I just watched the introduction of ADELAIDE BRUBAKER on DS, and i have to say that i find her adorable!
She reminded me so much of MRS G in some ways (feisty and no nonsense), but she's also got some of BEVERLY ANN in her (eccentric and crazy).;););)

Her interaction with ARNOLD, WILLIS and KIMBERLY was hilarious too: she sent them to do some work in the kitchen, and i can tell she will make sure there is no nonsense coming from them ha ha! (she even called ARNOLD 'shorty', when he made a reference how it was cool to have a housekeeper as short as him lol!):lol::lol::lol:

It was a fun episode to watch, and i can tell ADELAIDE is already a member of the family: she spends most of her time with the 3 children, and in a way i see her bonding more with the DS kids, just as MRS G bonded more with her 'Eastland girls'....

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

Adelaide and Pearl were funny but I don't think they had the same relationship with the kids that Mrs. Garrett had before them. There was never an episode that revolved around the kids and the housekeeper like "Mrs. Garrett's Crisis" or the final scene of "The Girls School". There was that season 3 episode where Arnold wants the temporary maid as his new mother but that wasn't really focused on Adelaide. Plus, she wasn't seen in many episodes, Edna appeared more than her and she was there only for a season and a half :lol:

Adelaide was a cool character. I always thought it was odd that she wasn't around more, but I guess that's what the actress wanted.

As ITA says, the later housekeepers were never quite as integrated into the family as Mrs. Garrett was, which really is a shame. I don't think Pearl even had her own episode... but Adelaide kind of did, with the substitute housekeeper.

I don't think Pearl even had her own episode... Pearl was total dullsville. I am glad no episodes were about her.

Pearl was total dullsville. I am glad no episodes were about her.

The only episode where I remember her even having a hint of a storyline was when she revealed she had epilepsy, in the epilepsy episode. There just wasn't much else to her, from what I recall.

Thank you for sharing all these information with me guys!

From what i understood, ADELAIDE didn't get to stay for very long either? (although MRS G had more of a presence) Any clues to why she left and was replaced by PEARL?
And when does PEARL first come to scene? In season 3 or later on?
I'm asking all those questions, cos i am very tempted to buy the following seasons just to see more of both Housekeeper's interactions with ARNOLD, WILLIS and KIMBERLY....

Thank you for sharing all these information with me guys!

From what i understood, ADELAIDE didn't get to stay for very long either? (although MRS G had more of a presence) Any clues to why she left and was replaced by PEARL?

The actress who played Adelaide, Nedra Volz, was offered a role on another series. She was in great demand, and moved over to The Dukes of Hazzard for a while. She was also on Filthy Rich, Alice, One Day at a Time, The Fall Guy, etc.


And when does PEARL first come to scene? In season 3 or later on?
I'm asking all those questions, cos i am very tempted to buy the following seasons just to see more of both Housekeeper's interactions with ARNOLD, WILLIS and KIMBERLY....

Pearl arrived in Season 5.

I just watched the introduction of ADELAIDE BRUBAKER on DS, and i have to say that i find her adorable!
She reminded me so much of MRS G in some ways (feisty and no nonsense), but she's also got some of BEVERLY ANN in her (eccentric and crazy).;););)

Her interaction with ARNOLD, WILLIS and KIMBERLY was hilarious too: she sent them to do some work in the kitchen, and i can tell she will make sure there is no nonsense coming from them ha ha! (she even called ARNOLD 'shorty', when he made a reference how it was cool to have a housekeeper as short as him lol!):lol::lol::lol:

It was a fun episode to watch, and i can tell ADELAIDE is already a member of the family: she spends most of her time with the 3 children, and in a way i see her bonding more with the DS kids, just as MRS G bonded more with her 'Eastland girls'....

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:


That's why season 3 and 4 are my favorite seasons. Wish she had stayed

Thank you for sharing all these information with me guys!

From what i understood, ADELAIDE didn't get to stay for very long either? (although MRS G had more of a presence) Any clues to why she left and was replaced by PEARL?
And when does PEARL first come to scene? In season 3 or later on?
I'm asking all those questions, cos i am very tempted to buy the following seasons just to see more of both Housekeeper's interactions with ARNOLD, WILLIS and KIMBERLY....

If you're a fan of DS in general, you should buy seasons 3 and 4. From best to worst I put:
1
3
4
2
5
6
8
7

The first four are the best in my opinion

That's why season 3 and 4 are my favorite seasons. Wish she had stayed


Mine too! I prefer seasons 3-4 over 2

The only episode where I remember her even having a hint of a storyline was when she revealed she had epilepsy, in the epilepsy episode. There just wasn't much else to her, from what I recall.

It's really a shame because Mary Jo Catlett is a great actress. Probably the writers didn't care anymore about the housekeeper since the kids were adults at that point and thought the role had become expendable. Seasons 7 and 8 were more focused on Arnold and Sam

It's really a shame because Mary Jo Catlett is a great actress. Probably the writers didn't care anymore about the housekeeper since the kids were adults at that point and thought the role had become expendable. Seasons 7 and 8 were more focused on Arnold and Sam

They really were focused on Arnold and Sam: even Gary Coleman said he didn't understand why Willis and Kimberly got so few episodes, in the final seasons.

