Charlotte Rae's son Larry Strauss talks about growing up in a famous family and talks quite a bit about Facts of Life in this podcast.
https://rarifiedheirpodcast.com/episode-50-larry-strauss/?fbclid=IwAR3FTvYPxdjUHFMxj1gQi2pkW64Nk1scfnuOdc6QsEs1HllJjk5bPDalDlw

Among the new tidbits he mentions.

Charlotte once accidently walked in on Cloris and Martim Balsam (from Archie Bunker's Place) at an awkward moment.


Charlotte went to university with more famous people besides Cloris Leachman and Paul Lynde.


Charlotte missed having adult companionship during the run of Facts of Life.

Thanks, 80s Dude!

I appreciated Larry Strauss' insights, but he's soooo long-winded. I felt like half of this 1.5-hour podcast could have been edited out, with all of his pauses and repetition of the same words. Still, it was cool hearing his recollections of his mother and father.

It was cool, for example, learning at all of the Core Four called him within hours of Charlotte's passing.

It's too bad that John Lawlor didn't stay longer on the show, since Charlotte missed working with adults. She'd once called him her best friend.

Thanks, 80s Dude!

I appreciated Larry Strauss' insights, but he's soooo long-winded. I felt like half of this 1.5-hour podcast could have been edited out, with all of his pauses and repetition of the same words. Still, it was cool hearing his recollections of his mother and father.

It was cool, for example, learning at all of the Core Four called him within hours of Charlotte's passing.

It's too bad that John Lawlor didn't stay longer on the show, since Charlotte missed working with adults. She'd once called him her best friend.

She also called him her "Rock".

She also called him her "Rock".

Sad that that rock was dislodged... or made free.

Among the new tidbits he mentions.

Charlotte once accidently walked in on Cloris and Martim Balsam (from Archie Bunker's Place) at an awkward moment.

Martin Balsam also from "Psycho"!



[LIST]
Charlotte missed having adult companionship during the run of Facts of Life.


This, we've definitely known. Which is why I think she probably really loved having Mona around to talk with when she was visiting (Natalie's grandmother).

Martin Balsam also from "Psycho"!




This, we've definitely known. Which is why I think she probably really loved having Mona around to talk with when she was visiting (Natalie's grandmother).

Charlotte was a big fan of Molly Picon, going back way before Facts of Life.

Charlotte said in that one article that the 2nd Season was suppose to have two new adult characters. A chef and a handyman. We got Howard the Chef, but he had a minor role and was only on a few episodes. The handyman didn't happen until years later when George appeared.

I think an adult friend for Mrs. Garrett would have been "a necessity", even on a recurring basis, even Howard would have been okay. The writers made the same mistake they did with "Diff'rent Strokes", after Mrs. Garrett left, Mr. Drummond never had an older character as a "friend" until Maggie was born, four seasons after Mrs. Garrett switched job.

Charlotte was a big fan of Molly Picon, going back way before Facts of Life.

Not surprising! Molly Picon was a very charming and entertaining performer. BTW, when Miss Rae was a regular on 'Car 54, Where Are You?' (playing a character named Sylvia Shnauzer- the argumentative wife of Sgt. Schnauzer played by Al 'Grandpa' Lewis), Miss Picon guested as a charming manipulator named Mrs. Bronson three times but I don't recall their two characters ever meeting. However, it's possible that Miss Rae may have made it a point to visit the set when the other entertainer was performing and they could have met then! Molly Picon had been a big star in Yiddish theater and movies (!) from the early 1920's onward but her style easily broke any language barriers. She starred in the last Yiddish movie made in Poland 'Memele' in 1938 playing a rather put upon unmarried daughter/sister in a large family who kept things intact while trying to seek out some independence and romance of her own (and had a fun sequence playing ALL the adult stages of her own grandmother's life). Alas barely a year after that movie was made, the NAZIs invaded Poland and the entire Yiddish community that was painstakingly depicted in that film would be wiped out (though Miss Picon and her husband were US born and -citizens so they were spared) . Anyway, any time one can get to see any of her surviving filmed or televised performances, IMO they're more than worth seeking out).

I think an adult friend for Mrs. Garrett would have been "a necessity", even on a recurring basis, even Howard would have been okay. The writers made the same mistake they did with "Diff'rent Strokes", after Mrs. Garrett left, Mr. Drummond never had an older character as a "friend" until Maggie was born, four seasons after Mrs. Garrett switched job.

Well, Mr. Drummond had occasional girlfriends, but there was no semi-regular character. And Aunt Sophia appeared over 8 episodes, so even during the Maggie-less years, there was another adult on the show.

I really wish the producers had done a better job with giving Mrs. Garrett more adult friends.

Well, Mr. Drummond had occasional girlfriends, but there was no semi-regular character. And Aunt Sophia appeared over 8 episodes, so even during the Maggie-less years, there was another adult on the show.

I really wish the producers had done a better job with giving Mrs. Garrett more adult friends.

Mrs. Garrett might not have needed more adult friends, but Charlotte certainly did. Once John Lawlor got fired, there was no more adults not in management around. Between dealing with the girls, their parents, the writers, the producers, and the network exec, there was no other regular adult around to talk things out. Plus Charlotte was single at the time and couldn't go home to a husband for support.