Arnold Jackson, Damon Wayans will play Willis Jackson, and John Lithgow will star as Mr. Drummond.

https://nypost.com/2021/11/30/jennifer-aniston-gabrielle-union-cast-in-facts-of-life-reboot/

QUICK QUIZ:  What was Tootie's real name?   ANSWER:  Dorothy

Edited November 30, 2021 by samhexum
Just for the hell of it.

[samhexum]

Jon Stewart returns to first on-camera acting role for ‘Facts of Life’ revival

Jon Stewart is returning to television for his first on-camera acting role in almost 20 years.  Ann Dowd will appear in both episodes as Mrs. Garrett, the role played by Charlotte Rae on both shows.

[samhexum]

Blair must be grieving the death of her father at 89.

[samhexum]

Time to get scrolling.

Mindy Cohn made headlines for recently claiming on SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live” that one of her main co-stars from “The Facts of Life” ruined their chances to make a revival of the show.

Cohn, 58, didn’t say whether it was Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields or Nancy McKeon — but she did refer to the alleged culprit as a “greedy bitch.”

“One of the girls … went behind our backs and tried to make a separate deal for a spinoff just for herself and devastated the rest of us,” the actress said.

Cohn said the cast didn’t speak to that co-star “for a while,” but “now we do-ish.”

When pressed to reveal the mystery co-star’s identity, Cohn said that anyone can figure it out by going on her Instagram and seeing who from the cast she doesn’t post.  Cohn follows all three of the other “Facts of Life” ladies on the social media platform.

McKeon, 58, was the most recent cast member to show up on Cohn’s main Instagram feed.

Cohn wished McKeon a happy birthday on April 4 with a photo of the pair.

“Wishing you everything and more for your new trip around the sun my friend. adore you so @nancymckeonofficial #andmanymore,” Cohn wrote in her tribute.

Before that, Cohn posted a picture with McKeon and Fields, 55, in September 2022 on the set of Norman Lear’s 100th birthday ABC special. Lear, who died at 101 this past December, had reached out to the “Facts of Life” actors about doing the revival.

“Celebrating @thenormanlear 100th birthday with these brilliant, gorgeous women whom i proudly call my family. #iloveus,” Cohn’s caption read.

In April 2022, Cohn shared another birthday tribute to McKeon.

And nearly one year before that, Cohn honored Fields on her birthday with a throwback photo of the two.

Cohn wrote, “Happy birthday to my cherished pal @kimfieldsofficial – only you could divinely coordinate your special day with the debut of your new show @theupshawsnetflix #boss #iadoreyou #andmanymore.”

There are no pictures of Whelchel, 61, on Cohn’s Instagram in recent years.

But in February, Cohn reunited with Whelchel and McKeon on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” The trio appeared on the show without Fields as a surprise for Drew Barrymore’s 49th birthday.

They did not address Fields’ absence.

The Post has reached out to Fields’ rep for comment.

The key foursome from “The Facts of Life” previously reunited for the 2019 Lifetime holiday movie “You Light Up My Life.”

In 2001, Cohn, Fields and Whelchel appeared in “The Facts of Life” reunion movie. McKeon didn’t participate because of scheduling issues with her TV show “The Division.”

During her SiriusXM radio show interview, Cohn said the plans for a “Facts of Life” revival are “dead” because of the unnamed “greedy” co-star.

“A couple of people can’t move past it, don’t want to move past it,” Cohn explained.

“We are not as united, let me put it that way. We were united for 40 years over not talking about each other, not doing dirty,” she continued. “You know, ‘All for one, one for all,’ and this kind of wrecked that, which is sad. Really sad.”

“The Facts of Life,” a spinoff of “Diff’rent Strokes, aired on NBC from 1979 to 1988.

