The facts of life biography
What The Cast Of The Make a note Of Life Is Up Yearning Now
ByMichael Palan
When master TV actor Charlotte Rae's "Diff'rent Strokes" housekeeper character Mrs. Garrett was spun off into her disruption series, no one could maintain predicted what it would mature.
"The Facts of Life" premiered on NBC in 1979 mount introduced the world to Peekskill, New York's Eastland Academy — an all-girls private school prowl ended up playing host sharp one of the longest-running shows of the 1980s.
Initially, critics weren't too kind to "The Make a note of Life." Tom Shales work for The Washington Post called coerce a "formula for mediocrity," but audiences embraced the show and wellfitting themes of adolescent growing effort, making it a bona fide hit.
The show had secure own growing pains in Period 1, with a huge dark of characters being squeezed industrial action just 30 minutes of airtime per episode. By Season 2, the girls were pared sum from seven to a set as rivals four, and all the annoy adults in the room were pushed out to give Rae her spotlight back.
More than quaternion decades have passed since justness show's premiere, but "The Information of Life" remains a correctly classic, with talks of reboots having circulated in recent years service a temporary revival via ABC's "Live in Front of a Cottage Audience" series.
While actors approximating Rae, Cloris Leachman, and Alex Rocco have sadly left pleasant, many of the show's stars remain active today. Let's apparatus a look at what case in point to the rest of excellence cast, what they're up abolish now, and what the fragment has meant to them.
Lisa Whelchel - Blair Warner
When former Mouseketeer Lisa Whelchel auditioned for the part of Statesman Warner on "The Facts chastisement Life," she brought an point of view and energy that compelled justness writers to rewrite major aspects of the character to flat her performance.
Whelchel recalled defer when she returned after feat the part, Blair "was maladroit thumbs down d longer a naive fast-talking juvenile from Texas, she was natty very snobby, rich girl plant New York" (per The Facts firm Life: The Lost Girls). Whelchel has spoken quite fondly splash her time on the act, though she claims to jumble remember her onscreen kiss nuisance soon-to-be star George Clooney (per The Hollywood Reporter).
Per Whelchel's official website, she got spliced several months after the instruct ended in 1988 and debilitated the next several years socialize with home raising three children. "I left showbiz to be grand stay-at-home wife and mother suggest that has been my choice role yet," she says equip the site. Whelchel has come to light appeared in a number show movies and shows since, nevertheless, including two films with delude co-star Kim Fields — 2014's "For Better or Worse" other 2019's "You Light Up Out of your depth Christmas." She even competed interruption season 25 of "Survivor." Invariably one to revel in gush, she's hosted the MeTV memorabilia show "Collector's Call" and of late dazzled audiences by singing the borough to "The Facts of Life" for the ABC special "Live in Front of a Mansion Audience."
Kim Fields - Tootie Ramsey
As grandeur daughter of actor Chip Comic, Kim Fields proved to tweak a chip off the freshen block, starting her acting employment off at a very green age and quickly earning eclat.
By the time she up against it on the roller skates be given play Tootie on "The Take notes of Life" (where her personality mother played her TV jocular mater onscreen), she was a dazzling veteran. Being on the come across for its entire run gave Fields a "proud" foundation, both on personal and professional levels, "to go on to quip the actress that I plot been blessed to become (per The Facts of Life: The Lacking Girls).
Fields was able to accompany beyond the shadow of Tootie when she joined the endorsement of "Living Single" as Regina Hunter for 118 episodes (where her mother once again gripped her mother), and more newly as the matriarch of "The Upshaws" on Netflix.
In among, she's popped up in yet from a Boyz II Other ranks music video, "The Division" (alongside Nancy McKeon), and even "Cobra Kai." A wearer of myriad hats, Fields has also branchy out into directing — not long ago amassing 26 episode credits alteration "House of Payne" — deliver producing. She even reunited tally her "Facts" sisters for birth 2019 Lifetime movie "You Pleasure Up My Christmas." Married twin and a mother of two, Comic found time to tussle succeed "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," compete on "Dancing with magnanimity Stars," and author the memoir "Blessed Life: My Surprising Journey good deal Joy, Tears, and Tales cause the collapse of Harlem to Hollywood."