They really were focused on Arnold and Sam: even Gary Coleman said he didn't understand why Willis and Kimberly got so few episodes, in the final seasons.

Because they were adults by that time

Because they were adults by that time

Adults can still have episodes about them. Certainly Mr. Drummond and Maggie had episodes.

Adults can still have episodes about them. Certainly Mr. Drummond and Maggie had episodes.

But they wasnt part of the household by that time

But they wasnt part of the household by that time

Surely they could still come over, and have episodes. There was no need to focus on Sam/Arnold that much. And it's kind of weird that Pearl never had an episode, despite working there every day.

Surely they could still come over, and have episodes. There was no need to focus on Sam/Arnold that much. And it's kind of weird that Pearl never had an episode, despite working there every day.

True but it was only going to be occasional due to their age and residence

The only episode where I remember her even having a hint of a storyline was when she revealed she had epilepsy, in the epilepsy episode. There just wasn't much else to her, from what I recall.

Right, and that was incidental at the end. The script was really about Arnold's and Sam's reactions to the street performer's behavior, which they didn't understand and it scared them (particularly Sam).

That's why season 3 and 4 are my favorite seasons. Wish she had stayed

Now that you mention that I wonder why she left. We know why Mrs. Garrett did.

Right, and that was incidental at the end. The script was really about Arnold's and Sam's reactions to the street performer's behavior, which they didn't understand and it scared them (particularly Sam).

Yep. It's been years since I last saw that episode, but it really was an Arnold/Sam episode, with just a hint of Pearl at the end.

But they wasnt part of the household by that time

Kimberly was living in Paris but Mr.Drummond, Maggie, Pearl and Willis were still there. What killed the show in my opinion was the constant attempt to replace Arnold and Gary's cuteness of the early seasons with Sam, the new Cousin Oliver :lol: It didn't work :lol:

Now that you mention that I wonder why she left. We know why Mrs. Garrett did.

Nedra Volz was working on Filthy Rich. Probably she left for a full time role on that show instead of a recurring guest work on DS.

Who is SAM????

Who is SAM????

Wait till you get to that season! No spoilers! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

Wait till you get to that season! No spoilers! :lol::lol::lol::lol:



Aye aye captain!

patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:patriot:

Sam is Arnold's fish in the aquarium lol

They really were focused on Arnold and Sam: even Gary Coleman said he didn't understand why Willis and Kimberly got so few episodes, in the final seasons.

I guess Dana getting pregnant really angered the producers so they didn’t want her to do much

Dana was gone for an entire season, I think the 7th. She did a few episodes for season 8.

I guess Dana getting pregnant really angered the producers so they didn’t want her to do much

I think if one of the actresses on the Facts of Life got pregnant in real life, they would have kept her on the show. But since they promoted Different Strokes as a family oriented show, that was treated differently.

Pregnancy aside, I'm sure that Dana's erratic behavior before then didn't help matters any.

Pregnancy aside, I'm sure that Dana's erratic behavior before then didn't help matters any.

Her erratic behavior was probably why she didn't appear on any Facts of Life shows other than Rough Housing. And she was pretty much not given many line exchanges with the other girls.

Pregnancy aside, I'm sure that Dana's erratic behavior before then didn't help matters any.

Weirdly, years ago, I saw an article where the producers stated they fired Dana not because of drug use, but solely due to her pregnancy, which feels so backwards to me.

But they did bring Dana back, to their credit, on an occasional basis; she's even in the final season's opening credits, albeit not credited. Still, there were still very few Willis or Kimberly episodes during the final two seasons.

I think her pregnancy was just an excuse. Many actresses work on a show during a pregnancy....Phylicia Rashad on The Cosby Show for example

I think her pregnancy was just an excuse. Many actresses work on a show during a pregnancy....Phylicia Rashad on The Cosby Show for example

I totally agree. Which is why it was so weird, for me, to see them insist it was all about her getting pregnant. So, so weird!

Right, and bringing her back made sense for the producers, too, because she wasn't a regular at that point and probably she was making a lot less $.

And thus began the downward spiral of Dana Plato.

I prefer seasons 3-4 over 2

Why, amico mio? :wave:

Yep. It's been years since I last saw that episode, but it really was an Arnold/Sam episode, with just a hint of Pearl at the end.

*EPISODE SPOILER*

*
*
*
*
*
*

(highlight here to see ---> ) And don't forget Pearl's vital part in the "Rashomon" take-off (boy, sitcoms loved to do that in the late '70s and early '80s!)--it's she who reveals to Kimberly at the very end what happened.

I think if one of the actresses on the Facts of Life got pregnant in real life, they would have kept her on the show. But since they promoted Different Strokes as a family oriented show, that was treated differently.

I don't know about that. After all, FOL was geared toward juvenile girls. And in TV Land naughty things like sex are big no-nos unless you're married adults.

And yes, I too love Adelaide. She's such a feisty little thing. She reminds me in some ways of my one grandmother I still have, who is 5 foot 1 at the most.

And Nedra (wonder where they got that name?) also did tiny guest appearances on "ALF" and "Designing Women".

Why, amico mio? :wave:


In my opinion, the writing and the stories are better. And there's Aunt Sophia, she's so hilarious :lol::lol:

In my opinion, the writing and the stories are better. And there's Aunt Sophia, she's so hilarious :lol::lol:

She is quite a hoot! :lol: