As we all know, Molly Ringwald appeared on the first episodes of The Facts of Life: she was in 14 of the first 15 episodes of the show, as well as two episodes of Diff'rent Strokes.

Molly played Molly Parker, a feminist student at Eastland School who had a lisp; she also operated a HAM radio, took photographs, and played the guitar.

I never found the feminist part of the character to really resonate. The writers never wrote an episode where a feminist would come in handy, so the feminist role was jarring and to me even seemed artificial or out of place at times. Nonetheless, Molly R brought a lot to the show as Molly P. But on a series with six other girls (as well as three adult actors), she never had a major role on the show, outside of the June 4th, 1980 episode of the program: "Molly's Holiday", where she starred.

But by the time that episode aired, it seems as though the producers were already planning a major cast purge: newspaper articles were reporting a shake-up on the set. Advertising for the show had shifted from all the girls to mostly showing Lisa Whelchel as Blair and Kim Fields as Tootie. The producers had found their stars, and much of the large cast would soon be culled, as NBC network executives were oddly convinced there were "too many girls" on a show set at a girls' school.

Different documentaries state different orders for how the cast was thinned out; all agree that Felice Schachter was the first actress let go, but then the order becomes more muddled. The E! documentary "True Hollywood Story: The Facts of Life" (1999) states that Julie Piekarski and Julie Anne Haddock were the next to go, with Molly later leaving to pursue film. But the Facts of Life documentary that aired on the Biography Channel disagrees, stating that Julie Anne was the last student to face expulsion from Eastland. It's not at all clear when John Lawlor was axed, but he, too, exited Eastland during the cast purge.

Whatever the order, by August 1980, the producers had definitely made their decisions about who would stay and who would go: a script from "The New Girl, part 2", dated August 25th, 1980, has surfaced online, and by the time of that script, Molly Ringwald's part as Molly Parker had been reduced to a recurring character with only a few lines, with a new girl, Jo Polniaczek, replacing Sue Ann, Nancy, Cindy and Molly.

Whatever your opinions on whether or not this improved the show, the way the cast purge happened could not have been easy for the five actors and actresses who were fired. Felice has stated that she felt rejected. Molly, however, seems to have taken it far more personally; articles from the 1980s state that she was "devastated" when she was demoted to a mere background character.

Nonetheless, Molly gamely agreed to appear as a recurring cast member; the August 25th script of "The New Girl, Part 2" gave her eight lines:

1. "Blair, I can't stand to see you working this hard. And as a mere waitress. It's so anti-woman."

2. "That's a blister."

3. "Well, try to hang in there."

4. "I guess."

5. "How you holding up?"

6. "I'll take the fudge square. Gee, I feel terrible the way you guys are being exploited. Do you want me to leak the story to the press?"

7. "Insist on life size. See you later."

8. "Come on, Margo. Lay off."

Unfortunately, some of Molly's lines (6 and 7) were cut, either prior to taping or in post-production. By the time of the November 1980 broadcast of "The New Girl, part 2", Molly's already small role had been reduced even further.

Although Molly had agreed to appear in a recurring role, after this episode, she never appeared on the show again, except in flashbacks to prior episodes. She stated she felt "humiliated", and in 1986, she stated in an interview that her sole guest appearance on FOL was her "worst job ever". Although it seems likely that Molly was invited to appear alongside the other Lost Girls in the episodes "Gossip" and "Sex Symbol", she did not appear. She also didn't return to the show for the 1986 "The Little Chill" reunion, and up until recently almost never spoke of her Facts of Life years. She did not appear on the 2006 DVD cast interviews, and she did not do the Entertainment Weekly oral history project (http://www.ew.com/microsites/longform/facts/).

Recently, Molly's attitude about the show has seemingly softened, and Molly has opened up a bit about her time on the show: she's talked about her not liking Mindy Cohn, she wished Charlotte Rae a happy birthday, and she even talked a bit about her being "let go" from the show. I'm really glad Molly has opened up and is now willing to talk, albeit briefly, about her time on FOL.