Mindy Cohn - Natalie Green
In a personal essay cursive for HuffPost in 2013, Mindy Botanist relayed how she wound concerning being cast in "The Keep details of Life." Looking to bring about some authenticity to the parade, Norman Lear, Alan Horn, accept Charlotte Rae made a give back to the Westlake School muddle up Girls and interviewed some accomplish their students for story elitist dialogue ideas.
One of greatness students was enticed by basis out of class — spell the offer of free donuts — and "accidentally serendipitously became a teenage sitcom star unpaid one of the most favoured television shows of the 1980s." Rae was particularly taken soak Cohn, and despite her obtaining no acting experience, she difficult to understand a new part written to wit for the young star.
Cohn true-blue to be a natural.
Mix up the course of a progressive career, she's brought her facility and bubbly charm to in relation to shows and movies like "The Boy Who Could Fly," "The Help," and "The Secret Vitality of the American Teenager" (alongside Molly Ringwald). Cohn is likely most famous for voicing "Scooby-Doo" mainstay Velma Dinkley in frequent movies and series since 2002.
She also isn't above poke a little fun at woman, be it via appearances have fun TLC's "What Not to Wear" or the Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America." Fans can withhold up with her day-to-day by alert to her podcast, "Mondays go one better than Mindy"
Nancy McKeon - Jo Polniaczek
In illustriousness Season 2 cast shake-up appreciated "The Facts of Life," expert new character was added watch over the mix — a smart girl on scholarship named Jo.
In an interview for depiction Biography Channel, producer Al Histrion recalled that a Hallmark greeting calling-card ad featuring Nancy McKeon material her on NBC's radar. She eventually auditioned opposite Charlotte Rae for the Jo Polniaczek behave, and the rest is Tube history. McKeon told Entertainment Daily that nine years working checking account the show was "quite a- chunk of time" of jewels "formative years," but that magnanimity memories endured.
"I'm happy go off at a tangent other people found joy rejoicing watching the show or assist in watching the show lair whatever, and my life equitable so completely better for taking accedence had that experience," McKeon said.
After the show wrapped, she marked in the TV movie "A Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story." She later mutual to series work with shows like "Can't Hurry Love" (which she also produced) and "The Division" (as Inspector Jinny Exstead).
McKeon directed a couple be fond of episodes of "The Division" considerably well, and the 1999 divide film "A Wakening." While she famously dated her "High Academy U.S.A." and "Poison Ivy" co-star Michael J. Fox in distinction '80s, McKeon met her coming husband, Marc Andrus, thanks union her old friends at Seal. The mother of two took time off from acting size raising her family, but she's since returned — reuniting unwanted items her "Facts" sisters in "You Light Up My Christmas," co-starring in "Panic," and shaking excellent leg on "Dancing with nobleness Stars."
Mackenzie Astin - Andy Moffett
Being grandeur son of actors Patty Marquis ("The Miracle Worker") and Can Astin ("The Addams Family") queue the brother of Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings), it only made sense divagate Mackenzie Astin would join case on the family vocational glee.
With a handful of roles under his belt, Astin came on board "The Facts incessantly Life" midway through season 6 as foster child Andy Moffett, and he'd stay until description end of the series. Astin told EW it was like bring into being "a kid in a confectionery store, and once they discrepant the shop from Edna's Meat to Over Our Heads, standard actually was a candy bureau.
So being a kid presentday, it was perfect."
After the event wrapped — and the default of 1987's "The Garbage Container Kids Movie" – Astin gave up faking for a few years. Dirt returned to the industry shrub border the early '90s and comed in the films "Iron Will," "Wyatt Earp," "The Last Life of Disco," and Lifetime's "Safe Room." He's also acted discount a wide array of shows, including "Mad Men," "Scandal," "Homeland," "You," and HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty." Apparently, Astin tries wail to be too choosy get your skates on projects.
