Why Charlotte never appeared on crossovers?

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

In TGS episode five girls apperead and later returned when Fol premiered during August 1979. For the first three seasons the girls (Blair, Natalie, Tootie, Cindy and Molly) appeared in some DS/FOL crossover episodes but Mrs. Garrett never appeared (I mean with the girls, not her last appearence at Mr. Drummond's wedding). Why? And why they stop with DS/FOL connection after the 1981-82 season?

P.S: I bought Charlotte's book

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

In TGS episode five girls apperead and later returned when Fol premiered during August 1979. For the first three seasons the girls (Blair, Natalie, Tootie, Cindy and Molly) appeared in some DS/FOL crossover episodes but Mrs. Garrett never appeared (I mean with the girls, not her last appearence at Mr. Drummond's wedding). Why? And why they stop with DS/FOL connection after the 1981-82 season?

The crossovers were an attempt at getting the audience from DS (which was a hit show) to start watching FOL (which was not). Once FOL was a hit show, there was no financial reason to continue the crossovers.

It only made sense for the producers to bring back Mrs. Garrett for the "three housekeepers" scene at the DS wedding. Audiences would have found it weird to only have had two housekeepers there.

P.S: I bought Charlotte's book

How is it?

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The crossovers were an attempt at getting the audience from DS (which was a hit show) to start watching FOL (which was not). Once FOL was a hit show, there was no financial reason to continue the crossovers.

It only made sense for the producers to bring back Mrs. Garrett for the "three housekeepers" scene at the DS wedding. Audiences would have found it weird to only have had two housekeepers there.



How is it?

I found it weird that the girls were at the penthouse while Mrs. Garrett, who was a friend of the family, returned only on one occasion. I wonder why the producers never asked to Charlotte Rae to come back for guest appearences..


The book is wonderful. Charlotte talks about her family, her first roles on Broadway, her feelings about his challenged son Andy and about the end of her marriage and about her experience with AA. She talks very little about DS (half chapter, why the name Edna Garrett, the contract with CBS, her castmates, the kids' parents and the producers who didn't give her much feedback or showed her affection even when they offered her FOL) and about FOL (three chapters about the development of the show, Mindy's casting, how she was nervous during the first season, the pressure of a new show with an uncertain future, she felt bad for the lost girls, her diet between the first two seasons, the themes touched during the first years, how the girls were politely distant from her thinking she was a boss, when they shoot the Paris movie, when she gets a pacemaker, what money and celebrity meant to her and how she starts thinking to leave the series after season 4)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I found it weird that the girls were at the penthouse while Mrs. Garrett, who was a friend of the family, returned only on one occasion. I wonder why the producers never asked to Charlotte Rae to come back for guest appearences..

But isn't it kinda odd to say she was "never" asked to do guest appearances when she did two? There's the 1984 DS episode, and the 1979 "The Trip" Hello Larry crossover episode. And between Mr. Drummond, Kimberly, Willis, and Arnold appearing on FOL, and Tootie, Blair, Natalie, Cindy, and Molly appearing on DS, there were already almost a dozen guest appearances on the three shows.

The book is wonderful. Charlotte talks about her family, her first roles on Broadway, her feelings about his challenged son Andy and about the end of her marriage and about her experience with AA. She talks very little about DS (half chapter, why the name Edna Garrett, the contract with CBS, her castmates, the kids' parents and the producers who didn't give her much feedback or showed her affection even when they offered her FOL) and about FOL (three chapters about the development of the show, Mindy's casting, how she was nervous during the first season, the pressure of a new show with an uncertain future, she felt bad for the lost girls, her diet between the first two seasons, the themes touched during the first years, how the girls were politely distant from her thinking she was a boss, when they shoot the Paris movie, when she gets a pacemaker, what money and celebrity meant to her and how she starts thinking to leave the series after season 4)

Thanks for the thorough answer, ITA. So Charlotte was already considering leaving the show after Season Four? That was earlier than I would have even imagined.

Did she give any specifics about the Lost Girls?

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The crossovers were an attempt at getting the audience from DS (which was a hit show) to start watching FOL (which was not). Once FOL was a hit show, there was no financial reason to continue the crossovers.

Maybe not, but there was a continuity reason. "The Golden Girls" was a smash hit and its spin-off "Empty Nest" became a very big hit as well, but both shows continued to do crossovers from time to time. I believe TV shows back then should have done more crossovers as "bonuses" for the audiences tuning into same-locale shows.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

But isn't it kinda odd to say she was "never" asked to do guest appearances when she did two?

Not really, to me, because both shows were on for sooooo long. Then again, I love crossovers so much (see above, lol). And I think she only did 1? The wedding episode.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

There's the 1984 DS episode, and the 1979 "The Trip" Hello Larry crossover episode.

I'm not sure how 'The Trip" counts since that was when Charlotte was a cast member of DS.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

And between Mr. Drummond, Kimberly, Willis, and Arnold appearing on FOL, and Tootie, Blair, Natalie, Cindy, and Molly appearing on DS, there were already almost a dozen guest appearances on the three shows.

Hmm, this may be where we count these differently. For example, I wouldn't say Mr. Drummond, Kimberly, Willis, and Arnold was 4 guest appearances on "Rough Housing". I would say it was 1 guest appearance from DS.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

So Charlotte was already considering leaving the show after Season Four? That was earlier than I would have even imagined.

Did she give any specifics about the Lost Girls?