Cohn, McKeon, Whelchel and Fields starred in the sitcom as students at an all-girls boarding school in New York.

fun trivia... Robin Thicke is best-known for being the son of the co-author of the 'FACTS' theme.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2024 by samhexum
for absolutely NO @%!*ING reason at all!

[Ali Gator]

The ladies - without Fields - should do a reboot, but be the new generation of 'The Golden Girls' (I've been saying this for a while). Have Blair, Jo, and Natalie living together in Miami as 'room-mates' in their "golden years". Blair can be the 'Blanche' character, and the homeowner.  Jo can be the 'Dorothy'.  Natalie can be the 'Rose'. Cast an unknown older actress as Jo's mother.  With the proper writing and direction, this could be a hit. 

I say leave Fields out because she added very little to the original. 

[+ nycman]

16 hours ago, Ali Gator said:

I say leave Fields out because she added very little to the original. 

 

[Rod Hagen]

TERRIBLE show, and I watched every episode so I really enjoyed seeing the photos, thank you for posting them.

[samhexum]

6 hours ago, Rod Hagen said:

TERRIBLE show, and I watched every episode so I really enjoyed seeing the photos, thank you for posting them.

It WAS terrible. but there were about a half dozen or so episodes over the years that dealt with more serious stuff that were actually pretty decent, though simplistic.

In the final season there was an episode in which Blair got stuck in an elevator with a Holocaust survivor that was poignant. 

In an early episode that had Natalie dating Dorothy's (I refuse to call her Tootie if she's the bitch who ruined things) cousin, it caused friction between the girls over the racial aspect.

Then there was the 2 part episode in which Blair's cousin, Jan Brady, visited and declared Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! that she was going to become a nun, which Blair didn't handle well (which was interesting given Welchel's strong religious beliefs, which made her refuse to play Blair having sex and skipping the episode in which Natalie became the first one to have sex with her boyfriend).

An episode set 40 years in the future was stupid but had a hilarious performance by Dorothy as an aging grand dame actress.

I also remember off the top of my head...

An episode in which Natalie is attacked while walking across campus at night.

An interview-style episode about "The Women of Eastland" that had each girl & Mrs. Garrett talking about their experiences.

A sweet, though not great, episode in which Natalie gets to date a hot guy named Denny, only to realize they are too different for it to work.

A really dumb episode, in which Jo borrowed Blair's watch without asking and broke it and then blew the whole thing off as insignificant, leading Blair to take her to small claims court, had one good scene at the end in which the two discuss what it was like for Jo to watch Blair be so cavalier about her money.

Edited July 30, 2024 by samhexum
To maintain the incredibly high standards I have established here

[samhexum]

in case anyone's been jonesing for the full version of the theme...

 

 

[+ ApexNomad]

'Facts of Life' Fans Think Lisa Whelchel Ended Reboot Hopes: What to Know

WWW.USMAGAZINE.COM

---

Lisa Whelchel, who played the posh Blair Warner on ‘The Facts of Life,’ has been suspected by fans to be the reason a...

 

[samhexum]

On 12/5/2024 at 6:48 PM, ApexNomad said:

'Facts of Life' Fans Think Lisa Whelchel Ended Reboot Hopes: What to Know

WWW.USMAGAZINE.COM

---

Lisa Whelchel, who played the posh Blair Warner on ‘The Facts of Life,’ has been suspected by fans to be the reason a...

 

We need a BITCH! emoji.

[+ nycman]

15 hours ago, samhexum said:

We need a BITCH! emoji.

🐕 

[Rod Hagen]

On 7/30/2024 at 11:00 AM, samhexum said:

It WAS terrible. but there were about a half dozen or so episodes over the years that dealt with more serious stuff that were actually pretty decent, though simplistic.

In the final season there was an episode in which Blair got stuck in an elevator with a Holocaust survivor that was poignant. 

In an early episode that had Natalie dating Dorothy's (I refuse to call her Tootie if she's the bitch who ruined things) cousin, it caused friction between the girls over the racial aspect.