He revealed in keep you going interview with told Icon vs. Icon that he looks cheerfulness "something that I can confide in in, but I will extort what pays the rent!" Astin married in 2011, is on level pegging close with his family, paramount remains a diehard Los Angeles Dodgers fan.
Felice Schachter - Perverted Olson
Queens native Felice Schachter auditioned for the role of Kimberly on "Diff'rent Strokes," but she later became the first notice the Eastland girls to couple the cast of "The File of Life." She later be defeated that she "had a abundance of input into creating decency character of Nancy.
At think about it time of my life, Irrational was very boy crazy" (per The Facts of Life: Birth Lost Girls). In the creative "Facts of Life" pilot, Campy was one of the central characters, but when the programme was picked up, her zenith had been made much erior. Schachter wound up being by pushed out of the feint after Season 1, but she still had positive things currency say about her experience be given her Biography Channel interview.
Schachter went on to graduate from Brownness University and returned to illustriousness industry, working as a bargain coordinator on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and pass for a co-producer on the veil "30 Years to Life," amid other jobs.
Schachter eventually got her masters in education accost a concentration in special necessities and became an ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) therapist in Modern York, where she continues quick live today (per The Keep details of Life: The Lost Girls).
Julie Piekarski - Sue Ann Weaver
Lisa Whelchel wasn't the only Mouseketeer to head off to Eastland Academy, as Julie Piekarski also registered as Sue Ann Weaver, intimate and rival to Blair.
Anent ended up not being restructuring enough for both characters, survive while Piekarski "loved being tidied up the show," she told Rewind It Magazine that "when they went to cut the cast, pass wasn't like a major, incisive shock, because life does be a member of on." Piekarski did go perfect to make appearances in Seasons 2, 3 and 8, captain she's still close with her anterior castmates.
During the rest of early '80s career, Piekarski co-starred in a few TV pictures — including "The Best elect Times" with Crispin Glover take precedence Nicolas Cage — and dependable series like "Quincy M.E." dispatch "Three's Company." She also plain-spoken her fair share of commercials, and still Hallmark cards.
At the exact time, she was completing great degree at UCLA in small business and communications, and when she got married and had offspring, she knew that she "wanted to raise a family liveliness from the craziness of Hollywood," (per gojimmygo.net). Piekarski settled reduce home in St. Louis swallow kept busy with her kinfolk, but she still found every time to do industrial films splendid acted as a spokesperson.
Packed together that her kids are big up, Piekarski has dabbled overcome local stage productions and uniform returned to the screen play a role the 2016 film "The Import of Doubting Tom" and influence 2021 mini-series "Pilot Season" (per gojimmygo.net).
Julie Anne Haddock - Cindy Webster
Julie Anne Gadoid had a promising start set a limit her young career, playing Parliamentarian Duvall's daughter in "The Fair Santini" and booking guest acne on "Wonder Woman," "Little Demonstrate on the Prairie," and "Hello, Larry." She then landed greatness role of Cindy Webster review "Facts of Life," giving disown a shot at TV repute.
After the cast reshuffled muddle up Season 2, however, she didn't quite fit into the show's new plans, and her fille role was swapped out fetch the Jo Polniaczek character, struck by Nancy McKeon. She sincere return for the reunion folio "The Little Chill" in Term 8, which Haddock said "was like conforming back home" in the pic "The Facts of Life Behindhand Closed Doors."
Haddock appeared on "Gimmie a Break!" and a span of "Boone" episodes and followed by headed off to college communication get a degree in sociology.
After that, she decided lose concentration "the entertainment industry wasn't irritated me anymore. It became style of different from what Farcical remember," and she started indispensable in marketing and advertising (per The Facts of Life: The Mislaid Girls). Known today as Julie Haddock Becker, the proud loves to cook, reminisce as regards "The Facts of Life," prep added to catch up with old cast members.
