Pastry machine in Seasons 2-4

[mitsguy2001]

I have been watching Facts of Life reruns, and have been enjoying the series very much. I am currently up to Season 4.

In the kitchen in Seasons 2-4 (the seasons where the girls are being punished and are on kitchen duty at Eastland), I noticed that there is a pastry machine, which interestingly looks similar to a cigarette machine, which were quite common at the time. Furthermore, the "Pastries" sign looks like a piece of cardboard that was added later, and in at least one episode, it looks like it may have been crooked, implying that it was not a permanent part of the machine.

What I wonder is, was that machine ever a cigarette machine? Perhaps during the show's original run? Or perhaps that set was used for another show, and for the Facts of Life it was changed to a pastry machine to avoid encouraging teenage girls to smoke? Could it have anything to do with the fact that Blair's character was intended to be a smoker, but Lisa Whelchel objected to smoking?

What was especially interesting was that there was a Season 3 episode that partly took place in a community center in the Bronx, where Jo met her "friend", and there was the exact same pastry machine! Were those pastry machines common at the time (unlikely, but I was only 2 years old when Season 3 first aired)? That gives further evidence to the possibility that it was originally a cigarette machine, which very likely could have existed in a community center at the time (smoking was not as taboo back then as it is now). Or, another possibility is that the community center used the same set at the kitchen / dining room, and they didn't bother to remove the pastry machine.

Finally, does anybody ever buy a pastry from the machine? I don't think I have ever seen anybody buy one. If not, then what purpose did it serve? Somehow, I can't help but be amused by the pastry machine

[gidgetgrape]

Am I understanding right? You think that the vending machine in the kitchen was digitally altered from a cigarette machine to pastry machine? If that's what you think, I vote no. First, you have to be a certain age to legally smoke (most likely 18 back then) and I'm sure there were rules about how many feet a cigarette machine could be from school property. I doubt there would even be a cigarette machine in the teacher's lounge of a school. You'd have to find someone who worked on the FOL props to know if the machine was altered or used in other scenes. In real life, I would say that the pastry machine was there for the staff to grab a snack on their break. It would have been odd for a worker to leave the kitchen to get a snack in the student's lounge where the girls hang out.

[Zoneboy]

Don't know about NY laws but in the late 70's/early 80's smoking was allowed on high school campuses by both students and faculty. There were no age restrictions and kids as young as 13 were puffing away without any worry of getting caught. All smoking had to be done outside and only in designated areas before school started or during breaks or lunch.

['80sSitcoms]

It was most likely always a pastry machine. I have no memory of it being a cigarette machine in the show's original run, and I believe something like that would have stuck out to me.

Blair only smoked in the pilot for the show, which was a Diff'rent Strokes episode, "The Girls School". She never smoked on The Facts of Life. After that there was only one reference to Blair smoking, and that was in the series opener, "Rough Housing", when Mrs. Garrett says to Blair "Oh sure you smoke, you talk a good game..." and that was it.

As for the community center being the same set as the kitchen/lounge, I highly doubt that. It's not impossible, I just really doubt they would completely rearrange a permanent set for one scene in one episode. Perhaps they either "borrowed" the pastry machine for that set, or just got another one.

[mitsguy2001]

Everything posted makes sense so far. But there just seems to be something mysterious about that pastry machine. Do other posters agree that it looks similar to the cigarette machines that were common back then? And do other posters agree that the "Pastries" sign looks like a piece of cardboard that was added later, and that the sign looks crooked in some episodes? And do other posters agree that in both the kitchen / dining room at Eastland and at the community center, something about the machine looks strangely out of place?

For what it's worth, I live in New York state. I know that when I was in high school, until 1995, there was a designated outdoor smoking area that students could go to during their lunch period. There was no age restrictions. I seem to remember you had to be 18 to buy cigarettes, but no age restrictions on actually smoking. Although, I'm not sure how the under-18 students who smoked in that designated area were able to legally obtain their cigarettes. I don't smoke and never did, so I was never in that area.

