How was Lisa Whelchel able to get out of appearing in "The First Time"

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

They were probably hurted for the retool but they later agreed to make guest appearences. Interesting that Felice appeared in more episodes than the Julies

I'm sure they felt hurt (Felice says it felt like a "rejection"), but they were consummate professionals who stuck with the show, even when they were demoted to extra. I really wish we'd seen them in Season 4, and maybe beyond (wouldn't it have been cool to see Cindy and Molly in Season 5 before the change of venue?), but it's cool that we do see them through most of the Eastland years.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think she negotiated better than The Julies, for example. She managed to land five cafeteria episodes. Did anyone else manage better than that, aside from Charles Parker/Roger Perry and Geri Jewell (who was specifically brought on by Norman Lear)?

"land five"

I get the feeling the Julies didn't care about going to a level of negotiating and were casual and just ready to show up when the show wanted them. They "landed three" without even asking (as far as I know). We've only heard of Felice fiercely negotiating for 5 episodes over 3 years, lol. What would be more impressive as a teenage girl in the 1980s is if she managed to land 5 episodes per season, at the very least.

I suppose the episodes they did appear in was what the show had in mind as "semi-regulars," though personally I think they should have more episodes for that status, like at least 7 or 8 shows a year.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I'm sure they felt hurt (Felice says it felt like a "rejection"), but they were consummate professionals who stuck with the show, even when they were demoted to extra.

They weren't demoted to extras though because extras don't have lines. Thankfully, our girls had roles. (not like "Nina" in RH )

I would, however, concede to "glorified extra" for someone having simply two or three lines.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

They weren't demoted to extras though because extras don't have lines. Thankfully, our girls had roles. (not like "Nina" in RH )

I would, however, concede to "glorified extra" for someone having simply two or three lines.

I don't take "demoted to extra" to mean "literally no lines": just close to it. The examples from the TV Trope site include Suzanne Somers' Season 5 cameos, where she had around four lines on the phone in the "Chrissy Minute" portion of the episodes.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

"land five"

I get the feeling the Julies didn't care about going to a level of negotiating and were casual and just ready to show up when the show wanted them. They "landed three" without even asking (as far as I know). We've only heard of Felice fiercely negotiating for 5 episodes over 3 years, lol. What would be more impressive as a teenage girl in the 1980s is if she managed to land 5 episodes per season, at the very least.

I suppose the episodes they did appear in was what the show had in mind as "semi-regulars," though personally I think they should have more episodes for that status, like at least 7 or 8 shows a year.

I would have LOVED seven or eight episodes per year... but the producers weren't interested in giving anyone that level of exposure, outside of their core actors. Even in later years, when George Clooney went from being full-time fully-billed opening credit actor to guest appearances, he did only four episodes.

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I would have LOVED seven or eight episodes per year... but the producers weren't interested in giving anyone that level of exposure, outside of their core actors. Even in later years, when George Clooney went from being full-time fully-billed opening credit actor to guest appearances, he did only four episodes.

I read somewhere that if someone appears more than 5 times in a series, they have to be in the opening credits of the show per an agreement with the Screen Actor's Guild.

[JJL]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

I read somewhere that if someone appears more than 5 times in a series, they have to be in the opening credits of the show per an agreement with the Screen Actor's Guild.

I saw someone else say the same thing but it’s not true. You can find many examples of actors appearing in more than five episodes in a season and still appearing the closing credits. John Ratzenberger in season 1 of Cheers, Kelsey Grammer in seasons 2 and 3 of Cheers, William H Macy in ER; many actors on the 80s nighttime soaps too.

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by JJL

I saw someone else say the same thing but it’s not true. You can find many examples of actors appearing in more than five episodes in a season and still appearing the closing credits. John Ratzenberger in season 1 of Cheers, Kelsey Grammer in seasons 2 and 3 of Cheers, William H Macy in ER; many actors on the 80s nighttime soaps too.

Opening credits, not closing credits.

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

I read somewhere that if someone appears more than 5 times in a series, they have to be in the opening credits of the show per an agreement with the Screen Actor's Guild.

Adelaide and Pearl, the housekeepers on DS, appearead in several episodes but Nedra Volz was never billed in the opening credits while Mary Jo Catlett had to wait a full season. I guess rules were different back then

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Opening credits, not closing credits.

I think he meant those actors were still appearing in the closing credits, not the opening, despite appearing more than five times.

That "rule" is definitely not true because the same also goes for Bebe Neuwirth on Cheers. She was in many episodes in seasons 6 - 11, but was only in the opening credits for season 10 (and I believe her few appearances in season 11). And Woody's girlfriend Kelly was never in the opening credits.

Neither were "Stan" on The Golden Girls or "Bernice" in Designing Women (until the final episode of DW, where instead of an opening theme they just showed the credit names during the show's beginning moments, and in season 7 it said something akin to "and Alice Ghostley as Bernice Clifton")

Things may depend on time and network. In her book "Here We Go Again! My Life in Television" Betty White says that she signed for 7 out of 13 shows of "Mama's Family" for its first season (a short season of 13 episodes), and that was "a legal breakpoint"; anything beyond that would have made her exclusive to the series, meaning she couldn't have done work elsewhere. So she did her role Ellen as a recurring character, while free to pursue other projects.

[80s Dude]

I came across an interesting photo of Lisa early in the series. I will post it once I find it. Lisa was not the goody two shoes and was a rebel at that time of her life.