How much did Lisa, Kim, and Mindy know about the Great Purge after Season 1?

Lisa said they didn't know about it until they showed up for taping of the first episode of Season 2. Kim, meanwhile, said many times over that she thought she was going to be one of the girls fired. Mindy, meanwhile, never said anything on the subject. Since her agent was Felice's mother at the time, I doubt she didn't know about it.

It could be that both Lisa and Kim are correct. Lisa was shy and led a sheltered childhood and may not have had much contact with her costars during the off-season by some accounts. Meanwhile, there have been reports that Kim had to compete with Molly to see which preteen to keep.

News of the Cast Purge was in newspapers by August. It seems inconceivable that Lisa, Kim, and Mindy didn't know in October.

I can post at least two articles and one video which show the public was already aware.

News of the Cast Purge was in newspapers by August. It seems inconceivable that Lisa, Kim, and Mindy didn't know in October.

I can post at least two articles and one video which show the public was already aware.

No offense to you, but if you ( who has, in the past, bought Miss Welchel's spins more readily than I have) aren't believing she and the other Season Two castmates were truly ignorant of the others having been let go, then IMO that's TRULY a baldfaced lie on her part!

While Miss Fields appears to have been the most honest about the knowledge and timing of the casting decisions, I think we can still give Miss Cohn the benefit of the doubt that she's not attempted to lie or spin the timing just because she's never commented on it.

No offense to you, but if you ( who has, in the past, bought Miss Welchel's spins more readily than I have) aren't believing she and the other Season Two castmates were truly ignorant of the others having been let go, then IMO that's TRULY a baldfaced lie on her part!

I'm not at all offended, believe me! :) I LOVE conversations like this, and appreciate your comments. It's comments like yours, and 80sDude's, which keep this board a happening, fun place to read and reply.

I'm not prepared to say Lisa was lying. I don't know what newspapers she read, or how sheltered she was during her summer back in Texas. I think it's possible she didn't know, but it feels unlikely. Certainly Kim seems to have known, since she says she thought she was getting cut because she was the black girl and didn't fit in with the white cast. Why did a (roughly) 11-year-old know the news, and a (roughly) 16-year-old did not? (I know, I know: cause Tootie was a bigger gossip than Blair! :lol: )


While Miss Fields appears to have been the most honest about the knowledge and timing of the casting decisions, I think we can still give Miss Cohn the benefit of the doubt that she's not attempted to lie or spin the timing just because she's never commented on it.

I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. ...Well, not Warren Littlefield. :lol:

Meanwhile, there have been reports that Kim had to compete with Molly to see which preteen to keep.

I never took this to mean there was an actual competition (like, for example, an audition), only that producers did compare the two in deciding "who was to stay and who was to go" (in Charlotte's words; she says she wasn't involved in that process, and I believe her, though she was brought in to approve Nancy McKeon's addition).

I suppose the process of elimination was quite messy, likely involving multiple meetings while the "herd is thinned", but the fan in me imagines a group of execs and producers at a table at the studio, gathered around the photos (head shots) of seven young girls. Paperclips hold a paper with their resumes and profiles to the back of the photo. Warren Littlefield is clueless as to why there are only seven photos being passed around the table ("Did we already get rid of three, five girls?" he thinks to himself). :lol:

I never took this to mean there was an actual competition (like, for example, an audition), only that producers did compare the two in deciding "who was to stay and who was to go" (in Charlotte's words; she says she wasn't involved in that process, and I believe her, though she was brought in to approve Nancy McKeon's addition).

I suppose the process of elimination was quite messy, likely involving multiple meetings while the "herd is thinned", but the fan in me imagines a group of execs and producers at a table at the studio, gathered around the photos (head shots) of seven young girls. Paperclips hold a paper with their resumes and profiles to the back of the photo. Warren Littlefield is clueless as to why there are only seven photos being passed around the table ("Did we already get rid of three, five girls?" he thinks to himself). :lol:

I think that Jerry Meyer has said that there was lots of disagreements and tension deciding who to cut. He wanted to keep Molly. " I still think it’s funny that, of the girls they decided to cut, one of them was Molly Ringwald, who, even though they were all very talented, went on to be the biggest star of the bunch. I remember thinking, “God, I hate to lose her, because she really has talent!”

