Marla Gibbs was so reluctant to do Checking In that she made sure she signed a CBS contract that allowed her old job back with the Jeffersons if her new position didn't work out as a success. Marla Gibbs stated that she made sure that was in her contract before she agreed to do the show. She also explained she didn't want to leave the Jeffersons because it no longer became a JOB it was more like going to hang out with friends and having fun. She also didn't like that the Florence Johnston character was going to be changed for the new show. Her other reason for not wanting to to leave the Jeffersons was that the cast really cared about each other and got along so well and it was so fun.


Marla Gibbs was a smart woman-lol But if Checking had lasted until 1983 I doubt if she would have been able to return to the show.


May 21, 1981, Jet Magazine

Marla Gibbs was so reluctant to do Checking In that she made sure she signed a CBS contract that allowed her old job back with the Jeffersons if her new position didn't work out as a success. Marla Gibbs stated that she made sure that was in her contract before she agreed to do the show. She also explained she didn't want to leave the Jeffersons because it no longer became a JOB it was more like going to hang out with friends and having fun. She also didn't like that the Florence Johnston character was going to be changed for the new show. Her other reason for not wanting to to leave the Jeffersons was that the cast really cared about each other and got along so well and it was so fun.


Marla Gibbs was a smart woman-lol But if Checking had lasted until 1983 I doubt if she would have been able to return to the show.


I agree with that statement, I mean look what happened to the Ropers. They got totally hosed by ABC.

I agree with that statement, I mean look what happened to the Ropers. They got totally hosed by ABC.


Yeah she wasn't going to have that type of job security to do something and always have a safety net called the JEFFERSONS-lol

Yeah she wasn't going to have that type of job security to do something and always have a safety net called the JEFFERSONS-lol


Exactly, I mean who would want to leave a hit show to be in a spin off that could easily fail (Which Checking In did)

Exactly, I mean who would want to leave a hit show to be in a spin off that could easily fail (Which Checking In did)


And it probably failed because she wasn't the same character she was on the Jeffersons

Interesting. Her heart wasn't in it, so maybe that contributed to the show's demise. I have never seen an episode of Checking In.

Interesting. Her heart wasn't in it, so maybe that contributed to the show's demise. I have never seen an episode of Checking In.


No one has-LOL

I agree with that statement, I mean look what happened to the Ropers. They got totally hosed by ABC.

So do I. In fact, Ms. Gibbs is not the only actress to have signed such a contract. When The Facts of Life premiered in 1979, series star Charlotte Rae personally requested that if the show failed, she would be allowed to return to her old role on Diff'rent Strokes. Unlike Checking In, however, The Facts of Life actually became a massive success, running for nine whole seasons and cranking out a whopping 209 episodes.

So do I. In fact, Ms. Gibbs is not the only actress to have signed such a contract. When The Facts of Life premiered in 1979, series star Charlotte Rae personally requested that if the show failed, she would be allowed to return to her old role on Diff'rent Strokes. Unlike Checking In, however, The Facts of Life actually became a massive success, running for nine whole seasons and cranking out a whopping 209 episodes.


I'm sure that offer only stood for about a year or maybe two. If facts of life was cancelled in 1983 Edna Garrett was not coming back to DS

very smart of Marla! The Jeffersons would NOT have been the same without her. Like I've said on other shows, if a charater is a main part of the show, they should not be spun off until the show's run is over. Marla probably saw what happened with The Ropers, and didn't want that to happen to her. (Although, I was glad to see The Ropers leave Three's Company! The same old jokes got boring, and Don Knotts as Mr. Furley was a riot!)

I'm sure that offer only stood for about a year or maybe two. If facts of life was cancelled in 1983 Edna Garrett was not coming back to DS

That's not the point. The point is that while Checking In failed, The Facts of Life succeeded.

No one has-LOL

Not true. I've seen it during it's orginal run when I was an itty bitty munchkin.

I thought it was pretty good. Better than the crap on today.

Not true. I've seen it during it's orginal run when I was an itty bitty munchkin.

I thought it was pretty good. Better than the crap on today.

I saw them too in their original run. I always loved Florence on the Jeffersons, but it was like in Checking In, I always kept waiting for Florence to be Florence. She never had any of the good jokes or put downs, she always was the boss type of character. Compared to the Jeffersons, it wasn't nearly as funny.

I saw them too in their original run. I always loved Florence on the Jeffersons, but it was like in Checking In, I always kept waiting for Florence to be Florence. She never had any of the good jokes or put downs, she always was the boss type of character. Compared to the Jeffersons, it wasn't nearly as funny.


Please don't say you was a little kid when you watched checking in because that doesn't count.

But Florence did put down Lyle in the same way she put down George.