The designated smoking area was closed in 1995 when a new law made it illegal. I have no idea if the faculty lounge ever had a cigarette machine or not. Being a student, I wasn't allowed in the faculty lounge. I do know that prior to 1995, I would occasionally see teachers smoking inside the building, but I don't know if it was actually allowed or not.

As for Blair: I never saw that pilot episode from Different Strokes. But I think I heard that she was played by a different actress, not Lisa Whelchel. I do remember that "Rough Housing" mentioned Blair being a smoker. What I wonder is, since Blair is never seen smoking, and her smoking was never mentioned again (since Lisa Whelchel is a non-smoker, and objected to smoking): were the viewers supposed to assume that Blair quit smoking at some point, and it was never mentioned? Or were the viewers supposed to assume that Blair was still a smoker but never smoked on camera. I know that very few people saw that episode when it first aired (it aired on a Friday night during the summer), but many more people would have seen it in reruns and on the DVD.

Just something I'm curious about. Like I said, something about that pastry machine always seemed unusual. Thanks.

[BigManMike]

Lisa Whelchel did play Blair in that pilot on Diff'rent Strokes and she did have a cigarette.

Now about that pastry machine, I actually noticed that same machine or what looked like it on the episode of The Jeffersons where Jenny has her baby. It was seen in the hospital. It aired during Season 6 (1979-1980) which would have been Season 1 of FOL when they were in the dorms. Both shows were produced by many of the same people and by the same company TAT so it's possible they recycled props. I never would have guessed it was a cigarette machine if that was the case. I didn't even know cigarette machines existed because they were before my time.

[BigManMike]

And I do sometimes by pastries out of machines at work or school.

[gidgetgrape]

Originally Posted by mitsguy2001

Everything posted makes sense so far. But there just seems to be something mysterious about that pastry machine. Do other posters agree that it looks similar to the cigarette machines that were common back then? And do other posters agree that the "Pastries" sign looks like a piece of cardboard that was added later, and that the sign looks crooked in some episodes? And do other posters agree that in both the kitchen / dining room at Eastland and at the community center, something about the machine looks strangely out of place?

I think you're over analyzing the pastry machine. It's just there to give high calorie snacks.

[RetroGuy2000]

Can we get a screenshot of this mysterious pastry machine, please? Or at least name an episode where it's easily visible?

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by mitsguy2001

...since Blair is never seen smoking, and her smoking was never mentioned again (since Lisa Whelchel is a non-smoker, and objected to smoking): were the viewers supposed to assume that Blair quit smoking at some point, and it was never mentioned? Or were the viewers supposed to assume that Blair was still a smoker but never smoked on camera.

Oh, I think we are to assume Blair stopped smoking. Actually, to get even deeper, I think we are to assume that Blair never smoked; like it's something they "tried" with her in the backdoor pilot ("The Girls School" episode of Diff'rent Strokes), then took Blair in a new direction thinking "We're dropping the cigarette thing, that's not Blair". So personally I think they "retconned" her if you will into not being a smoker at all. Look at the end of season one, she wouldn't even experiment with pot; when she saw what it was really like she decried it and looked down on it and had no interest in it from then on out.

Besides, the direction in which they took Blair, could you see her smoking, even not on camera? As obsessed as she is about beauty and physical perfection, and knowing what results/effects smoking can have on the face and the body, I would say definitely not. I know I can't see her doing it at all. Even if you do consider smoking part of Blair's "canon" history, I would say she just had that extremely brief fling with smoking at age 15, then saw or heard something about what it can do, and immediately quit. After all, Blair was written differently in "The Girls School" than she was when The Facts of Life started.

Man, Charlotte has released her memoirs, they have got to write a "Facts" book someday...

Some may point out that Blair was no stranger to alcohol, but we only saw her ever in possession of sophisticated French wine (at least in the Eastland years, not sure if she ever had any drinks in the later years).

[RetroGuy2000]

I actually like the fact that Blair tried smoking when she was in a very rebellious phase in her life. It brings a little more depth to her character: she is more than just a pretty face with a taste for caviar.

[mitsguy2001]

Originally Posted by thebigcookie

Lisa Whelchel did play Blair in that pilot on Diff'rent Strokes and she did have a cigarette.

