We've talked about this on the Hazel board in the past, but I haven't seen any discussion here.

Did you know that One Day at a Time was co-created by actress Whitney Blake, who played Mrs. Baxter on Hazel (another Antenna-TV show). Her name is listed in the opening.

She originally created as a vehicle for herself to star in. I guess she shopped it around the networks for a few years before Lorman Lear took interest. By the time it was sold it to the network, they felt that Whitney was too old for the role so they hired Bonnie Franklin. Whitney would have been 49 years old in 1975, although she looked younger. Apparently, Whitney was devastated--especially when the series became a hit.

I got this information from Meredith Baxter Birney's biography because she is Whitney's daughter.

I just thought I'd bring this up because I've seen a lot of posts from people who don't seem to care for Bonnie Franklin, or felt she looked too young.

For those familiar with Whitney Blake's acting: Do you think she would have made a better Ann Romano?

She certainly was more glamorous, I felt. And the actor who played Ann's ex-husband was in his fifties, no?

Well, times were different in 1975 when ODAAT premiered and I don't think too many TV executives wanted a 49 year old female as the lead star of a show. I'm not saying this to be malicious because I'm 50 myself!

The 1980s seemed kinder to middle aged stars with Murder, She Wrote; The Golden Girls, Matlock and Diagnosis Murder.

I don't know what she looked like in 1975. I still remember her as she was on Hazel. I suppose she could have been alright in the role but I think Bonnie Franklin was great in it.

She might had done good to start with, but 9 years and 9 seasons later, would she still be good at that point ? Here is a picture of Whitney Blake about one year before One Day at a Time started. The picture of her is at 0:19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxMnCh9sUA8

Dang! Meredith Baxter looks just like her mom! That one is on the money!

Well, times were different in 1975 when ODAAT premiered and I don't think too many TV executives wanted a 49 year old female as the lead star of a show. I'm not saying this to be malicious because I'm 50 myself!

I don't know about that. Lucille Ball had just wrapped up her CBS series a year earlier and she was about to turn 63. And at the time ODAAT debuted, some of the biggest hits on CBS were Maude, starring 53 year-old Bea Arthur; Good Times, starring 55 year-old Esther Rolle; and The Jeffersons, starring 58 year-old Isabel Sanford. As for Whitney Blake, I always knew she created the show, but I never knew she ever intended to star on it. She was certainly a beautiful woman, especially during her years on Hazel.

LittleRickyII, Your point is well-taken on Bea Arthur and Maude. You are absolutely correct.

As far as Lucy goes, she was an icon even then. Didn't matter how old she was, she was different from any other person, woman or man. She was very special, and superstars like that can pretty much do anything.

LittleRickyII, Your point is well-taken on Bea Arthur and Maude. You are absolutely correct.

The thing about Bea Arthur was, outside of Broadway, she was pretty much unknown to the general public. She makes one appearance on All in the Family then, boom!, she's given her own show at 50 years old!

As far as Lucy goes, she was an icon even then. Didn't matter how old she was, she was different from any other person, woman or man. She was very special, and superstars like that can pretty much do anything.

You're right about that. Bad example, perhaps. She could do pretty much anything, and 26 years after she passed away, she's still doing it. :) Some news this week from CBS: On May 17 during the May sweeps, they're broadcasting two newly-colorized episodes of I Love Lucy, including the famous "L.A. at Last!" with William Holden:

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/i-love-lucy-special-cbs-1201473873/

Okay, back to the others. I also mentioned Esther Rolle, who was 53 when Good Times debuted, and Isabel Sanford, who was 57 when The Jeffersons debuted. So there were a few older actresses being given their own series. I'm not sure why Whitney Blake would be treated differently. She certainly wasn't too old to be playing a mother of teenagers. If anything, Bonnie Franklin, who was only 31, was too young for the part!

Yea and another person who worked on the show was Bud Wiser. I wonder if Bud was his real first name or a nickname?