Warren Littlefield probably thought he was getting rid of 3 or 5 dozen girls.

Any of you guys ever mock up one of those Purge movie posters with Nancy, Molly, Sue Ann, and Cindy?

Any of you guys ever mock up one of those Purge movie posters with Nancy, Molly, Sue Ann, and Cindy?

That sounds hilarious!

I think that Jerry Meyer has said that there was lots of disagreements and tension deciding who to cut. He wanted to keep Molly. " I still think it’s funny that, of the girls they decided to cut, one of them was Molly Ringwald, who, even though they were all very talented, went on to be the biggest star of the bunch. I remember thinking, “God, I hate to lose her, because she really has talent!”

That's a good point. However, if even the show's co-developer and producer couldn't keep the girl he wanted, something got seriously messed up.


Warren Littlefield probably thought he was getting rid of 3 or 5 dozen girls.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

That sounds hilarious!

Get to it Retro! ;)

Mindy, meanwhile, never said anything on the subject.

While Miss Fields appears to have been the most honest about the knowledge and timing of the casting decisions, I think we can still give Miss Cohn the benefit of the doubt that she's not attempted to lie or spin the timing just because she's never commented on it.

But Mindy has commented on it. It's in one of the interviews, I believe one of the season 1 & 2 DVD bonus features? When they talk about the purge, they cut to Mindy saying something to the effect of, "We show up, and it's like, okay where'd everybody go?" (italics for exact quote)

So she made it sound like she had no idea either.

But I'm with Retro. It seems completely inconceivable, in as small an acting industry there was at the time, and with Hollywood reports in print months prior, and agents and parents who surely "gossiped", that the girls would not have known.

Get to it Retro! ;)

Haha! Sassy-pants Lorsie! :lol:

But Mindy has commented on it. It's in one of the interviews, I believe one of the season 1 & 2 DVD bonus features? When they talk about the purge, they cut to Mindy saying something to the effect of, "We show up, and it's like, okay where'd everybody go?" (italics for exact quote)

So she made it sound like she had no idea either.

But I'm with Retro. It seems completely inconceivable, in as small an acting industry there was at the time, and with Hollywood reports in print months prior, and agents and parents who surely "gossiped", that the girls would not have known.

Especially when Mindy's agent was Felice's mother.

^---Yup.

Also, with something as unbelievable as Lisa's claims, we have to consider the factor these are actors talking about a job they they had 30, 40 years ago (considering when the DVD interviews were recorded, and any later similar statements). Sometimes people just honestly misremember or forget things.

I've caught Vicki Lawrence doing that in a few interviews where she didn't get something correct. For example, she's claimed Mama never smiled on the Burnett show, and that is not true. Mama smiled in more than Family sketch, and, in fact, in her very first appearance, Mama actually smiled and joked and got silly and laughed regarding her little doggie!

So perhaps Lisa did hear about the purge and forgot, or she didn't take it seriously when she heard it so dismissed it as gossip, or who knows?

^---Yup.

Also, with something as unbelievable as Lisa's claims, we have to consider the factor these are actors talking about a job they they had 30, 40 years ago (considering when the DVD interviews were recorded, and any later similar statements). Sometimes people just honestly misremember or forget things.

I've caught Vicki Lawrence doing that in a few interviews where she didn't get something correct. For example, she's claimed Mama never smiled on the Burnett show, and that is not true. Mama smiled in more than Family sketch, and, in fact, in her very first appearance, Mama actually smiled and joked and got silly and laughed regarding her little doggie!

So perhaps Lisa did hear about the purge and forgot, or she didn't take it seriously when she heard it so dismissed it as gossip, or who knows?