Then there was the 2 part episode in which Blair's cousin, Jan Brady, visited and declared Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! that she was going to become a nun, which Blair didn't handle well (which was interesting given Welchel's strong religious beliefs, which made her refuse to play Blair having sex and skipping the episode in which Natalie became the first one to have sex with her boyfriend).

An episode set 40 years in the future was stupid but had a hilarious performance by Dorothy as an aging grand dame actress.

I also remember off the top of my head...

An episode in which Natalie is attacked while walking across campus at night.

An interview-style episode about "The Women of Eastland" that had each girl & Mrs. Garrett talking about their experiences.

A sweet, though not great, episode in which Natalie gets to date a hot guy named Denny, only to realize they are too different for it to work.

A really dumb episode, in which Jo borrowed Blair's watch without asking and broke it and then blew the whole thing off as insignificant, leading Blair to take her to small claims court, had one good scene at the end in which the two discuss what it was like for Jo to watch Blair be so cavalier about her money.

The best, because it was the weirdest, earlier episode when the cast was large and Molly Ringwald was still in it, there was an episode that implied one of the characters might be a young lesbian, or at least her classmates were reading that from her TomBoy (not Joe, this was long before Joe joined the cast) and touchy-feely behavior.  I think the episode was supposed to be a lesson that girls don't have to be girly, but there was this AWESOME scene where Mrs. Garret was combing/brushing her hair while complimenting her looks and it was super creepy.  I remember being like 10 years old and my Mom and I laughing terribly just because it was so creepy.  Mom's cynical humor is always heightened when she is with me. :-)

The later episodes were the best because the characters were better rounded out as they entered college.  Natalie's obnoxious teenage self-deprecating sarcasm shifted toward others, and was funny.  At a big party, woman to Natalie "You're out of potato chips."  Natalie, "You're out of luck."  

Edited December 8, 2024 by Rod Hagen

[samhexum]

Believe it or not, I don't know if I ever saw the first season shows.

[+ ApexNomad]

On 12/8/2024 at 2:17 PM, samhexum said:

Believe it or not, I don't know if I ever saw the first season shows.

Who are you and what have you done with samhexum?

[samhexum]

Nancy McKeon admits “there was a lot” of talk about the cast’s weight behind the scenes on “The Facts of Life.”

While McKeon — who starred in the ’80s sitcom with Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields and Mindy Cohn — doesn’t get into specifics, she reveals there were discussions about what the cast should eat and how much they should weigh.

“Each one of us had to deal with things in our own way,” she tells Page Six in an exclusive interview.

The NBC TV series, which ran from 1979 to 1988, centered around a private all-girls school in Peekskill, NY, and was groundbreaking for dealing with issues like drug use, eating disorders and peer pressure.

 

[samhexum]

Geri Jewell knows for a fact which episode was her favorite.

The actress, 68, starred as Blair Warner’s cousin, Geri Tyler, on the iconic ’80s sitcom “Facts of Life,” and she still looks back at her time on the show with the fondest of memories.

“Out of all the episodes I did, my favorite one was the first one,” Jewell exclusively told The Post during the Jonathan Foundation Fundraiser last Saturday.

“The very first one that I did,” expressed the comedian, whose first episode was Season 2, Episode 5, titled “Cousin Geri.”

“It was written for me. It was tailored for me.”

Jewell, who has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and posture, brought awareness to those with disabilities by being the first disabled actress to have a recurring role on a primetime television show. 

The actress, who starred in the hit TV series alongside Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn, Kim Fields, Nancy McKeon and Charlotte Rae, landed the role thanks to one of the show’s executive producers, Norman Lear.

“Norman Lear had seen me perform, and he came up to me after the show to introduce himself. In fact, Charlotte Rae was in the audience that night,” she recounted to The Post. “And he introduced himself and said, ‘You know, you’re really funny, kid, but you’re way before your time.’ And I said, ‘So? So wait a couple months!’ He couldn’t believe my response, and two months later, he asked me on ‘Facts.'”

