Maybe this was answered before, but why do they all have either the first or last name of the actor who is playing them? Didn't the characters have names before they found the actors? Since this was based on Cooley High and none of the WH actors were well known it is a very odd situation.

I noticed that for a long time too. I guess the writers weren't too creative.

Roger Thomas-Ernest Thomas

Dwayne Nelson-Haywood Nelson

Mabel Thomas- Mabel King

Fred "Rerun" Stubbs- Fred Berry

Shirley- Shirley Hemphill

Dee Thomas- Danielle Spencer