Some great points, here, from both '80s Anne and 80s Pie. :lol:

The Mama's Family example is a great one: the actors were focused on their lines, their looks, and their real lives. They tell us the best they can what they remember, even if we know it's not correct. Julie Pie told us she ad-libbed the rice pudding part in "Dieting", but we've seen the script, and the pudding bit ( :lol: ) was always in there. I don't believe she was lying; her memories have just become jumbled over 40+ years. I'd much prefer to get these interviews where the actresses/actors don't get everything right, than get no interviews at all. Even Felice, who recalled so little, still managed to make me smile with her story of Kim and Felice's grandfather's dentures! :lol:

As '80s says, maybe Lisa just dismissed the stories ("That's just tawwwwk!") and really was caught off-guard when she showed up to Metromedia Square for the table read and her friends and co-workers weren't there.

As 80s says, Mindy's agent was Felice's mom. There's no way Mindy didn't know as soon as Felice got the call from the Lost Girls basement. And with the way those girls spread gossip...

Some great points, here, from both '80s Anne and 80s Pie. :lol:

Haha! I call " '80s Anne"! :lol:


The Mama's Family example is a great one: the actors were focused on their lines, their looks, and their real lives. They tell us the best they can what they remember, even if we know it's not correct.

Yeah. And every time they talk about the famous Password "Family" sketch on the Burnett show, Vicki always talks about how that was the first time she ever went off the script for a crack-up. This is another misremembrance. The first time she went off script for a crack-up was three years earlier, in as early as the fourth "Family" sketch. She really went off script making up new lines (in both tapings!) that got Carol so tickled she couldn't help breaking up. (and was fighting so hard not to!)

How do we know Vicki's claim that her Password sketch mischief was the first time she ever went off script and cracked people up is a misremembrance? Because her going off script and cracking up Carol three years earlier was captured on videotape. One of them was the "air" version. You can see both versions on YouTube.

In the Mama's Family roundtable you saw last week, Dorothy pointed out they did a takeoff on Hitchcock's "Rebecca" in one episode (not as a full show, but one of three fantasy sequences), and Vicki didn't remember that.

And most of them had the impression that Iola's father didn't exist on the show. The only one who spoke up otherwise was Allan Kayser (Bubba), who said he recently saw an episode that he thought hinted at her father being there. He's right. There are several episodes where Iola mentions "Daddy"; not nearly as much as "Mother", but he is there. Both parents are never seen, only mentioned, but he is part of Ray Lane in Raytown USA.

Julie Pie told us she ad-libbed the rice pudding part in "Dieting", but we've seen the script, and the pudding bit ( :lol: ) was always in there. I don't believe she was lying; her memories have just become jumbled over 40+ years.

Yes. Someone here said that was a lie, but I saw it as misremembering. Over 40 years it would be easy for an actor to think "That would be funny if she didn't know it was coming" and then you just start to believe it the more time passes, especially if you quite possibly haven't seen the script in nearly 40 years.


I'd much prefer to get these interviews where the actresses/actors don't get everything right, than get no interviews at all. Even Felice, who recalled so little, still managed to make me smile with her story of Kim and Felice's grandfather's dentures! :lol:


Yes, definitely, to all! :lol:


As '80s says, maybe Lisa just dismissed the stories ("That's just tawwwwk!") and really was caught off-guard when she showed up to Metromedia Square for the table read and her friends and co-workers weren't there.

:lol: That's funny, I always think of it as "That's just talllllk!" Maybe we'll compromise with "That's just tawwwllllk!" :lol:


As 80s says, Mindy's agent was Felice's mom. There's no way Mindy didn't know as soon as Felice got the call from the Lost Girls basement. And with the way those girls spread gossip...

Exactly!

Meme! :rofl:

Haha! I call " '80s Anne"! :lol:

Done and done! :lol:

(And I knew if you claimed one of the two names, which one it would be! I'm psychic that way! ;) )


Yeah. And every time they talk about the famous Password "Family" sketch on the Burnett show, Vicki always talks about how that was the first time she ever went off the script for a crack-up. This is another misremembrance. The first time she went off script for a crack-up was three years earlier, in as early as the fourth "Family" sketch. She really went off script making up new lines (in both tapings!) that got Carol so tickled she couldn't help breaking up. (and was fighting so hard not to!)