1) yes, and 2), just a bit. We went over some of these details last year.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Maybe not, but there was a continuity reason. "The Golden Girls" was a smash hit and its spin-off "Empty Nest" became a very big hit as well, but both shows continued to do crossovers from time to time. I believe TV shows back then should have done more crossovers as "bonuses" for the audiences tuning into same-locale shows.

I don't disagree, but my point was there was no financial need anymore.

I'm not sure how 'The Trip" counts since that was when Charlotte was a cast member of DS.

"The Trip, Part 2" originally aired as episode of Hello Larry, not DS.

Hmm, this may be where we count these differently. For example, I wouldn't say Mr. Drummond, Kimberly, Willis, and Arnold was 4 guest appearances on "Rough Housing". I would say it was 1 guest appearance from DS.

I'm not saying one episode counts as four guest appearances. I'm saying there were about a dozen guest appearances between FOL, HL, and DS.

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

But isn't it kinda odd to say she was "never" asked to do guest appearances when she did two? There's the 1984 DS episode, and the 1979 "The Trip" Hello Larry crossover episode. And between Mr. Drummond, Kimberly, Willis, and Arnold appearing on FOL, and Tootie, Blair, Natalie, Cindy, and Molly appearing on DS, there were already almost a dozen guest appearances on the three shows.



Thanks for the thorough answer, ITA. So Charlotte was already considering leaving the show after Season Four? That was earlier than I would have even imagined.

Did she give any specifics about the Lost Girls?

I was surprised too. She got a pacemaker in 1982 and she wanted to relax, a sitcom means a lot of pressure. Plus, she never played the same role for years and years and she thinks that Mrs. Garrett had become uninteresting because the girls had grown up. They never write for her, she was just there after season 5 (she complained about this with Brandon Tartikoff who told her that she was the centerpiece, no FOL without Mrs.G.). She cried when summer hiatus was over and it was time to start shooting another season but she didn't want to leave until she was sure the girls could carry the show without her (in the book she says after the fifth or sixth seasons)

About the lost girls she says that they were all talented and funny but they were fired at the end of season 1. She was happy that Fol was renewed but it was bittersweet for her knowing that it wasn't another season for everyone. But the girls came back in later seasons and they were always professional and relaxed.

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Not really, to me, because both shows were on for sooooo long. Then again, I love crossovers so much (see above, lol). And I think she only did 1? The wedding episode.


[/QUOTE]

I love crossovers too. Love the way writers create and develope relationships between characters of two sitcoms.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I was surprised too. She got a pacemaker in 1982 and she wanted to relax, a sitcom means a lot of pressure. Plus, she never played the same role for years and years and she thinks that Mrs. Garrett had become uninteresting because the girls had grown up. They never write for her, she was just there after season 5 (she complained about this with Brandon Tartikoff who told her that she was the centerpiece, no FOL without Mrs.G.).

It did seem as though the role of Mrs. G became more of a "Now I'm in the room, I'll say a few funny lines, and then exit Stage Right to make Ovaltine" role, but I didn't feel like that happened until later. Certainly not in Season Four. That feels so early.

She cried when summer hiatus was over and it was time to start shooting another season but she didn't want to leave until she was sure the girls could carry the show without her (in the book she says after the fifth or sixth seasons)

Glad she stayed on as long as she did, then. We got some nice moments in S5 though 8.

About the lost girls she says that they were all talented and funny but they were fired at the end of season 1. She was happy that Fol was renewed but it was bittersweet for her knowing that it wasn't another season for everyone. But the girls came back in later seasons and they were always professional and relaxed.

Thanks for relaying this info!

It's funny because after the Cast Purge, the show even more closely resembled Dorothy Loudon's show, which didn't last long at all: four girls and a red-haired faculty member.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It did seem as though the role of Mrs. G became more of a "Now I'm in the room, I'll say a few funny lines, and then exit Stage Right to make Ovaltine" role, but I didn't feel like that happened until later. Certainly not in Season Four. That feels so early.

Yeah, that did come later. It was more the pacemaker thing that had her concerned by season 4.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Yeah, that did come later. It was more the pacemaker thing that had her concerned by season 4.

Glad to know she wasn't already feeling shunted aside during the Silver Cafeteria Years.

It's crazy to think that Charlotte needed a pacemaker during S4. She must have been about 56, and lived to the ripe old age of 92, meaning that pacemaker (or replacements) lasted over 30 years! 1/3rd of her life was on a pacemaker.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Glad to know she wasn't already feeling shunted aside during the Silver Cafeteria Years.

Oh no, not at all. Rest assured!

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

During season 4 she didn't want to overstress her. By season 5/6 she was thinking to leave the show because Mrs. Garrett was needed less and less

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Mrs. Garrett's role was reduced after season 5. Except EGOC, The Chain Letter, the episodes that introduced OOH and Out of Peekskill, she was absent or less present for most of the time. She had more airtime on DS where she was a supporting character than FOL seasons 6-7 where she was the star

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Mrs. Garrett's role was reduced after season 5. Except EGOC, The Chain Letter, the episodes that introduced OOH and Out of Peekskill, she was absent or less present for most of the time. She had more airtime on DS where she was a supporting character than FOL seasons 6-7 where she was the star

Yes, I think we all know how neglected Mrs. Garrett became, by the end. The poor woman didn't even have a bedroom during her last four seasons! This during an era when the other characters were were regularly shown in their bedroom... and then they even got a second bedroom!

The declining role of Mrs. G is one of the reasons (although there are many) the later seasons of the show just aren't as good as the Golden Years of Dorm or the Silver Cafeteria Era. They'd gotten so far away from the original premise that the cracks were showing.