Please don't say you was a little kid when you watched checking in because that doesn't count.
I remember watching Checking in when it originally aired (at least the first two episodes anyways, I gave up on it after that) and I agree with CDThe1 - they changed Florence too much; they really didn't give her nearly as many good lines or jokes and her character just wasn't as funny in that situation.

I remember watching Checking in when it originally aired (at least the first two episodes anyways, I gave up on it after that) and I agree with CDThe1 - they changed Florence too much; they really didn't give her nearly as many good lines or jokes and her character just wasn't as funny in that situation.
I gave up after one episode. :lol:

I remember watching Checking in when it originally aired (at least the first two episodes anyways, I gave up on it after that) and I agree with CDThe1 - they changed Florence too much; they really didn't give her nearly as many good lines or jokes and her character just wasn't as funny in that situation.

If you was a kid when it was on the air your comment on the show doesn't count

But Florence did put down Lyle in the same way she put down George.


That would have been impossible since Lyle was short or bald like George

If you was a kid when it was on the air your comment on the show doesn't count

Why not? I was 9 years old and TV was my life. I most definitely remember watching it. I remember vividly the one where the power goes out in the hotel or something like that, and Florence and Elena think there is a ghost in the hotel.

Just because I was young doesn't mean it doesn't count. If you feel that way, that's your opinion. But don't take it away from me.

Please don't say you was a little kid when you watched checking in because that doesn't count.

What the hell is that supposed to mean??

OF COURSE it counts! I wasn't in a coma or anything! I remember it just like you remember doing anything else!

Why not? I was 9 years old and TV was my life. I most definitely remember watching it. I remember vividly the one where the power goes out in the hotel or something like that, and Florence and Elena think there is a ghost in the hotel.

Just because I was young doesn't mean it doesn't count. If you feel that way, that's your opinion. But don't take it away from me.

I prefer to hear feedback on a show from someone who was not in 4th grade at the time, thank you

What the hell is that supposed to mean??

OF COURSE it counts! I wasn't in a coma or anything! I remember it just like you remember doing anything else!

I watched Rhoda at the age of 9 but wouldn't try to discuss it because I was too young to actually remember what I was watching. Now I watched Fresh Prince at the age of 15 and have a better memory of what I watched because I was older.

And yes it counts but I don't want anyone's opinion on it if they was 9.

Oh you don't? Hmm, well now that you've reversed yourself ("yes it counts") I think your not wanting those opinions posted falls under the category of tough s**t.

Oh you don't? Hmm, well now that you've reversed yourself ("yes it counts") I think your not wanting those opinions posted falls under the category of tough s**t.

LMAO! Good one dude! Or dudette!:lol:

Please don't say you was a little kid when you watched checking in because that doesn't count.


You can't say that it doesn't count if the person has a vivid memory of the show as a child. I remember vividly watching "The facts of life" at age seven when the store burned down and George Clooney joined the cast.

You can't say that it doesn't count if the person has a vivid memory of the show as a child. I remember vividly watching "The facts of life" at age seven when the store burned down and George Clooney joined the cast.


And I remember when George jefferson was stabbed in the alley at the age of 7 but i don't remember much else because I was only 7

Hmmm that's interesting. And maybe this "doesn't count" (but I don't care!) I would've been 11 or 12 when they did the spinoff and I remember watching it, my mom was a big fan of The Jeffersons so we watched Checking In too. I've been trying to remember the name of the show lately because I'd forgotten it. The only vivid memory of Checking In for me is a scene where Lyle (Larry Linville) tells Florence she's a neophyte (new to her job) Florence misunderstands and says something like Don't call me that, I'm a church going woman! LOL. But I remember thinking the show wasn't that funny.

I think Marla Gibbs going back to The Jeffersons is the only time I know of when they did a spinoff for a character and the spinoff got cancelled and the character went back on the original show. Or does anyone else know of any more instances like that? If there are I can't think of any. But I'd be really interested to know of any others.

Ed.

Hmmm that's interesting. And maybe this "doesn't count" (but I don't care!) I would've been 11 or 12 when they did the spinoff and I remember watching it, my mom was a big fan of The Jeffersons so we watched Checking In too. I've been trying to remember the name of the show lately because I'd forgotten it. The only vivid memory of Checking In for me is a scene where Lyle (Larry Linville) tells Florence she's a neophyte (new to her job) Florence misunderstands and says something like Don't call me that, I'm a church going woman! LOL. But I remember thinking the show wasn't that funny.

I think Marla Gibbs going back to The Jeffersons is the only time I know of when they did a spinoff for a character and the spinoff got cancelled and the character went back on the original show. Or does anyone else know of any more instances like that? If there are I can't think of any. But I'd be really interested to know of any others.

Ed.


11 or 12 is much better than 4 or 5 but I prefer the opinion of someone who was 18 or older. I mean at 11 how long does a TV show hold your attention?

Thanks, Ed for your comment. I enjoyed reading it. If you were young but still remembered the show, its ok.