She appeared on “Facts of Life” for twelve episodes from 1980 until 1984.

“I have been blessed with so many people who have been there for me and guided me,” Jewell gushed. “Norman Lear, David Milch. How lucky can you get?” 

While her “Facts of Life” days are behind her, she’s still tight with one cast member.

The stand-up comic revealed she’s still in touch with Whelchel, 61, who played Blair Warner in the series, adding that they are “very close.”

“I meet people all the time, and they say, ‘I saw you on ‘Facts of Life,’ and you really changed my life,” Jewell recalled. “I think I created a sensitivity about people with disabilities that wasn’t quite there before — and humor. That was very rare back then. And now there are so many comedians with cerebral palsy!”

Jewell has had to adjust how she takes care of her body, explaining she soothes herself through “pain management.”

“And I get two vials of Botox injected in my neck, shoulders and back every three months for chronic pain,” Jewell added. “I’ve been on Botox since ’99. I have the neck of a 12-year-old!”

Jewell has gotten candid in the past about her titanium neck, sharing on Steve Kmetko’s “Still Here Hollywood” podcast that she deals with the challenges by having “a sense of humor.”

“It’s challenging because now I have other issues with aging. Walking isn’t as easy as it used to be,” Jewell detailed in March. “I’ve had a certain gait, but my balance is not near as good. My hearing is impaired even more, and I get very, very frustrated.”

She broke her neck in 1999, which required emergency surgery.

“My neck is now 45% titanium, and it’s pretty strong. But this cerebral palsy still wants to move my head all over the place,” the trailblazer confessed, “and my neck is going, ‘No. I can’t do that.’”

“I have dystonia, which I always had, but I never realized it,” Jewell said about the muscle disorder — which creates involuntary contractions.

It also causes her “neck [to be] pulled to one side.”

“I have a titanium neck. I know when the Botox is wearing off because it’s pulling even farther,” said Jewell. “So I have a lot of issues, but so does everybody else when they age.” 

Despite the hurdles, the Hollywood vet noted: “I’m very blessed.”

“All the challenges that I’ve had — that everybody has in life — it’s a sense of humor that’s gonna get us through it,” she continued. “Because if I couldn’t laugh once a while I’d be in a loony bin. I have to laugh. You have to.” 

“Facts of Life” followed a group of girls at the prestigious Eastland School for Young Women and was one of NBC’s highest-rated shows in the 1980s.

Despite rumors of a reboot swirling in the decades since, Cohn, 59, alleged last year that any plans they had fell through due to a “greedy bitch.”

“We were all very, very disappointed that it didn’t work,” Whelchel confessed to Closer Weekly in April.

Although the person in question has remained unnamed, the “Collector’s Call” alum added, “We’d been trying to find a way to work together in some capacity for probably the last 10 years.”

“So, when it looked like this was going to happen, we were all really excited. The contracts were signed and then the writers’ strike happened, the actors’ strike happened, and then, unfortunately, Pa [Charlotte Rae] and Norman Lear passed. After that, it just kind of dissolved.”

Whelchel pressed, “We were all quite disappointed.”

Rae, who starred as housemother Mrs. Garrett, died at age 92 in 2018, five years before Lear passed away in 2023 at 101.

In 2001, the actresses came together in “The Facts of Life Reunion,” which saw their characters reunite in Peekskill, NY, for Thanksgiving with Mrs. Garrett.

Even though a reboot might never come to fruition, the actors still manage to stay close in real life. Last summer, Jewell and Whelchel posed together for a sweet shot on social media.

“We aren’t technically family but since we played one on TV (Cousin Geri) and we’ve known each other for almost a half a century, it sure feels like it!” Whelchel captioned the Instagram photo. “So good to catch up with the funny and wise and deep and talented, Geri Jewell!”