Line counts

[RetroGuy2000]

Unlike Lisa, who never counted her lines, we know other FOL actors (John, Felice, Pamela) did. This is the thread to post your estimates for line counts, based on the episodes themselves (rather than the scripts, which were a "work in progress"). Please specify which version of the DVD or syndicated episode you are watching, and if/when you noticed cut scenes.

It'd probably be too hard for any one person to compile this type of document, but we could break this work up. Can we start with Season One? I'll update this post as we go.

Pilot and Season 1

DS 1-22: The Girls' School - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Mrs. Garrett: 73
Mr. Crocker: 45
Kimberly: 27
Mr. Drummond: 19
Nancy: 19
Sue Ann: 18
Molly: 14
Arnold: 12
Tootie: 12
Jennifer: 8
Willis: 8
Blair: 7
Mr. Robinson: 6
Laura: 3

1-01: Rough Housing - count by '80sSitcoms
Mrs. Garrett: 75
Cindy: 41
Blair: 40
Mr. Bradley: 21
Arnold: 16
Miss Mahoney: 13
Mr. Drummond: 11
Willis: 7
Kimberly: 6
Sue Ann: 5
Tootie: 5
Molly: 4
Nancy: 4
Natalie: 3

1-02: Like Mother, Like Daughter - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Mrs. Garrett: 80
Blair: 63
Monica: 39
Mr. Bradley: 34
Sue Ann: 18
Mr. Branch: 15
Tootie: 14
Nancy: 13
Miss Mahoney: 11
Natalie: 10
Molly: 10
Cindy: 4

1-03: The Return of Mr. Garrett - count by '80sSitcoms
Mr. Garrett: 45
Mrs. Garrett: 36
Tootie: 35
Mr. Bradley: 30
Sue Ann: 25
Blair: 15
Molly: 15
Nancy: 15
Natalie: 13
Miss Mahoney: 12
Cindy: 11

1-04: IQ - count by Lorimar
Mrs. Garrett: 58
Mr. Bradley: 42
Sue Ann: 34
Miss Mahoney: 28
Nancy: 27
Tootie: 20
Blair: 14
Cindy: 5
Molly: 4
Natalie: 2

DS 2-22: The Slumber Party - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Arnold: 63
Willis: 63
Mr. Drummond: 55
Kimberly: 44
Valerie: 28
Molly: 20
Tootie: 20
Natalie: 16
Cindy: 15
Sacha: 15
The Captain: 6
Charles: 6
Vernon: 5
Jimmy: 5

1-05: Overachieving - count by '80sSitcoms
Mrs. Garrett: 50
Tootie: 44
Mr. Ramsey: 32
Mr. Bradley: 30
Blair: 26
Sue Ann: 20
Molly: 12
Natalie: 12
Cindy: 5
Nancy: 5

1-06: Emily Dickinson - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Blair: 63
Mr. Bradley: 48
Mrs. Garrett: 46
Tootie: 37
Jason: 16
Natalie: 13
Sue Ann: 12
Cindy: 8
Molly: 7
Nancy: 4


1-07: Dieting - count by Retro
Mrs. G: 59
Sue Ann: 46
Blair: 33
Natalie: 20
Mr. Bradley: 19
Tootie: 18
Nancy: 10
Steve: 10
Cindy: 8
Molly: 7
Baryshnikov: 2

1-08: The Facts of Love - count by '80sSitcoms
Blair: 64
Mrs. Garrett: 53
Mr. Bradley: 25
Steve: 25
Sue Ann: 20
Tootie: 20
Natalie: 18
Cindy: 6
Molly: 4
Nancy: 3

1-09: Flash Flood - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Mr. Bradley: 60
Mrs. Garrett: 58
Blair: 47
Tootie: 27
Natalie: 15
Sue Ann: 14
Nancy: 13
Soldier (Metal Head): 13
Cindy: 11
Molly: 11
TV Announcer: 1

1-10: Adoption - count by 80s Dude
Mrs. Garrett: 44
Blair: 43
Mr. Bradley: 33
Natalie: 32
Tootie: 20
Sue Ann: 16
Molly: 15
Nancy: 10
Cindy: 6

1-11: Running - count by Retro
Mr. Bradley: 59
Mrs. Garrett: 58
Sue Ann: 50
Cindy: 30
Blair: 22
Molly: 18
Tootie: 15
Natalie: 11
Nancy: 6

1-12: Molly's Holiday - count by '80sSitcoms
Mrs. Garrett: 51
Molly: 51
Blair: 28
Dr. Parker: 25
Sue Ann: 21
Natalie: 13
Tootie: 13
Mr. Bradley: 11
Angela: 10
Cindy: 8
Nancy: 7

1-13: Dope - count by Retro
Blair: 50
Mrs. Garrett: 47
Sue Ann: 40
Tootie: 32
Tumpy: 24
Mr. Bradley: 18
Natalie: 14
Molly: 8
Emily: 7
Nancy: 6
Cindy: 5
Gail: 0

Totals for the first four episodes - compiled by '80sSitcoms
Mrs. Garrett: 249
Blair: 132
Mr. Bradley: 127
Sue Ann: 82
Tootie: 74
Miss Mahoney: 64
Cindy: 61
Nancy: 59
Molly: 33
Natalie: 28

