Charlotte Rae/John Hillerman in US Are You being Served Pilot - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

RetroGuy2000 · 10-09-2020, 12:26 AM

Mentioned in the "Busted Pilots" thread is this little Charlotte Rae gem, the pilot of a planned US version of "Are You Being Served", which aired just after the end of the first season of Diff'rent Strokes. Charlotte replaces Molly Sugden in the role of Mrs. Slocombe (no p**** jokes in the US version).

80s Dude · 10-09-2020, 09:56 AM

Nice find. Didn't know about this show.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-09-2020, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Nice find. Didn't know about this show.

Me, neither. It's crazy to think that if this show had been greenlit, we likely would have had no FOL!

valentina warner · 10-09-2020, 01:28 PM

Ha ha ha that was MRS G alright! (our 'feisty red haired' is simply the best!!!)

80s Dude · 10-09-2020, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Me, neither. It's crazy to think that if this show had been greenlit, we likely would have had no FOL!

And likely no Molly Ringwald in those John Hughes movies.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-09-2020, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

And likely no Molly Ringwald in those John Hughes movies.

True. And no Mindy Cohn in anything, since Charlotte discovered her.

FOL-FAN-ITA · 10-10-2020, 04:42 AM

Nice find!
Thank God it didn't happen

or we wouldn't have had The Facts of Life

But I think Charlotte, if this pilot became a series, would have continued her established role of Edna Garrett.

valentina warner · 10-10-2020, 01:24 PM

What you guys are basically saying, had CHARLOTTE being kept on 'Are you being served' she wouldn't have been able to continue with FOL????

I think like FOL FAN ITA: that our 'feisty red haired' would been able to handle both shows lol!

80s Dude · 10-11-2020, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valentina warner

What you guys are basically saying, had CHARLOTTE being kept on 'Are you being served' she wouldn't have been able to continue with FOL????

I think like FOL FAN ITA: that our 'feisty red haired' would been able to handle both shows lol!

She would need a good lawyer to do both show since they were on different networks.

Wayne Knight (Newman on Seinfeld) did two shows at the same time. He also was Officer Don, Sally's boyfriend on Third Rock from the Sun. He played a nice guy there as opposed to NEWWMANN.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-11-2020, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valentina warner

What you guys are basically saying, had CHARLOTTE being kept on 'Are you being served' she wouldn't have been able to continue with FOL????

I think like FOL FAN ITA: that our 'feisty red haired' would been able to handle both shows lol!

There's no way she could have done both shows and have done Diff'rent Strokes, as she did, as well.

In fact, in at least two video interviews, Charlotte states she had a contract with CBS, and had to get out of it in order to pursue work at NBC. Norman Lear bet her a nickel he could get her out of the CBS contract.

FOL-FAN-ITA · 10-11-2020, 03:25 PM

Oh, no. I didn't mean that. I was thinking, if this pilot became a series, Charlotte probably would have turned down that role and she would have continued to play Edna Garrett, since she was an established character at that point.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-11-2020, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Oh, no. I didn't mean that. I was thinking, if this pilot became a series, Charlotte probably would have turned down that role and she would have continued to play Edna Garrett, since she was an established character at that point.

Yes. She was a regular character on DS, and was offered the starring role of FOL, with a guarantee of returning to DS if FOL didn't make it. Why would she give all that up to appear as an ensemble player on CBS?

And there's no way she could have appeared in about a dozen Season Two episodes of DS, thirteen Season One episodes of FOL, and appeared in a regular series for Beane's of Boston.

valentina warner · 10-11-2020, 04:05 PM

In any way, i'm surely glad CHARLOTTE left 'Are you being served': without her, FOL would have never been the same!!!! (she was the force of the show, and no BEVERLY ANN or anyone else could ever replace her!)

RetroGuy2000 · 10-11-2020, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valentina warner

In any way, i'm surely glad CHARLOTTE left 'Are you being served': without her, FOL would have never been the same!!!! (she was the force of the show, and no BEVERLY ANN or anyone else could ever replace her!)

So true!

valentina warner · 10-11-2020, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

So true!

I'm really happy you agree with me Retro: you and i are among the few who are season 1 lovers!!!! (i just couldn't imagine what it would be like, not having MRS G first interaction with BLAIR on the pilot 'The girls school' either! No other pilot had so much impact on me lol!)

10-09-2020, 12:26 AM	#1
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Charlotte Rae/John Hillerman in US Are You being Served Pilot Mentioned in the "Busted Pilots" thread is this little Charlotte Rae gem, the pilot of a planned US version of "Are You Being Served", which aired just after the end of the first season of Diff'rent Strokes. Charlotte replaces Molly Sugden in the role of Mrs. Slocombe (no p**** jokes in the US version).
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10-10-2020, 04:42 AM	#7
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	Nice find! Thank God it didn't happen or we wouldn't have had The Facts of Life But I think Charlotte, if this pilot became a series, would have continued her established role of Edna Garrett.
	__________________ The Facts Of Life Italian Fan

10-09-2020, 09:56 AM	#2
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,823	Nice find. Didn't know about this show.

10-09-2020, 01:28 PM	#4
valentina warner Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2020 Location: The Uk Posts: 3,154	Ha ha ha that was MRS G alright! (our 'feisty red haired' is simply the best!!!)

10-10-2020, 01:24 PM	#8
valentina warner Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2020 Location: The Uk Posts: 3,154	What you guys are basically saying, had CHARLOTTE being kept on 'Are you being served' she wouldn't have been able to continue with FOL???? I think like FOL FAN ITA: that our 'feisty red haired' would been able to handle both shows lol!

10-11-2020, 03:25 PM	#11
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	Oh, no. I didn't mean that. I was thinking, if this pilot became a series, Charlotte probably would have turned down that role and she would have continued to play Edna Garrett, since she was an established character at that point.

10-11-2020, 04:05 PM	#13
valentina warner Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2020 Location: The Uk Posts: 3,154	In any way, i'm surely glad CHARLOTTE left 'Are you being served': without her, FOL would have never been the same!!!! (she was the force of the show, and no BEVERLY ANN or anyone else could ever replace her!)