"The Facts of Life" Episode Writer Database

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Well now, this is fascinating. All those appearances by the Lost Girls in the cafeteria years? With one exception, all of those episodes were written by all different writers! Holy Eastland cow...you would maybe assume the same writer wrote many of those same episodes, but no writer worked on more than two!

• "The New Girl, Part II" - Jack Elinson
• "Gossip" - Paul L. Friedman & Gayle MacDonald
• "Sex Symbol" - (story by Sally Sussman, teleplay by Linda Marsh & Peters, and Ann Gibbs & Joel Kimmel)
• "Pretty Babies" - Ann Gibbs & Joel Kimmel
• "Dear Me" - Lloyd Turner & Howard Leibling
• "Green-Eyed Monster" - Linda Marsh & Margie Peters
• "Front Page" - Mike Mayer & Larry Swimer

So this "Jack Elinson" was the first writer to include a former cast member in the new show. I want to know more about him. I want to know why he chose Molly. That was so fortuitous, and so lucky for us fans, since that was the only time we would ever get to see Molly in the cafeteria.

Linda & Margie, and Ann Gibbs & Joel Kimmel included the Lost Girls in two scripts both pairs worked on. It's interesting that Linda & Margie, since they selected Blair, Natalie, and Tootie to keep after season 1, went for a little continuity by writing in the girls (minus Molly*) in SS, and then Linda & Margie writing Nancy in again in GEM.

*(unless Molly was originally written in the first SS script, being catty and "mean girl"-ish along with the others. That would be very interesting to know)

Also, funny how there are 7 original girls, and 7 post-season 1 episodes with Lost Girls. Interesting...

Jack Ellison was a major writer for 227 according to IMDB. Other than that, he didn't have that many credits after Facts of Life.

Facts of Life related. He wrote that awful "Brian and Sylvia" episode. Panned by many Facts fans as the worst episode ever. He also wrote an episode call "The Agent" in 1986. I am not familiar with that episode at all. So the only lost girl he ever worked with was Molly. If Molly threw a major scene on a The New Girl, Part 2 as some rumors suggest, then perhaps that is why he had a negative view of the Lost Girls.

Ellison came over to Facts of Life from One Day at a Time so I imagine Linda and Margie brought him over.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Jack Ellison was a major writer for 227 according to IMDB.

Oo, another biggie I love.

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Facts of Life related. He wrote that awful "Brian and Sylvia" episode. Panned by many Facts fans as the worst episode ever.

It's far from an "awful" episode IMO. And I don't know most FOL fans would cite it as "the worst" out of 9 seasons. I hold it as the best of the spin-off attempts. (but not for its potential as a spin-off, just for the episode itself).

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

He also wrote an episode call "The Agent" in 1986. I am not familiar with that episode at all.

Yeah, that's an odd one.

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

So the only lost girl he ever worked with was Molly.

It's so interesting he chose to include one Lost Girl in the script, and the one he chose out of all 6 was Molly. Because of this, fans say all 4 Lost Girls appeared in the cafeteria era. What a smart man!

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

If Molly threw a major scene on a The New Girl, Part 2 as some rumors suggest, then perhaps that is why he had a negative view of the Lost Girls.

Since some of Molly's lines were cut, maybe she did indeed "pout" as he recalled many girls in the cast doing during season 1.

[Ian905]

Amazing list! I don't usually pay attention to who writes what episodes. It's interesting to learn that all of my favourite episodes were written by either Jerry Mayer or Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert!

And speaking of unproduced episodes! According to Geri Jewell's autoboigraphy, a Season 4 episode was written by Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert titled "Here's Geri". Geri served as a consultant for the episode, and it would have served as a spin-off pilot focused around Cousin Geri's life as a comedian. According to Geri, the episode was not filmed because NBC felt it would be too expensive to film as the script called for additional sets to be built and exterior shots to be filmed at the Comedy Store.

An article about Norman Lear on the site Indiewire also mentions the "Here's Geri" episode but says the reason it was never filmed is because the production supervisor Al Burton left the show.

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by Ian905

Amazing list! I don't usually pay attention to who writes what episodes. It's interesting to learn that all of my favourite episodes were written by either Jerry Mayer or Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert!

And speaking of unproduced episodes! According to Geri Jewell's autoboigraphy, a Season 4 episode was written by Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert titled "Here's Geri". Geri served as a consultant for the episode, and it would have served as a spin-off pilot focused around Cousin Geri's life as a comedian. According to Geri, the episode was not filmed because NBC felt it would be too expensive to film as the script called for additional sets to be built and exterior shots to be filmed at the Comedy Store.

An article about Norman Lear on the site Indiewire also mentions the "Here's Geri" episode but says the reason it was never filmed is because the production supervisor Al Burton left the show.

That makes sense because Geri said that Al Burton always had her back. He gave her money after her manager ripped her off and fled and he didn't want her to pay him back.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Ian905

Amazing list! I don't usually pay attention to who writes what episodes. It's interesting to learn that all of my favourite episodes were written by either Jerry Mayer or Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert!

It really is a useful list, isn't it?

And speaking of unproduced episodes! According to Geri Jewell's autoboigraphy, a Season 4 episode was written by Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert titled "Here's Geri". Geri served as a consultant for the episode, and it would have served as a spin-off pilot focused around Cousin Geri's life as a comedian. According to Geri, the episode was not filmed because NBC felt it would be too expensive to film as the script called for additional sets to be built and exterior shots to be filmed at the Comedy Store.

An article about Norman Lear on the site Indiewire also mentions the "Here's Geri" episode but says the reason it was never filmed is because the production supervisor Al Burton left the show.

Thanks for that info. I remember from Geri's book the possibility of a Geri spin-off. Ultimately, Geri was very disappointed in how things unfolded. Had Al Burton remained with the show, I have no doubt Geri would have had a continued presence on Facts.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Ian905

Amazing list! I don't usually pay attention to who writes what episodes. It's interesting to learn that all of my favourite episodes were written by either Jerry Mayer or Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert!

Cool, I'm glad you found some use out of it.

Originally Posted by Ian905

And speaking of unproduced episodes! According to Geri Jewell's autoboigraphy, a Season 4 episode was written by Deidre Fay & Stuart Wolpert titled "Here's Geri". Geri served as a consultant for the episode, and it would have served as a spin-off pilot focused around Cousin Geri's life as a comedian. According to Geri, the episode was not filmed because NBC felt it would be too expensive to film as the script called for additional sets to be built and exterior shots to be filmed at the Comedy Store.

An article about Norman Lear on the site Indiewire also mentions the "Here's Geri" episode but says the reason it was never filmed is because the production supervisor Al Burton left the show.

Wow, that's all very interesting!

['80sSitcoms]

Martin A. Ragaway, writer of season 1's "The Return of Mr. Garrett" (S1 E3) and "Dieting" (S1 E7)

TV Guide, 1974

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[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Martin A. Ragaway, writer of season 1's "The Return of Mr. Garrett" (S1 E3) and "Dieting" (S1 E7)

TV Guide, 1974

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Wow that must be his office he wrote the eps in while eating Chinese *FOOD*!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Wow that must be his office he wrote the eps in while eating Chinese *FOOD*!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Wow that must be his office he wrote the eps in while eating Chinese *FOOD*!

Hahahaha!

I'd love it if it were! But since this is 1974, it may not be. I'll have to F.A.C.T. check the article again to see exactly what it was, but it was like a "dorm" for TV writers.