"Garrett's Girls" - original TFOL pilot - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jayman75 · 01-27-2014, 01:14 PM

I'm not sure if this has been addressed before... searching for "Garrett's Girls" turned up a LOT of responses.

I just read on Wikipedia that "Actress Geri Reischl ("Fake Jan" of The Brady Bunch Hour) was given the role of Blair Warner in the television pilot Garrett's Girls (later renamed The Facts of Life), but was forced to give it up due to her contract with General Mills."

Does this pilot episode exist anywhere? Was this part of a Diff'rent Strokes episode? I'm curious if this has ever been seen... and where can I see it?

Thanks!

Impressions · 01-27-2014, 04:22 PM

I think "Garret's Girls" refers to the backdoor pilot on Diff'rent Strokes season 1, episode 24 "The Girls School" (a.k.a Garret's Girls). I have not heard of an unaired pilot named that with Geri Reischl as Blair.

julian bozo · 01-29-2014, 09:33 AM

The only two I knew of was The Diff'rent Strokes," Girls School" episode and Facts of Life," Rough Housing" episode.

ThomasE · 03-01-2014, 01:51 AM

Ha Ha Ha! Cool pic. I'm friends with her on FB.

RetroGuy2000 · 02-11-2019, 05:05 AM

So, I'm still wondering if there really was an unaired pilot, where Geri Reischl played Blair. It doesn't seem like it, since there was an actually aired backdoor pilot with Lisa playing Blair. Still, this is what Wikipedia claims.

Lorimar Television · 02-11-2019, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

So, I'm still wondering if there really was an unaired pilot, where Geri Reischl played Blair. It doesn't seem like it, since there was an actually aired backdoor pilot with Lisa playing Blair. Still, this is what Wikipedia claims.

Really? I had no idea this was even a thing. I seriously doubt it though.

RetroGuy2000 · 02-11-2019, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Really? I had no idea this was even a thing. I seriously doubt it though.

I also doubt it, but it's on Geri's Wikipedia biography.

Lorimar Television · 02-11-2019, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I also doubt it, but it's on Geri's Wikipedia biography.

Well wikipedia can be edited by anyone so I always take what I see on there with a grain of salt.

RetroGuy2000 · 02-11-2019, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Well wikipedia can be edited by anyone so I always take what I see on there with a grain of salt.

Yes, and in this case, I take it with much more than one grain of salt.

TMC · 05-26-2022, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

So, I'm still wondering if there really was an unaired pilot, where Geri Reischl played Blair. It doesn't seem like it, since there was an actually aired backdoor pilot with Lisa playing Blair. Still, this is what Wikipedia claims.

Supposedly, Geri Reischl was under an exclusive contract with a cereal company she was doing cereal commercials for General Mills.

Also, when Lisa Whelchel first auditioned, Blair was described as being "a naïve, fast-talking girl from Texas". However, when Lisa arrived for the first table read, she was surprised to learn that Blair was no longer a naïve, fast-talking girl from Texas, but a stuck-up, rich girl from Park Avenue. All of this was because of a particularly condescending line-reading (an insult directed at Sue Ann) during her audition with Julie Piekarski.

80s Dude · 05-26-2022, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

Supposedly, Geri Reischl was under an exclusive contract with a cereal company she was doing cereal commercials for General Mills.

Also, when Lisa Whelchel first auditioned, Blair was described as being "a naïve, fast-talking girl from Texas". However, when Lisa arrived for the first table read, she was surprised to learn that Blair was no longer a naïve, fast-talking girl from Texas, but a stuck-up, rich girl from Park Avenue. All of this was because of a particularly condescending line-reading (an insult directed at Sue Ann) during her audition with Julie Piekarski.

Lisa was looking at Julie Pie's butt when doing that? And Blair accused Cindy of being strange?

Lorimar Television · 06-09-2022, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Lisa was looking at Julie Pie's butt when doing that? And Blair accused Cindy of being strange?

'80sSitcoms · 06-14-2022, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Lisa was looking at Julie Pie's butt when doing that? And Blair accused Cindy of being strange?

Haha, well, it was for a good insult on her part though. lol

'80sSitcoms · 06-14-2022, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayman75

I just read on Wikipedia that "Actress Geri Reischl ("Fake Jan" of The Brady Bunch Hour) was given the role of Blair Warner in the television pilot Garrett's Girls (later renamed The Facts of Life), but was forced to give it up due to her contract with General Mills."

Does this pilot episode exist anywhere? Was this part of a Diff'rent Strokes episode? I'm curious if this has ever been seen... and where can I see it?

People are misinterpreting this. This was never taped before an audience. The note says she was only given the role, but was forced to give it up. This means she never even got in front of a camera at Eastlake. She was (if this is true) just tapped for the part. So Lisa was still the first actress to play Blair no matter what.

But I still wonder about the authenticity of this claim at all, as it has never been mentioned in any FOL material.

paul.austin · 07-16-2022, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Lisa was looking at Julie Pie's butt when doing that? And Blair accused Cindy of being strange?

Julie: "Lisa, is that your hand on my leg?"

(Why, yes, i *did* watch The Brady Bunch Movie tonight)

01-27-2014, 01:14 PM	#1
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	"Garrett's Girls" - original TFOL pilot I'm not sure if this has been addressed before... searching for "Garrett's Girls" turned up a LOT of responses. I just read on Wikipedia that "Actress Geri Reischl ("Fake Jan" of The Brady Bunch Hour) was given the role of Blair Warner in the television pilot Garrett's Girls (later renamed The Facts of Life), but was forced to give it up due to her contract with General Mills." Does this pilot episode exist anywhere? Was this part of a Diff'rent Strokes episode? I'm curious if this has ever been seen... and where can I see it? Thanks!
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

01-29-2014, 09:33 AM	#3
julian bozo Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2001 Location: Cullman,Al,United States Posts: 1,534	The only two I knew of was The Diff'rent Strokes," Girls School" episode and Facts of Life," Rough Housing" episode. Attached Images

03-01-2014, 01:51 AM	#4
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	Ha Ha Ha! Cool pic. I'm friends with her on FB.
	__________________ Check out my my "It's A Living" Facebook Fanpage!!! https://m.facebook.com/groups/107208...&source=result

02-11-2019, 05:05 AM	#5
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	So, I'm still wondering if there really was an unaired pilot, where Geri Reischl played Blair. It doesn't seem like it, since there was an actually aired backdoor pilot with Lisa playing Blair. Still, this is what Wikipedia claims.
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

01-27-2014, 04:22 PM	#2
Impressions She died the way she lived Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 4,640	I think "Garret's Girls" refers to the backdoor pilot on Diff'rent Strokes season 1, episode 24 "The Girls School" (a.k.a Garret's Girls). I have not heard of an unaired pilot named that with Geri Reischl as Blair.