Now about that pastry machine, I actually noticed that same machine or what looked like it on the episode of The Jeffersons where Jenny has her baby. It was seen in the hospital. It aired during Season 6 (1979-1980) which would have been Season 1 of FOL when they were in the dorms. Both shows were produced by many of the same people and by the same company TAT so it's possible they recycled props. I never would have guessed it was a cigarette machine if that was the case. I didn't even know cigarette machines existed because they were before my time.

Interesting. I wonder if maybe the pastry machine was intended as some sort of running gag.

Another theory I have about the seemingly cardboard "Pastries" sign that is sometimes crooked: since it seems that was always a pastry machine and never a cigarette machine, maybe the show's original run had a brand name in that spot. And perhaps that brand sponsored only the original run. So in reruns and on the DVD, they replaced it with a generic "Pastries" sign?

[mitsguy2001]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Can we get a screenshot of this mysterious pastry machine, please? Or at least name an episode where it's easily visible?

It is very clearly visible in nearly every Season 2, 3, and 4 episode.

[mitsguy2001]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Oh, I think we are to assume Blair stopped smoking. Actually, to get even deeper, I think we are to assume that Blair never smoked; like it's something they "tried" with her in the backdoor pilot ("The Girls School" episode of Diff'rent Strokes), then took Blair in a new direction thinking "We're dropping the cigarette thing, that's not Blair". So personally I think they "retconned" her if you will into not being a smoker at all. Look at the end of season one, she wouldn't even experiment with pot; when she saw what it was really like she decried it and looked down on it and had no interest in it from then on out.

But remember, in the first Season 1 episode, "Rough Housing", Mrs. Garrett mentions that Blair is a smoker. So even if you ignore "The Girls School", there is still at least one Facts of Life episode that mentions Blair being a smoker, assuming Season 1 is considered canon.

Besides, the direction in which they took Blair, could you see her smoking, even not on camera? As obsessed as she is about beauty and physical perfection, and knowing what results/effects smoking can have on the face and the body, I would say definitely not. I know I can't see her doing it at all.

Actually, most supermodels, actresses, and singers smoke, even though it makes absolutely no sense. Their reasoning is because they think it helps them lose weight. I could see Blair smoking in order to lose weight, and using a lot of makeup to hide the damage smoking does to her looks.

Even if you do consider smoking part of Blair's "canon" histor, I would say she just had that extremely brief fling with smoking at age 15, then saw or heard something about what it can do, and immediately quit. After all, Blair was written differently in "The Girls School" than she was when The Facts of Life started.

That is the most likely scenario. Perhaps she tried smoking in order to lose weight, but then she realized that it was overall harmful to her appearance.

Man, Charlotte has released her memoirs, they have got to write a "Facts" book someday...

Some may point out that Blair was no stranger to alcohol, but we only saw her ever in possession of sophisticated French wine (at least in the Eastland years, not sure if she ever had any drinks in the later years).

Although, she would have been old enough to drink in the later seasons.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by mitsguy2001

But remember, in the first Season 1 episode, "Rough Housing", Mrs. Garrett mentions that Blair is a smoker. So even if you ignore "The Girls School", there is still at least one Facts of Life episode that mentions Blair being a smoker, assuming Season 1 is considered canon.

Yes, I mentioned that above:

Blair only smoked in the pilot for the show, which was a Diff'rent Strokes episode, "The Girls School". She never smoked on The Facts of Life. After that there was only one reference to Blair smoking, and that was in the series opener, "Rough Housing", when Mrs. Garrett says to Blair "Oh sure you smoke, you talk a good game..." and that was it.

It's like a one-time peek into her "bad girl" past, lol.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I actually like the fact that Blair tried smoking when she was in a very rebellious phase in her life. It brings a little more depth to her character: she is more than just a pretty face with a taste for caviar.

She smoked a cigarette and held a guitar---where is the real Blair Warner and what have you done with her??

Interesting with the arrival of Jo, one would be hard-pressed to see imagine Blair smoking at all; that is something tough street girl Jo, if anyone, one would assume, would do.