I've often wondered if things had been a little different, would Molly have stayed on The Facts of Life? If, for example, she hadn't been so alone in her sole guest appearance; unlike the other girls brought back in recurring parts, Molly was by herself, and didn't have the other actresses (Julie, Julie Anne, Felice) to interact with. Nancy McKeon and Lisa Whelchel have stated that they didn't feel awkward about working with the Lost Girls after they had been let go, but Molly clearly felt awkward and humiliated on the set, and having her already small scripted role further reduced cannot have been easy. (I suspect that Julie and Julie Anne's scripted roles in "Front Page" were also reduced, since part of their scene seems to have been left on the cutting room floor; we never see them exit the scene, but they are suddenly missing from the cafeteria table in their last appearance on the show until the 1986 reunion episode).

I also wonder if the camera part in "Pretty Babies" (remember, Molly had been a camera buff in the previous season) had originally been written for Molly, and the writers re-wrote the script, giving Tootie the camera, knowing by that episode that Molly was absolutely not going to continue in a recurring role. And I wonder what other episodes Molly might have appeared in, if things had been a little different.

I am trying to understand why you say she is in 14 of the first 15
episodes. I thought season one contains 13 episodes.If that is true,then are you saying that she was in every episode of season one and in the first episode of season two ? How tall was she compared Tootie ? Tootie is always the one they refer to as being short.

I am trying to understand why you say she is in 14 of the first 15
episodes. I thought season one contains 13 episodes.If that is true,then are you saying that she was in every episode of season one and in the first episode of season two ?

She was in the first thirteen episodes, and the second episode of season two. Fourteen of the first fifteen episodes.


How tall was she compared Tootie ? Tootie is always the one they refer to as being short.

Molly grew very tall in the months between season one and season two. There's a good comparison photo on this page (https://theveryspecialblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/the-facts-of-life-the-new-girl/). Molly appears to be taller than Jo.

A dissertation on a Lost Girl! ;) Fun! :)

I never found the feminist part of the character to really resonate. The writers never wrote an episode where a feminist would come in handy, so the feminist role was jarring and to me even seemed artificial or out of place at times.

I agree, but disagree. No they never truly wrote for her feminism, which is a shame and a lost opportunity, but her feminist personality did not seem out of place or fake to me. Rather, I compare it to Cindy's athleticism and being the tomboy; to me these characteristics of these two girls are what help them stand out from the pack (of 7, not 10 or 12 Mr. L, ha) and really differentiate them as individuals.

The producers had found their stars, and much of the large cast would soon be culled, as NBC network executives were oddly convinced there were "too many girls" on a show set at a girls' school.

LOL, "oddly" indeed! (??)


Nonetheless, Molly gamely agreed to appear as a recurring cast member; the August 25th script of "The New Girl, Part 2" gave her eight lines:

1. "Blair, I can't stand to see you working this hard. And as a mere waitress. It's so anti-woman."

2. "That's a blister."

3. "Well, try to hang in there."

4. "I guess."

5. "How you holding up?"

6. "I'll take the fudge square. Gee, I feel terrible the way you guys are being exploited. Do you want me to leak the story to the press?"

7. "Insist on life size. See you later."

8. "Come on, Margo. Lay off."

Technically, to me, it's 7 lines; there is no one else speaking between "I guess" and "How ya holdin' up?", and it is just the briefest of pauses between. I consider a line to be whatever a character says until another character speaks, unless there is some long non-spoken interruption (for example leaving the scene and then coming back in after a moment, etc.)

Unfortunately, some of Molly's lines (6 and 7) were cut, either prior to taping or in post-production. By the time of the November 1980 broadcast of "The New Girl, part 2", Molly's already small role had been reduced even further.

Remember Molly R., there are no small parts, only small actresses. ;)


Although it seems likely that Molly was invited to appear alongside the other Lost Girls in the episodes "Gossip" and "Sex Symbol",.

Oo, I hope that's true! I would love it if they still wanted Molly around then...although, considering how humiliated she was and how horrible she felt on the set of "The New Girl - Part 2", she probably made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the show "that replaced me with Nancy McKeon".


Recently, Molly's attitude about the show has seemingly softened, and Molly has opened up a bit about her time on the show:

Thank goodness!


she's talked about her not liking Mindy Cohn

Well, she never said (unless you have a source other than Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live?) that she didn't like Mindy, she just for some reason on the season one set felt that Mindy was "the mean girl" if she had to name someone that, lol. She was for some reason intimidated by her instead.


I also wonder if the camera part in "Pretty Babies" (remember, Molly had been a camera buff in the previous season) had originally been written for Molly, and the writers re-wrote the script, giving Tootie the camera, knowing by that episode that Molly was absolutely not going to continue in a recurring role.