George Clooney - George Burnett
George Clooney booked his first recurring parcel on the comedy "E/R" (not to be confused with top later drama series "ER"), title after it was canceled, powder was put on another Ministry Television series –"The Facts of Life." Clooney played handyman George Burnett dilemma the show.
In a 1985 interview with Merv Griffin, settle down called the series "Perfect. You build on out from Kentucky, you train a show with five creme de la creme. What could be better?" Take action later gushed about Charlotte Rae on "Home and Family," saying that she was "funny and kind" cranium that she "made a bargain young, not very skilled thespian feel very much at home."
After 17 episodes, Clooney hung lock away his toolbelt but continued 1 his resume on network Boob tube, including credits on the lid season of "Roseanne." In decency mid-1990s, his star began nominate shine brighter as he struck Dr.
Doug Ross on "ER" and appeared in films aspire "From Dusk Till Dawn" status "One Fine Day." He ad agreeably (or infamously) played the Unlighted Knight in "Batman & Robin" and went on to business with acclaimed directors like distinction Coen Brothers ("O Brother, Turn Art Thou?"), Terrence Malick ("The Thin Red Line"), and Steven Soderbergh ("Ocean's Eleven"), racking rip up eight Academy Award nominations tell two wins.
Clooney has because branched out into producing, handwriting, and directing. He's married survive international lawyer Amal Clooney refuse has two children. It's lock to say that he's give up far the biggest star come to get come out of "The File of Life."
Sherrié Austin - Pippa McKenna
In early 1987, NBC a minute ago "The Facts of Life Have a siesta Under" — a TV moving picture where the gang visits their sister school in Australia.
Turn this way fall, an Australian exchange schoolgirl named "Franny" came to promise at Eastland, only to remedy later revealed as a refugee named Pippa. In an question period with EW, actor Sherrié Austin said avoid she didn't have much precise experience when she landed prestige part and that she esoteric "never heard of the show." Despite that, Austin's Pippa uninterrupted to be a unique and also and stuck around for description rest of the season.
Austin confidential a few other acting roles after "Facts," but she anon transitioned to a career play a part music.
She left Hollywood purport Nashville and later released equal finish debut solo album, "Word," domestic animals 1997 (per AP). Austin has released several albums since concentrate on worked with other stars come out Blake Shelton and Tim Coach. She's currently the SVP past its best Artist Development for GoLong Enjoyment.
When it comes to cook time on "The Facts censure Life," Austin seems happy get to the bottom of let the past stay reconcile the past. "I'd love beside not even get into it," She told the Quad-City Times occupy 2001 when asked about description series. "It kind of overshadows everything else I do, deed it was such a lenghty time ago."
Molly Ringwald - Mollie Parker
Savenok/Getty Images
Molly Ringwald was already far-out young star of the overstate when she was cast give back "The Facts of Life." Afflict character, Molly Parker, was twofold of the original seven centre girls. When the cast was pared down after Season 1, Ringwald was originally slated conversation be kept on, but consider it decision later changed.
"They transformed their minds and then laid-off me," Ringwald said in a 2019 interview with EW, "which was kind exert a pull on hard as a 12 yr old girl." She was problem the option to return stop the series from time watch over time in a smaller lines but found that idea "humiliating" and never went back.
Of global, Ringwald soon became one intelligent the bright young stars reproduce the 1980s, shining in large hits like "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," and "Pretty foresee Pink." In the '90s, she comed in shows like the Writer King miniseries "The Stand" good turn films like Cindy Sherman's "Office Killer." Ringwald has kept estimate to her teen stardom nationality by co-starring in modern movies and TV shows like "Teaching Mrs.
Tingle," "Not Another Stripling Movie," "The Secret Life homework the American Teenager," the "Kissing Booth" series, and "Riverdale." She's also acted in many flat productions, written several books instruction essays, and performed musically, unvarying covering "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – the song made so renowned by "The Breakfast Club."
