Eleven Little Known Tidbits About ODAAT - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 09:27 PM

1. The original premise of the show was to be about a single father raising his two sons in Boulder, Colorado. However, after realizing that more women watch sitcoms than men, Norman Lear changed the characters to females.

2. Pat Harrington's Schneider character was supposed to be only a one-shot guest appearance in the pilot, but his popularity with the studio audience quickly promoted him to a regular, featured player.

3. Ann-Margaret was the original choice to play Ann Romano. She backed out over fears that the role would typecast her.

4. Valerie Bertinelli received her coveted "and Valerie Bertinelli as Barbara Cooper" opening credit in lieu of not receiving a larger dressing room.

5. Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli HATED each other at first. Screaming matches between the two often disrupted taping of early first season episodes. It was Bonnie Franklin who sat them down and got them to be friends, an act which was precipitated when the girls discovered a mutual love of roller derby.

6. A VHS copy of the episode "Barbara's Rebellion" was sent into space aboard the Voyager II spacecraft.

7. The Alex Handris character was going to come out at the end of season six, but Glenn Scarpelli's teen heartthrob status made this idea too controversial for 1980s TV.

8. Valerie Bertinelli's then-husband Eddie Van Halen was set to make a 1982 guest appearance as himself in a "very special episode" about the dangers of celebrity obsession. A first draft script is known to exist; reasons for the episode not being produced are unknown.

9. During rehearsals, co-star Michael Lembeck nearly missed being seriously injured, if not killed, when a loose boom light fell just centimeters from where he was standing.

10. The producers briefly toyed with the idea of hooking up Schneider and Shelley Fabares' character Francine, thinking their disparate personalities might have made for a funny and interesting sub-plot.

11. The show It's a Living was originally conceived as a spin-off for the Ginny Wrobliki character.

By the way, none of these are true.

Svenfan1234 · 09-08-2017, 09:54 PM

Very interesting

How are you?

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Very interesting

How are you?

Good thanks; just fixing the typos I noticed.

How are you?

Svenfan1234 · 09-08-2017, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Cooper

Good thanks; just fixing the typos I noticed.

How are you?

Good. I like your Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington avatar.

Did you hear about the new Svengoolie action figure? Probably not, because I'm probably your Sven news source, right?

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Good. I like your Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington avatar.

Did you hear about the new Svengoolie action figure? Probably not, because I'm probably your Sven news source, right?

Thanks!

No, I didn't know about a Svengoolie action figure. That's awesome. Will it be available from the store he didn't know he has?

He can help my Batman, Robin, and Batgirl figures fight my King Tut and Catwoman figures!

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

Yeah!! OK!! And I will buy some of your ocean front property in Las Vegas!!

How'd you know about that?

Svenfan1234 · 09-08-2017, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Cooper

Thanks!

No, I didn't know about a Svengoolie action figure. That's awesome. Will it be available from the store he didn't know he has?

He can help my Batman, Robin, and Batgirl figures fight my King Tut and Catwoman figures!

It's in the Me-TV online store.

I'm sure he'd love to fight King Tut.

opus · 09-08-2017, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Cooper

9. During rehearsals, co-star Michael Lembeck nearly missed being seriously injured, if not killed, when a loose boom light fell just centimeters from where he was standing.

Boyd Gaines was spotted running away in the catwalk, but nothing was ever proven.

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

Boyd Gaines was spotted running away in the catwalk, but nothing was ever proven.

Svenfan1234 · 09-08-2017, 11:00 PM

Why'd Bonnie delete her post?

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Why'd Bonnie delete her post?

IDK; I didn't even notice that till you pointed it out.?

Svenfan1234 · 09-08-2017, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Cooper

IDK; I didn't even notice that till you pointed it out.?

You quoted it earlier in the thread

You are very creative with these 11 interesting tidbits.

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

You quoted it earlier in the thread

You are very creative with these 11 interesting tidbits.

Yeah, I meant that I didn't realize she deleted it. I thought she had a funny response!

And thanks!

Svenfan1234 · 09-08-2017, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Cooper

Yeah, I meant that I didn't realize she deleted it. I thought she had a funny response!

And thanks!

I miss Anna tonight.

Alex Cooper · 09-08-2017, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

I miss Anna tonight.

Me too! Anna, oh Anna, wherefore art thou?

09-08-2017, 09:27 PM	#1
Alex Cooper Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 16, 2016 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,705	Eleven Little Known Tidbits About ODAAT 1. The original premise of the show was to be about a single father raising his two sons in Boulder, Colorado. However, after realizing that more women watch sitcoms than men, Norman Lear changed the characters to females. 2. Pat Harrington's Schneider character was supposed to be only a one-shot guest appearance in the pilot, but his popularity with the studio audience quickly promoted him to a regular, featured player. 3. Ann-Margaret was the original choice to play Ann Romano. She backed out over fears that the role would typecast her. 4. Valerie Bertinelli received her coveted "and Valerie Bertinelli as Barbara Cooper" opening credit in lieu of not receiving a larger dressing room. 5. Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli HATED each other at first. Screaming matches between the two often disrupted taping of early first season episodes. It was Bonnie Franklin who sat them down and got them to be friends, an act which was precipitated when the girls discovered a mutual love of roller derby. 6. A VHS copy of the episode "Barbara's Rebellion" was sent into space aboard the Voyager II spacecraft. 7. The Alex Handris character was going to come out at the end of season six, but Glenn Scarpelli's teen heartthrob status made this idea too controversial for 1980s TV. 8. Valerie Bertinelli's then-husband Eddie Van Halen was set to make a 1982 guest appearance as himself in a "very special episode" about the dangers of celebrity obsession. A first draft script is known to exist; reasons for the episode not being produced are unknown. 9. During rehearsals, co-star Michael Lembeck nearly missed being seriously injured, if not killed, when a loose boom light fell just centimeters from where he was standing. 10. The producers briefly toyed with the idea of hooking up Schneider and Shelley Fabares' character Francine, thinking their disparate personalities might have made for a funny and interesting sub-plot. 11. The show It's a Living was originally conceived as a spin-off for the Ginny Wrobliki character. By the way, none of these are true.
	__________________ "...You don't become a Misfit. You're either born a Misfit, or you're not." Phyllis "Pizzazz" Gabor Last edited by Alex Cooper; 09-08-2017 at 10:58 PM.

09-08-2017, 09:54 PM	#2
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	Very interesting How are you?
	__________________ [

09-08-2017, 11:00 PM	#10
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	Why'd Bonnie delete her post?