Oo, that's very interesting...I doubt that since that was at the end of season two and again I think Molly was likely to tell them after her awful experience of "The New Girl - Part 2" that she didn't want anything to do with the show. But that's fun speculation!

One thing we also have to mention about Molly's character, whether you're a fan of this or not, lol, is the fact that she is the ONLY one of "our girls" to display an interest in music. They decide to make Molly musical, but they only have her sing twice in 13 episodes. Not only that, but why they did they waste a piano on the set?? You cannot tell me that in a dorm of 7 girls in the 1970s, not one of them would know how to play some piano. That is asking us to suspend disbelief too far!

I agree, but disagree. No they never truly wrote for her feminism, which is a shame and a lost opportunity, but her feminist personality did not seem out of place or fake to me. Rather, I compare it to Cindy's athleticism and being the tomboy; to me these characteristics of these two girls are what help them stand out from the pack (of 7, not 10 or 12 Mr. L, ha) and really differentiate them as individuals.

Oh, I do agree that it did help differentiate her from the other girls.


Technically, to me, it's 7 lines; there is no one else speaking between "I guess" and "How ya holdin' up?", and it is just the briefest of pauses between. I consider a line to be whatever a character says until another character speaks, unless there is some long non-spoken interruption (for example leaving the scene and then coming back in after a moment, etc.)

Normally, I'd count the same way as you do, because we normally just have the episode itself. But in this case, we have the actual script. There is a stage direction for Tootie, then, on a new line, Molly has more dialogue. Seemed like a new line to me, but YMMV.


Oo, I hope that's true! I would love it if they still wanted Molly around then...although, considering how humiliated she was and how horrible she felt on the set of "The New Girl - Part 2", she probably made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the show "that replaced me with Nancy McKeon".


I've watched the Lost Girls' dialogue for "Sex Symbol" and "Gossip", and it seems to me like the writers were writing for four. Speculation only, but check it out yourself.


Well, she never said (unless you have a source other than Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live?) that she didn't like Mindy, she just for some reason on the season one set felt that Mindy was "the mean girl" if she had to name someone that, lol. She was for some reason intimidated by her instead.

Well, to me, if someone asks you who the "mean girl" on FOL was, and you say "Mindy Cohn", and then say (paraphrased) "but I've since met her and she's a very lovely person", it sure sounds like there was a conflict on the set. Did it happen during the first season or during the second? We'll probably never know...


Oo, that's very interesting...I doubt that since that was at the end of season two and again I think Molly was likely to tell them after her awful experience of "The New Girl - Part 2" that she didn't want anything to do with the show. But that's fun speculation!

But wouldn't "Pretty Babies" have been written in the August to November period, well before "The New Girl, part 2" was even filmed?


One thing we also have to mention about Molly's character, whether you're a fan of this or not, lol, is the fact that she is the ONLY one of "our girls" to display an interest in music. They decide to make Molly musical, but they only have her sing twice in 13 episodes.

Oh, later on Tootie sings quite a bit, both at Eastland and in post-Eastland years. And Jo learns the piano, presumably after the Eastland years, since Brenda has to play the piano during the production of "South Pacific". But you're right: during the first season, Molly does appear to be the only one with any musical talent.


Not only that, but why they did they waste a piano on the set?? You cannot tell me that in a dorm of 7 girls in the 1970s, not one of them would know how to play some piano. That is asking us to suspend disbelief too far!

Haha! :lol: Good point. Maybe that piano was broken during the first season. Otherwise, I suspect Mrs. G would have been on it herself.

Anyway, great responses. Fun, as always, to get your take. (I'm thinking of writing a little bit about Julie Anne, who ended up being a wasted talent on the show. But these posts take up so much time to try to write coherently.)

Normally, I'd count the same way as you do, because we normally just have the episode itself. But in this case, we have the actual script. There is a stage direction for Tootie, then, on a new line, Molly has more dialogue. Seemed like a new line to me, but YMMV.

I do see your point. There's the audible way we hear it, and then there's the way it's printed out in the script. And now I'm wondering if her line to Blair "Well, try to hang in there" was cut? I can play her other lines in my memory bank and how she says them, but I can't hear that one...


I've watched the Lost Girls' dialogue for "Sex Symbol" and "Gossip", and it seems to me like the writers were writing for four. Speculation only, but check it out yourself.