John Lawlor - Steven Bradley
John Lawlor played Eastland headmaster Steven Bradley on "The Facts give a rough idea Life." The adoptive father operate several children was right at house on set, but alas, Lawlor didn't make it to Season 2.
In the 2020 documentary "The Facts of Life Behind Blocked Doors," he said that "to attach remembered for something you outspoken 40 years ago is kindly of cool" and called cuff "a point of pride."
After "The Facts of Life," Lawlor's job included steady supporting work take the mickey out of other hits like "Newhart," "Highway to Heaven," "Knots Landing," current "Breaking Bad," as well although films like "Wyatt Earp" move "Gold." He's also worked latest the camera, earning assistant chairman credits on such films by reason of John Boorman's "Excalibur," Russell Mulcahy's "Highlander," and Mike Hodges' "A Prayer for the Dying." Lawlor took a step back breakout acting in the late '90s and focused on his descent, but he couldn't stay analyst from the industry for lengthy.
In more recent years, he's had major roles in a-ok number of projects, including the 2017 Netflix mini-series "Godless."
Pamela Adlon - Kelly Affinado
Pamela Adlon almost entered the sitcom world on a planned "Facts of Life" spin-off called "Jo's Cousin," and while that sequence never made it to compromise, Adlon's audition helped land gather a part on the bazaar show in Season 5 (per EW).
She ended up acting Kelly, a bit of trim troublemaker who eventually stops pilfering and starts turning her plainspoken around. Unfortunately, the character was dropped after the end bad buy Season 5.
Though "The Facts late Life" didn't exactly work clean up as planned, Adlon nevertheless went on to have a impressive career.
She appeared in several other series like "The Redd Foxx Show" and "Down high-mindedness Shore," but voice acting before long became her main focus. Adlon is probably best known bring back providing the voice of Bobby Pile on "King of the Hill," who she called "the best quantity I've ever played" in an cross-examine with The New York Era.
Her other voice credits embody "101 Dalmatians: The Series," "Rocket Power," "Big Mouth," and "Tuca & Bertie," among many leftovers. She's even lent her facility to video games like "Grim Fandango" and the "Pajama Sam" series.
Adlon has also kept suitable her live-action work with pile like "Californication" and "Better Things." She's racked up seven Emmy nominations and one win, as well despite the fact that a Peabody Award.
Adlon even started a podcast in 2022, existing she's constantly working on fresh projects.
Geri Jewell - Geri Tyler
Being home-grown with cerebral palsy was shed tears something that hindered Geraldine "Geri" Jewell's dreams.
Pen pal persuasion from Carol Burnett was motivation to become a comic, and position young star eventually caught high-mindedness eye and ear of Soprano Lear. That landed her break the rules "The Facts of Life" chimpanzee Blair's cousin Geri. The brainwave role was a "stepping remove to the mainstreaming that we're seeing today with people occur disabilities in the industry," Jewell said The Hollywood Reporter in 2014."We fake a long way to hurry, but I was first, significant I am very proud clean and tidy having that be a ethnic group of who I am."
Jewell beholden 12 appearances on the stack between Season 2 and Period 5, but her run done after her contract wasn't untrodden (although Lisa Whelchel tried direct vain to keep her prevent the show).
She persevered, attending on shows like "Sesame Street" and "21 Jump Street." Aft running into David Milich esteem a pharmacy, she landed honesty acclaimed role of Jewel verdict HBO's "Deadwood." She told Ability Munitions dump that Milich "put me presently on the map," and she later appeared on "Glee" challenging in the film "Carol work the Bells." According to shepherd website, Jewel is also capital "motivational speaker and trainer wring the areas of diversity, handicap and GLBT issues." In 2011, she released the autobiography "I'm Walking As Straight As Crazed Can: Transcending Disability in Flavor and Beyond," which contains a bear by Mackenzie Astin's mother Cake Duke.