How do we know Vicki's claim that her Password sketch mischief was the first time she ever went off script and cracked people up is a misremembrance? Because her going off script and cracking up Carol three years earlier was captured on videotape. One of them was the "air" version. You can see both versions on YouTube.

In the Mama's Family roundtable you saw last week, Dorothy pointed out they did a takeoff on Hitchcock's "Rebecca" in one episode (not as a full show, but one of three fantasy sequences), and Vicki didn't remember that.

And most of them had the impression that Iola's father didn't exist on the show. The only one who spoke up otherwise was Allan Kayser (Bubba), who said he recently saw an episode that he thought hinted at her father being there. He's right. There are several episodes where Iola mentions "Daddy"; not nearly as much as "Mother", but he is there. Both parents are never seen, only mentioned, but he is part of Ray Lane in Raytown USA.

Yeah, it's funny what the stars remember, and what gets jumbled or lost altogether. I think it does help to have "the group" (see what I did there?) together because then everyone can recollect details.


Yes. Someone here said that was a lie, but I saw it as misremembering. Over 40 years it would be easy for an actor to think "That would be funny if she didn't know it was coming" and then you just start to believe it the more time passes, especially if you quite possibly haven't seen the script in nearly 40 years.

Exactly. Especially when you have so many different roles, doing commercials, doing plays, and of course TV shows.



:lol: That's funny, I always think of it as "That's just talllllk!" Maybe we'll compromise with "That's just tawwwllllk!" :lol:


Works for me! :lol:

Haha! Sassy-pants Lorsie! :lol:

Just call me Lorsie Chapstick :crazy::lol:

Just call me Lorsie Chapstick :crazy::lol:

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

But Mindy has commented on it. It's in one of the interviews, I believe one of the season 1 & 2 DVD bonus features? When they talk about the purge, they cut to Mindy saying something to the effect of, "We show up, and it's like, okay where'd everybody go?" (italics for exact quote)

So she made it sound like she had no idea either.

But I'm with Retro. It seems completely inconceivable, in as small an acting industry there was at the time, and with Hollywood reports in print months prior, and agents and parents who surely "gossiped", that the girls would not have known.


It looks like I stand corrected. So, it seems that Miss Cohn (who, as others have pointed out, had other connections besides just herself to the show) attempted to be as retroactively coy as Miss Whelchel re their knowledge of the other girls not returning. I wonder why they seem to believe that if the just said ' We heard about them not returning beforehand but we were thankful we got to keep our jobs so we didn't want to rock the boat and kept quiet about it until the show was over' would hurt anything- especially decades after the fact when there's no show to be fired from for any of them.

Oh well, I guess we should be thankful that at least Miss Fields was honest.

Just call me Lorsie Chapstick :crazy::lol:

Hahaha! Good ol' L.C.! :lol:

I think it does help to have "the group" (see what I did there?) together because then everyone can recollect details.

Ha! You just inspired me!

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Mrs. Garrett and Vicki Lawrence both red-headed leaders overseeing their four supporters! :lol:

Ha! You just inspired me!

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Great photos! :lol:

...But where are the Mama's Family jellybeans?

...And which member of the Mama's Family "group" got replaced by Nancy McKeon? Dorothy Lye? ;)

I wonder why they seem to believe that if the just said ' We heard about them not returning beforehand but we were thankful we got to keep our jobs so we didn't want to rock the boat and kept quiet about it until the show was over' would hurt anything- especially decades after the fact when there's no show to be fired from for any of them.

Whatever the truth of what the three Retained Girls knew, and when they knew it, the guy who played Neil said the girls remained very close after the Purge, and ate dinner together during the taping of the episode "Sex Symbol" (as a fan, I want that dinner to have been at THE Denny's).

Lisa and Kim remained (and remain) close to Julie Pie for decades, and I don't doubt it is in part due to their great kindness, and how they have always chosen their words carefully, have spoken in praise of the Lost Girls, and never treated them the way, for example, Jaleel Wight treated Jaimee Foxworth. When Charlotte died, the Core Four welcomed Julie Pie, Geri, and Mack at the funeral, taking selfies together even during their grief. Show business is tough, and the fellow actors that actors see regularly at auditions are also the competition. Despite the cutthroat nature of the industry, these girls remained close, even after the Purge. I think only Molly (from the LGs) held resentment for being replaced, though later Pamela and George have had things to say, as well.