How do you perceive that? I don't mean that to sound doubting or criticizing, I'm just curious how you mean this...how you "hear" writing for four girls when there are only three?


Well, to me, if someone asks you who the "mean girl" on FOL was, and you say "Mindy Cohn", and then say (paraphrased) "but I've since met her and she's a very lovely person", it sure sounds like there was a conflict on the set. Did it happen during the first season or during the second? We'll probably never know...

I haven't watched the video in a while, but I still feel 100% sure Andy Cohen asked who was the mean girl on the set of FOL "during the first season". And you can be intimidated by someone without disliking them. In fact, when Andy and Molly discussed this, I pictured Molly as actually hoping to be friends with Mindy, but she was just---as she said---intimidated by her; she couldn't explain why. It was like she was mystified by it.


But wouldn't "Pretty Babies" have been written in the August to November period, well before "The New Girl, part 2" was even filmed?

Would it? I have no idea. :lol: But still, the camera is a pivotal plot device to get Tootie noticed by Mr. Dutton, thereby sealing her "fate" as his new model discovery. So it could be purely a coincidence.


Oh, later on Tootie sings quite a bit, both at Eastland and in post-Eastland years. And Jo learns the piano, presumably after the Eastland years, since Brenda has to play the piano during the production of "South Pacific". But you're right: during the first season, Molly does appear to be the only one with any musical talent.

Yeah, I meant just during the first season. As for Jo, she should NOT know how to play the piano. I think it was absolutely ludicrous of veteran script writers Linda and Margie to write that as part of Jo's character. That is something else that suspends disbelief WAY too far IMO (I feel very strongly about this, lol).


Haha! :lol: Good point. Maybe that piano was broken during the first season. Otherwise, I suspect Mrs. G would have been on it herself.

Oo, Mrs. Garrett tickling the ivories! That would have been great, too. :)


Anyway, great responses. Fun, as always, to get your take. (I'm thinking of writing a little bit about Julie Anne, who ended up being a wasted talent on the show. But these posts take up so much time to try to write coherently.)

lol, I know what you mean...tough to write when you're working too, lol. And yeah, Julie Anne was in the limelight right from the pilot...at least she somewhat found her way back to it with "Running", and kept some nice continuity for us fans by appearing sporadically in the cafeteria years (even beyond "Gossip", "Sex Symbol", and "Front Page", thanks to some non-speaking background appearances).

I do see your point. There's the audible way we hear it, and then there's the way it's printed out in the script. And now I'm wondering if her line to Blair "Well, try to hang in there" was cut? I can play her other lines in my memory bank and how she says them, but I can't hear that one...

It's on my DVD copy (Mill Creek, Season Two). It's funny how many lines we remember from this show.


How do you perceive that? I don't mean that to sound doubting or criticizing, I'm just curious how you mean this...how you "hear" writing for four girls when there are only three?

There are certain scenes where the Lost Girls are given one line each, but one girl gets an additional line or two, as if another girl was expected.

And look at the blocking for "Sex Symbol", in the cafeteria scene. The three Lost Girls aren't sitting "Golden Girls"-style at the table, as you would expect to see if the plan was originally to have only three girls sitting at the table. In that situation, the three girls would sit around the three sides of the table opposite the "fourth wall".

Instead, Sue Ann and Nancy are on Stage Right of the table, while Cindy is by herself on Stage Left of the table, with room for one more. As if they expected one more person to be sitting at that table, and the table blocking was never re-done.








I haven't watched the video in a while, but I still feel 100% sure Andy Cohen asked who was the mean girl on the set of FOL "during the first season". And you can be intimidated by someone without disliking them. In fact, when Andy and Molly discussed this, I pictured Molly as actually hoping to be friends with Mindy, but she was just---as she said---intimidated by her; she couldn't explain why. It was like she was mystified by it.

I think she just didn't want to say too much. She was trying to be nice. They had some huge fight about which we're just now starting to hear the juicy details. Molly needs to write about that instead of writing chapter after chapter about that one time when she was out with her twelve best friends, wearing her swankiest lipstick, eating fancy French food and fancy French wine served in a picturesque cafe overlooking the River Seine when suddenly, Gerard Depardieu showed up singing a jaunty French tune.


Would it? I have no idea. :lol: But still, the camera is a pivotal plot device to get Tootie noticed by Mr. Dutton, thereby sealing her "fate" as his new model discovery. So it could be purely a coincidence.

