Kari Michaelsen & Julie Piekarski in Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Parents (1983)


Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK_bMhcvT_M). Also of note: Marion Ross (Mrs. Cunningham).

Julie Pie's part is only at the beginning, up to the 5-minute mark.

So that's (apparently) how Julie and Kari connected!

I noticed Julie "follows" Kari on Instagram, and found that interesting.

So that's (apparently) how Julie and Kari connected!

I noticed Julie "follows" Kari on Instagram, and found that interesting.

Cool info, '80s!

It seems like Julie's really good at keeping in contact with old friends. Another thing I really respect about her.

Wow great find! Sue Ann Weaver and Katie Kanisky together!

Wow great find! Sue Ann Weaver and Katie Kanisky together!

It's too bad NBC never did any GAB/FOL crossovers... I know, I know. There were already "too many girls", and they didn't even let Kimberly Drummond come over. :lol:

It's too bad NBC never did any GAB/FOL crossovers... I know, I know. There were already "too many girls", and they didn't even let Kimberly Drummond come over. :lol:

Well, plus GaB was in California. But maybe Mrs. Garrett could have recommended Nell work for Mr. Drummond! :lol:

Well, plus GaB was in California. But maybe Mrs. Garrett could have recommended Nell work for Mr. Drummond! :lol:

:lol:

Well, plus GaB was in California. But maybe Mrs. Garrett could have recommended Nell work for Mr. Drummond! :lol:

Good one! :lol:

Oddly enough, Nell and Addie move to New York in one of the later seasons, ditching the girls and the original premise of the show. Wouldn't it have been cool to have seen Nell become the fourth Drummond housekeeper!? :lol:

Oddly enough, Nell and Addie move to New York in one of the later seasons, ditching the girls and the original premise of the show. Wouldn't it have been cool to have seen Nell become the fourth Drummond housekeeper!? :lol:

Oo, yes! Feasible! Great point!

Facts of Life and Gimme Me a Break had many ties to one another. Kati Michaelson's TV sister Lauri Handler was in the Girls School pilot in a non-speaking role. In the first season of Gimme a Break, our very own Cindy guested in an episode where she played a Blair like snob of a private social club. Much different than the jock girl we knew her to be on FOL.

Facts of Life and Gimme Me a Break had many ties to one another. Kati Michaelson's TV sister Lauri Handler was in the Girls School pilot in a non-speaking role.

What?! "Julie" was a background girl?! Can you point her out?

In the first season of Gimme a Break, our very own Cindy guested in an episode where she played a Blair like snob of a private social club. Much different than the jock girl we knew her to be on FOL.

Yeah, I loved her scene!

What?! "Julie" was a background girl?! Can you point her out?



Yeah, I loved her scene!

You can't miss her in this photo. Lauri Hendler is the girl in the white blouse in the back with the trademark Lauri Hendler oversized glasses. She obviously needed these glasses and they were not a show prop on Gimme a Break.
https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/the-girls-school-episode-24-pictured-felice-schachter-as-nancy-dana-picture-id138373974

You can't miss her in this photo. Lauri Hendler is the girl in the white blouse in the back with the trademark Lauri Hendler oversized glasses. She obviously needed these glasses and they were not a show prop on Gimme a Break.

Well spotted, 80s!

Lauri looks so young, there!

It's funny because over the years, we've discovered the names/info of some of these background girls, but we never spotted Lauri in these photos (which we've already pored over several times). Thanks for providing us with a bit more information.

Well spotted, 80s!

Lauri looks so young, there!

It's funny because over the years, we've discovered the names/info of some of these background girls, but we never spotted Lauri in these photos (which we've already pored over several times). Thanks for providing us with a bit more information.

One question on Jennifer. Was she suppose to be the "plus size" girl for the series before Mindy Kohn came aboard? I heard she was suppose to be among the first cast, but her acting was so bad, they went back to the starting board and Charlotte Rae remembered a certain girl at Westlake School, which Eastlake/Eastland was loosely based on.

One question on Jennifer. Was she suppose to be the "plus size" girl for the series before Mindy Kohn came aboard? I heard she was suppose to be among the first cast, but her acting was so bad, they went back to the starting board and Charlotte Rae remembered a certain girl at Westlake School, which Eastlake/Eastland was loosely based on.

I don't think Jennifer was supposed to be (or was) plus-sized. I don't think they had any plan to cast a heavy-set girl, until Charlotte spotted Mindy at Westlake.

I also don't think Jennifer's acting was bad, but she didn't have much to work with.... she didn't even get a frog, or even zits. She may have been scouted at the same time as Molly, because a Jennifer Rooney was doing major off-Broadway plays in San Francisco around the same time that Molly was spotted in Annie in SF, according to newspaper articles at the time.

Do we know for sure that's Laurie? I mean she is of course very similar-looking, but was her hair ever that dark?

If it's not concretely documented anywhere, we could always ask her on social media! :)

It does look like her. Could you ask, '80s?

It does look like her. Could you ask, '80s?

I will give it a try. All I can say from her Facebook page is that wow, has she really aged. There is a recent picture of her next to Thelma Hopkins and she looks older than Thelma Hopkins.

It does look like her. Could you ask, '80s?

I saw Lauri Handler say on her Facebook page in a post that she never appeared on Different Strokes or the Facts of Life.

I saw Lauri Handler say on her Facebook page in a post that she never appeared on Different Strokes or the Facts of Life.

Oh, well, that answers that!

The first thing I ever saw Lauri on was Little Lulu, an ABC Weekend Special, and its sequel.