Totals for Season 1 (plus DS crossovers) - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Mrs. Garrett: 749 (+73 on DS)
Blair: 508 (+7 on DS)
Mr. Bradley: 416
Sue Ann: 327 (+18 on DS)
Tootie: 277 (+32 on DS)
Natalie: 173 (+16 on DS)
Molly: 169 (+34 ON DS)
Cindy: 144 (+15 on DS)
Nancy: 132 (+19 on DS)
Miss Mahoney: 64

Season 2

2-01: The New Girl, Part 1 - count by FOL-FAN-ITA
Blair: 75
Mrs. Garrett: 52
Jo: 50
Tootie: 40
Natalie: 21
Arnold: 21
Officer Shuler: 20
I.D. Checker: 4

2-02: The New Girl, Part 2

2-03: Double Standard

2:04: Who Am I?

2:05: Cousin Geri

2:06: Shoplifting - reserved for FOL-FAN-ITA

2:07: Teenage Marriage, Part 1

2-08: Teenage Marriage, Part 2

2-09: Gossip - count by Retro
Tootie: 67
Mrs. Garrett: 58
Blair: 38
Jo: 28
Nancy: 21
Natalie: 16
Mr. Harris: 15
Cindy: 5
Howard: 3
Sue Ann: 2

2-10: Breaking Point

2-11: Sex Symbol - count by Lorimar
Natalie: 77
Tootie: 33
Blair: 30
Neil: 29
Jo: 26
Mrs. G: 22
Helen: 8
Nancy: 6
Sue Ann: 5
Cindy: 4

DS 3-15: The Older Man

2-12: The Secret

2-13: Bought and Sold

2-14: Pretty Babies - count by Retro
Blair: 54
Jonathan Dutton: 50
Mrs. Garrett: 47
Tootie: 33
Natalie: 28
Jo: 21
Nancy: 5
Rena: 5

2-15: Free Spirit

2-16: Brian and Sylvia

[80s Dude]

Is there a place to get the transcripts of the actual episodes so we can count them on paper?

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Is there a place to get the transcripts of the actual episodes so we can count them on paper?

Probably easiest just to watch the episodes and note the lines as they go.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Is there a place to get the transcripts of the actual episodes so we can count them on paper?

The Group does have access to a number of S1/S2 scripts, but it's partial, and there are some changes between the script and the final taped productions. If it's helpful, they are available. But because there were alterations, it may just be confusing.

In the past, I just did a tally mark whenever a character spoke.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

In the past, I just did a tally mark whenever a character spoke.

Boy, if anyone committed themselves to Nancy's lines he'd sure have a lot of free time on his hands.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Boy, if anyone committed themselves to Nancy's lines he'd sure have a lot of free time on his hands.

Yep! "Gee, I've only made 5 marks in a half an hour!"

[80s Dude]

I can do the Adoption episode since the that woman who is the adoption rights advocate has a blog article on this episode and it includes the transcripts of lines of the episode.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

I can do the Adoption episode since the that woman who is the adoption rights advocate has a blog article on this episode and it includes the transcripts of lines of the episode.

Thank you!

I thought I'd start with "Running".

[80s Dude]

It's nice to see an episode have an impact on someone in the real world. Especially one in the first season which many people mock.

[80s Dude]

So when counting lines, do we count each sentence?

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

So when counting lines, do we count each sentence?

See, this is where it can get "unofficial". Retro and I say no, not each sentence, but each time a character speaks uninterrupted.

So, for example, in Cindy and Mrs. Garrett's heart-to-heart in Cindy's and Sue Ann's room in "Rough Housing", all of Cindy's sentences at one time wouldn't count as separate lines, but rather as one long "line" until Mrs. Garrett then speaks. Then it's Mrs. Garrett's "line", and when Cindy starts again, it's Cindy's "line".

For example, when Cindy says, "Well, my mom had my dad explain it to me. He told me that sex was like a big garden, and every time you love someone, you put fertilizer on them! But I think the time clock is better" that's three sentences, but it's one "line" because it's one chunk of separate dialogue for Cindy uninterrupted in the script.

It can get more controversial with Nancy's phone calls though. I could see arguments for saying her phone call is "one line", but also they are separate "lines" because she is responding to each of Roger's unheard "lines" from the Bates phone.

[RetroGuy2000]

Yeah, what '80sSitcoms said: a block of text is one line. Until another character speaks, it's all one line.

In the case of Nancy's phone lines, it's a tough call because the lines are separated by pauses.

[Lorimar Television]

Haha this is a cool idea, I’d be curious to see how evenly it’s divided up.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Haha this is a cool idea, I’d be curious to see how evenly it’s divided up.

I don't think it will be even at all!

['80sSitcoms]

I still can't believe Lisa had the gall to actually claim on camera to the world, "There was never any 'counting of the lines' ", and mocking that in a way like it was a rumor of juvenile studio activity the girls had engaged in or something. It's sure easy to say that when you nearly always had more lines than anyone, Lisa. You never had any cause to count your lines.

But still, love ya, mean it.