Yep, absolutely. I just wonder, due to Tootie suddenly using a camera, when Molly was previously the photographer. And the fact that that episode had another Lost Girl in it, and they tended to appear together in the same episodes (though not exclusively).



As for Jo, she should NOT know how to play the piano. I think it was absolutely ludicrous of veteran script writers Linda and Margie to write that as part of Jo's character. That is something else that suspends disbelief WAY too far IMO (I feel very strongly about this, lol).

Totally agree. When did she learn? Why was it never mentioned? It came out of the blue, and didn't seem like Jo at all.



And yeah, Julie Anne was in the limelight right from the pilot...at least she somewhat found her way back to it with "Running", and kept some nice continuity for us fans by appearing sporadically in the cafeteria years (even beyond "Gossip", "Sex Symbol", and "Front Page", thanks to some non-speaking background appearances).

Wait... Julie Anne did non-speaking background appearances?! WHERE?!!!

It's on my DVD copy (Mill Creek, Season Two). It's funny how many lines we remember from this show.

Yes, and how we can play them in our mind like a VCR. I can totally hear Molly's "New Girl" lines in my head, and how she says them with her inflections and deliveries, but I cannot hear "Well, try to hang in there" at all---interesting! I'll have to pay attention to really notice that next time I watch this one.


There are certain scenes where the Lost Girls are given one line each, but one girl gets an additional line or two, as if another girl was expected.

Well, I'm hoping the Lost Girls were written for this way, with a couple of lines each. Only having one line each would just be sadder and more pathetic.

You do have a good point though of when were the scripts written? Because yes, they definitely could have written Molly into those shows and then handed off her lines to Cindy, Sue Ann, and Nancy. Very interesting!


Instead, Sue Ann and Nancy are on Stage Right of the table, while Cindy is by herself on Stage Left of the table, with room for one more. As if they expected one more person to be sitting at that table, and the table blocking was never re-done.

Yes, good point!


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Well, I don't think anything happened. But if Molly Ringwald ever says otherwise, then of course that is different, lol. We'll just have to have our own opinions unless more is ever said.

Totally agree. When did she learn? Why was it never mentioned? It came out of the blue, and didn't seem like Jo at all.

It's NOT Jo at all. That does not fit with anything in her character from the first five seasons. And to be that good a piano player, you would have to practice and practice and practice, and I don't see her being able to practice in secret at Eastland for five or six years. I adore most of Linda and Margie's scripts, but this idea is TERRIBLE (on a related note, I also detest their script "Best Sister").


Wait... Julie Anne did non-speaking background appearances?! WHERE?!!!

:lol: Yes, she did!

Now, it's been a while since I've watched "Facts", but I think she is seen in the dance party scene of "Who Am I?", and she is seen near the kitchen door drinking punch and socializing in the box dinner auction scene of "Kids Can Be Cruel". I believe Nancy is seen there as well?

Also, the episode where Mrs. Garrett is helping a girl in different braids with embroidery, and Nancy tells the girl "Come on, we have to get to class" and the braided girl says "Thanks Mrs. Garrett!"---a friend mine thinks that is Cindy! I'm not sure though, we'd have to scrutinize that since this girl's braid hairstyle is different.

What was the 1979 fall seasons day and time for the Eastern time zone ?
I know what the winter of 1979 was and all the way to the end of the series.
If you can post a link or say which website and/or person you heard this from,that would be a bonus,since I can not find this information anywhere.
I think the 1979 fall first season may had aired a different day and/or time then the 1979 winter first season.In other words,I am not sure the first season was all aired the same day and/or at the same time during the entire first season.

What was the 1979 fall seasons day and time for the Eastern time zone ?
I know what the winter of 1979 was and all the way to the end of the series.
If you can post a link or say which website and/or person you heard this from,that would be a bonus,since I can not find this information anywhere.
I think the 1979 fall first season may had aired a different day and/or time then the 1979 winter first season.In other words,I am not sure the first season was all aired the same day and/or at the same time during the entire first season.

From August to September 1979, it aired on Fridays from 8:30-9:00. Then the series went on hiatus until March 1980, when it again aired from 8:30-9:00 on Fridays.

From June to July 1980, the show aired on Wednesdays from 9:30-10:00. From August to October, it moved back to Fridays. During the summer months, the ratings were much stronger, as people had already seen the CBS and ABC shows that were airing as summer reruns.

The schedule info is according to Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, authors of The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable Shows.

Well, I don't think anything happened. But if Molly Ringwald ever says otherwise, then of course that is different, lol. We'll just have to have our own opinions unless more is ever said.

Yes. Agree to disagree.


It's NOT Jo at all. That does not fit with anything in her character from the first five seasons. And to be that good a piano player, you would have to practice and practice and practice, and I don't see her being able to practice in secret at Eastland for five or six years. I adore most of Linda and Margie's scripts, but this idea is TERRIBLE (on a related note, I also detest their script "Best Sister").

I agree that episode has very wonky writing. Both Blair and Jo were acting very out of character.



:lol: Yes, she did!

Now, it's been a while since I've watched "Facts", but I think she is seen in the dance party scene of "Who Am I?", and she is seen near the kitchen door drinking punch and socializing in the box dinner auction scene of "Kids Can Be Cruel". I believe Nancy is seen there as well?

I've just watched the two episodes in question, and I do not see neither Cindy nor Nancy in either scene. I do see Nancy, Sue Ann, and Cindy in the crowd scenes in "Sex Symbol", where Cindy is by the punch bowl next to the kitchen door, and Sue Ann and Nancy are mingling.


Also, the episode where Mrs. Garrett is helping a girl in different braids with embroidery, and Nancy tells the girl "Come on, we have to get to class" and the braided girl says "Thanks Mrs. Garrett!"---a friend mine thinks that is Cindy! I'm not sure though, we'd have to scrutinize that since this girl's braid hairstyle is different.

What episode is that?

Yes. Agree to disagree.

But I don't like to disagree! :lol: I think Andy even asked Molly why, and she said something like "I don't know, she just seemed...[blah blah blah]", like it really was an unanswered mystery to her she couldn't pinpoint. I haven't watched that video in over a year though, so I'd have to watch it again.


I've just watched the two episodes in question, and I do not see neither Cindy nor Nancy in either scene. I do see Nancy, Sue Ann, and Cindy in the crowd scenes in "Sex Symbol", where Cindy is by the punch bowl next to the kitchen door, and Sue Ann and Nancy are mingling.

Ahh, "SS", sorry (like I said in another post, it's been a couple of years since I've screened the classic years ). I knew I saw Cindy with her hair down dressed in black/blue drinking punch in a social scene [I]somewhere. I'm sorry to have gotten your hopes up that she appeared in an episode or two non-speaking.


What episode is that?

I can't remember, and I can't look it up right now (IMDB is blocked at work), but I'll research it. :)

But I don't like to disagree! :lol: I think Andy even asked Molly why, and she said something like "I don't know, she just seemed...[blah blah blah]", like it really was an unanswered mystery to her she couldn't pinpoint.

Or like she didn't want to bring up the past. Which is very mature of her. But I want the whole juicy story now. :lol:


I can't remember, and I can't look it up right now (IMDB is blocked at work), but I'll research it. :)

Thanks!


Oh. One thing I forgot to mention about that "The New Girl, Part Two" script, which is kind of cool: I suspect the scan I attached is a copy of the script that Molly Ringwald herself used. Her parts are underlined in that script, and the blocking diagram of the cafeteria is the route that she and Margo took through the cafeteria.

Oh. One thing I forgot to mention about that "The New Girl, Part Two" script, which is kind of cool: I suspect the scan I attached is a copy of the script that Molly Ringwald herself used. Her parts are underlined in that script, and the blocking diagram of the cafeteria is the route that she and Margo took through the cafeteria.

Oo, yes, good to know!

If there was tension between Molly and Mindy was so bad where it affected the quality of their exchange of lines, they have have decided to cut that out of the final release of the ready to air episode.

If there was tension between Molly and Mindy was so bad where it affected the quality of their exchange of lines, they have have decided to cut that out of the final release of the ready to air episode.

That's certainly possible. But because we've actually seen Felice's cut lines in "Overachieving", and there was nothing wrong with them, and we've also seen the line referencing Molly in "The Little Chill" that is also often cut, I suspect that the producers simply just cut out Lost Girls scenes whenever possible, for syndication purposes (selling more ad time). The producers focused instead on the Core Four, leaving other girls' scenes on the cutting room floor.

That's certainly possible. But because we've actually seen Felice's cut lines in "Overachieving", and there was nothing wrong with them, and we've also seen the line referencing Molly in "The Little Chill" that is also often cut, I suspect that the producers simply just cut out Lost Girls scenes whenever possible, for syndication purposes (selling more ad time). The producers focused instead on the Core Four, leaving other girls' scenes on the cutting room floor.

But didn't they say that Molly's mother wouldn't tell them what she was busy with in the Little Chill? I took that as being a hint that Molly stopped communicating with them in real life as well as the FOL universe. Obviously the characters had not been communicating with Molly Parker recently if they didn't know what she was busy with and her mother refusing to tell them was basically telling the girls to "Leave us alone".

But didn't they say that Molly's mother wouldn't tell them what she was busy with in the Little Chill? I took that as being a hint that Molly stopped communicating with them in real life as well as the FOL universe. Obviously the characters had not been communicating with Molly Parker recently if they didn't know what she was busy with and her mother refusing to tell them was basically telling the girls to "Leave us alone".

Yeah, there's no way Molly Ringwald, star of absolutely huge 1980s films and on the cover of Time Magazine, would have lowered herself to an appearance on FOL, a show where she had previously been "let go". I'm pretty sure that line was a nod to Molly, acknowledging the fact that she was an in-demand actress too busy with work to do a guest appearance on FOL.

If there was tension between Molly and Mindy was so bad where it affected the quality of their exchange of lines, they have have decided to cut that out of the final release of the ready to air episode.

I highly doubt that. We have never been told there was any tension between them on the set like that that caused any problems. I think it's like what Retro said, just cutting what was expendable for time constraints. And Natalie was at the end of the line in TNG 2, so it only makes sense to cut that exchange if you're going to cut one.


But didn't they say that Molly's mother wouldn't tell them what she was busy with in the Little Chill?

No, I believe Tootie said "She didn't say. She just said she was busy." That doesn't have to be anything rude or holding back at all. We didn't hear the conversation or what may have been going on on the other end of the line. Maybe Molly's mom had her hands full and was trying to get off the phone.


I took that as being a hint that Molly stopped communicating with them in real life as well as the FOL universe. Obviously the characters had not been communicating with Molly Parker recently if they didn't know what she was busy with and her mother refusing to tell them was basically telling the girls to "Leave us alone".

Well I get the sense the core four hadn't been communicating with any of the Lost Girls recently, maybe since season 4's graduation (except obviously Natalie and Cindy graduating together, in my faniverse). That's what makes the greeting upon their reunion so full of joy and nostalgia and "old home week". :grouphug:

As we all know, Molly Ringwald appeared on the first episodes of The Facts of Life: she was in 14 of the first 15 episodes of the show, as well as two episodes of Diff'rent Strokes.

Molly played Molly Parker, a feminist student at Eastland School who had a lisp; she also operated a HAM radio, took photographs, and played the guitar.

I never found the feminist part of the character to really resonate. The writers never wrote an episode where a feminist would come in handy, so the feminist role was jarring and to me even seemed artificial or out of place at times. Nonetheless, Molly R brought a lot to the show as Molly P. But on a series with six other girls (as well as three adult actors), she never had a major role on the show, outside of the June 4th, 1980 episode of the program: "Molly's Holiday", where she starred.

But by the time that episode aired, it seems as though the producers were already planning a major cast purge: newspaper articles were reporting a shake-up on the set. Advertising for the show had shifted from all the girls to mostly showing Lisa Whelchel as Blair and Kim Fields as Tootie. The producers had found their stars, and much of the large cast would soon be culled, as NBC network executives were oddly convinced there were "too many girls" on a show set at a girls' school.

Different documentaries state different orders for how the cast was thinned out; all agree that Felice Schachter was the first actress let go, but then the order becomes more muddled. The E! documentary "True Hollywood Story: The Facts of Life" (1999) states that Julie Piekarski and Julie Anne Haddock were the next to go, with Molly later leaving to pursue film. But the Facts of Life documentary that aired on the Biography Channel disagrees, stating that Julie Anne was the last student to face expulsion from Eastland. It's not at all clear when John Lawlor was axed, but he, too, exited Eastland during the cast purge.

Whatever the order, by August 1980, the producers had definitely made their decisions about who would stay and who would go: a script from "The New Girl, part 2", dated August 25th, 1980, has surfaced online, and by the time of that script, Molly Ringwald's part as Molly Parker had been reduced to a recurring character with only a few lines, with a new girl, Jo Polniaczek, replacing Sue Ann, Nancy, Cindy and Molly.