I don't believe Mindy would lie. She's been totally candid in her interviews, flat-out stating she had problems with David Boreanaz, never holding back from a juicy soundbite. There's no reason for her to be untruthful.

Ha! You just inspired me!

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Thank you for posting 80s!:wave:

I love seeing photos with the season 1 cast! (best season ever as many of us agree lol!)

:eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes:

Whatever the truth of what the three Retained Girls knew, and when they knew it, the guy who played Neil said the girls remained very close after the Purge, and ate dinner together during the taping of the episode "Sex Symbol" (as a fan, I want that dinner to have been at THE Denny's).

Lisa and Kim remained (and remain) close to Julie Pie for decades, and I don't doubt it is in part due to their great kindness, and how they have always chosen their words carefully, have spoken in praise of the Lost Girls, and never treated them the way, for example, Jaleel Wight treated Jaimee Foxworth. When Charlotte died, the Core Four welcomed Julie Pie, Geri, and Mack at the funeral, taking selfies together even during their grief. Show business is tough, and the fellow actors that actors see regularly at auditions are also the competition. Despite the cutthroat nature of the industry, these girls remained close, even after the Purge. I think only Molly (from the LGs) held resentment for being replaced, though later Pamela and George have had things to say, as well.

I don't believe Mindy would lie. She's been totally candid in her interviews, flat-out stating she had problems with David Boreanaz, never holding back from a juicy soundbite. There's no reason for her to be untruthful.

Who is David Boreanaz?

Great photos! :lol:

...But where are the Mama's Family jellybeans?

I believe in 135 episodes of Mama's Family, a jellybean was never seen. :lookaroun


...And which member of the Mama's Family "group" got replaced by Nancy McKeon? Dorothy Lye? ;)

Ha! :lol: Not a one! They all lucked out, lol.

and never treated them the way, for example, Jaleel Wight treated Jaimee Foxworth.

Oo! Oo! What'd he do??

:gossip

Who is David Boreanaz?

He is the guy who played Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and later starred in Bones, where Mindy did a guest appearance. Mindy said that during the shoot, DB recorded his lines on camera, but then refused to say his lines again, for the over-the-shoulder shots. A stand-in had to say David's lines again, which naturally would take the other actors out of the scene.

Oo! Oo! What'd he do??

:gossip

He bullied her, locking her in a room, insulting her acting, and treating her poorly. She was fired after Season 4, as the producers had been expanding Jaleel's character to the expense of other characters. Even years later, Jaleel would make fun of her, and she was not invited to the cast reunion. Jaleel continues to bad-mouth her in interviews.

I believe in 135 episodes of Mama's Family, a jellybean was never seen. :lookaroun


How did they burn their jellybeans in bongs, then? :lol:


Ha! :lol: Not a one! They all lucked out, lol.

What about Buzz and Sonja? Surely they were replaced by Nancy McKeon? :lol::lol::lol::lol:

He bullied her, locking her in a room, insulting her acting, and treating her poorly.

Where were the producers during all of this? None of that should have been allowed.


Even years later, Jaleel would make fun of her...Jaleel continues to bad-mouth her in interviews.

What a jerk.

What about Buzz and Sonja? Surely they were replaced by Nancy McKeon? :lol::lol::lol::lol:

Ha! Allan Kayser was the Nancy McKeon of MF! :lol:

Actually Beverly Archer was too, as she replaced Rue! :lol:

Where were the producers during all of this? None of that should have been allowed.

In those days, kids were just allowed to go off on their own and play when not needed.


What a jerk.

Amen!

In those days, kids were just allowed to go off on their own and play when not needed.

I know what you mean, though that's not "play". I can't believe he had nothing better to do.

Ha! You just inspired me!

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Minus Fran, Bubba and Sonja