Whatever your opinions on whether or not this improved the show, the way the cast purge happened could not have been easy for the five actors and actresses who were fired. Felice has stated that she felt rejected. Molly, however, seems to have taken it far more personally; articles from the 1980s state that she was "devastated" when she was demoted to a mere background character.

Nonetheless, Molly gamely agreed to appear as a recurring cast member; the August 25th script of "The New Girl, Part 2" gave her eight lines:

1. "Blair, I can't stand to see you working this hard. And as a mere waitress. It's so anti-woman."

2. "That's a blister."

3. "Well, try to hang in there."

4. "I guess."

5. "How you holding up?"

6. "I'll take the fudge square. Gee, I feel terrible the way you guys are being exploited. Do you want me to leak the story to the press?"

7. "Insist on life size. See you later."

8. "Come on, Margo. Lay off."

Unfortunately, some of Molly's lines (6 and 7) were cut, either prior to taping or in post-production. By the time of the November 1980 broadcast of "The New Girl, part 2", Molly's already small role had been reduced even further.

Although Molly had agreed to appear in a recurring role, after this episode, she never appeared on the show again, except in flashbacks to prior episodes. She stated she felt "humiliated", and in 1986, she stated in an interview that her sole guest appearance on FOL was her "worst job ever". Although it seems likely that Molly was invited to appear alongside the other Lost Girls in the episodes "Gossip" and "Sex Symbol", she did not appear. She also didn't return to the show for the 1986 "The Little Chill" reunion, and up until recently almost never spoke of her Facts of Life years. She did not appear on the 2006 DVD cast interviews, and she did not do the Entertainment Weekly oral history project (http://www.ew.com/microsites/longform/facts/).

Recently, Molly's attitude about the show has seemingly softened, and Molly has opened up a bit about her time on the show: she's talked about her not liking Mindy Cohn, she wished Charlotte Rae a happy birthday, and she even talked a bit about her being "let go" from the show. I'm really glad Molly has opened up and is now willing to talk, albeit briefly, about her time on FOL.

I've often wondered if things had been a little different, would Molly have stayed on The Facts of Life? If, for example, she hadn't been so alone in her sole guest appearance; unlike the other girls brought back in recurring parts, Molly was by herself, and didn't have the other actresses (Julie, Julie Anne, Felice) to interact with. Nancy McKeon and Lisa Whelchel have stated that they didn't feel awkward about working with the Lost Girls after they had been let go, but Molly clearly felt awkward and humiliated on the set, and having her already small scripted role further reduced cannot have been easy. (I suspect that Julie and Julie Anne's scripted roles in "Front Page" were also reduced, since part of their scene seems to have been left on the cutting room floor; we never see them exit the scene, but they are suddenly missing from the cafeteria table in their last appearance on the show until the 1986 reunion episode).

I also wonder if the camera part in "Pretty Babies" (remember, Molly had been a camera buff in the previous season) had originally been written for Molly, and the writers re-wrote the script, giving Tootie the camera, knowing by that episode that Molly was absolutely not going to continue in a recurring role. And I wonder what other episodes Molly might have appeared in, if things had been a little different.

There was one area where the young women writer got the facts wrong.
They continued to try focusing on all of the girls in their own stories at one time or another—there were episodes that featured Molly, Cindy, Sue Ann, and Nancy—but the only ones that really got to pop were the three that they ended up keeping for season 2: Blair, Natalie, and Tootie.

Natalie got only one episode done where she was the feature story. Sue Ann was right up there with Blair and Tootie,

There was one area where the young women writer got the facts wrong.

Natalie got only one episode done where she was the feature story. Sue Ann was right up there with Blair and Tootie,

Who is the young woman writer?

S1 was definitely, as you say, the Blair-Tootie-Sue Ann Show (featuring some other girls).

Who is the young woman writer?

S1 was definitely, as you say, the Blair-Tootie-Sue Ann Show (featuring some other girls).

The writer's name was Sally Sussman-Morina. According to IMDB, she wrote for the "Shoplifting" and "Sex Symbol" episodes. Thus, she was not around for Season 1.

Who is the young woman writer?

S1 was definitely, as you say, the Blair-Tootie-Sue Ann Show (featuring some other girls).




You're absolutely right Retro: in season 1, BLAIR was the lead followed by SUE ANN and TOOTIE! (depending on the episode)

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