There is quite a bit of Cindy Webster in Julie Ann Haddock

[80s Dude]

Julie Ann made the following post on her Instagram account a couple of years ago when her mother passed. In it she described her self as follows:

"My mom’s High School Graduation photo. As a kid I would look at this and think Wow, my mom is SO fancy. I was such a tomboy and wasn’t into “girly” things, so I didn’t quite get it back then. Now, I so appreciate her elegance and glamour. Missing you mom!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjxKHSmg..._web_copy_link

I really don't get Lisa Whelchel sometimes. She described Julie Ann as being as far as Cindy Webster as she could be and described Julie Ann as such a girly girl. Julie Ann says otherwise here. Perhaps Lisa was trying to say that her friend could act as a completely different person than what she was like in real life.

[RetroGuy2000]

Thanks for the link, 80s Dude.

I'm not at all surprised that Julie Anne was a tomboy in real life, as the characters' personalities seemed to be drawn from who they were as real people (Sue Ann/Julie Pie being from the Midwest, Nancy/Felice liking Baryshnikov... it makes me wonder if Laura didn't really have a frog named Leon (just kidding, as I know that originally, the frog was Jennifer's)).

Also: may I mention how gorgeous Julie Anne's mom was? I wonder when she passed on, as we got to see her in the Child Actors video, so she was still around in the 1980s.

I believe Lisa stated that Julie Anne was "anything but a tomboy", but Julie Anne clearly disagrees. I do wonder about the discrepancy. Certainly the backflips that Julie Anne performed on the show demonstrate that she had some kind of athletic background. I think Lisa was just wrong.

[80s Dude]

Lisa also said there was no line counting. Felice and John Lawlor say otherwise. Lisa also said there was no personality conflicts. Molly talked about problems she had with Mindy.

Julie Ann's mother was gorgeous as is Julie Becker is today.

[80s Dude]

I also read that Nancy McKeon was rough around the edges like Jo. She was referred to as Angry Jo by the writers and producers. She certainly was not shy about staging a hold out or giving cast members who she feared would cut into her airtime the cold shoulder (see Pam Adlon).

[Lorimar Television]

I’m guessing Lisa did her own thing and didn’t pay much attention to little details about others

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Thanks for the link, 80s Dude.

I'm not at all surprised that Julie Anne was a tomboy in real life, as the characters' personalities seemed to be drawn from who they were as real people (Sue Ann/Julie Pie being from the Midwest, Nancy/Felice liking Baryshnikov... it makes me wonder if Laura didn't really have a frog named Leon (just kidding, as I know that originally, the frog was Jennifer's)).

Also: may I mention how gorgeous Julie Anne's mom was? I wonder when she passed on, as we got to see her in the Child Actors video, so she was still around in the 1980s.

I believe Lisa stated that Julie Anne was "anything but a tomboy", but Julie Anne clearly disagrees. I do wonder about the discrepancy. Certainly the backflips that Julie Anne performed on the show demonstrate that she had some kind of athletic background. I think Lisa was just wrong.

Molly too. If you read Molly Ringwald's social media posts on Facebook and Twitter, you swear that was what Molly Parker's social media pages would look like.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Lisa also said there was no line counting. Felice and John Lawlor say otherwise. Lisa also said there was no personality conflicts. Molly talked about problems she had with Mindy.

And Geri has also talked about her problems with the producers, as has Pamela Adlon. So maybe Lisa just remembers things with rose-colored glasses.

Julie Ann's mother was gorgeous as is Julie Becker is today.

No argument there!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Molly too. If you read Molly Ringwald's social media posts on Facebook and Twitter, you swear that was what Molly Parker's social media pages would look like.

Haha! That's a good point.

But I also believe that there were some things about Molly Parker that were not part of Molly Ringwald.

Molly Parker comes across as very confident (she talks about just grabbing a guy and making him dance). But I think Molly Ringwald had some insecurities, which have come across over the years as maybe snobbishness or feelings of intimidation. We saw this in her interview on WWHL, in her book, and also in interviews from the '80s, when she would roll her eyes at the interviewer, becoming a well-known member of the Brat Pack.

Her book, Getting the Pretty Back, feels like it was written by Blair Warner, and many reviews are savage:

Originally Posted by Amazon Reviewer

Oh, the problems... her wine cellar in Paris was robbed... but thank God they didn't get the '88 Chateau de Smug. I can totally relate.

When I was reading the book, I felt like Jo, screaming "Who cares?!" at Blair, as she babbled on about how rich and powerful her family is. I don't know why Molly would write a book like this, because at other times, she totally comes across as a total Social Justice Warrior. Why flaunt her wealth and power so obviously?

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Haha! That's a good point.

But I also believe that there were some things about Molly Parker that were not part of Molly Ringwald.

Molly Parker comes across as very confident (she talks about just grabbing a guy and making him dance). But I think Molly Ringwald had some insecurities, which have come across over the years as maybe snobbishness or feelings of intimidation. We saw this in her interview on WWHL, in her book, and also in interviews from the '80s, when she would roll her eyes at the interviewer, becoming a well-known member of the Brat Pack.

Her book, Getting the Pretty Back, feels like it was written by Blair Warner, and many reviews are savage:



When I was reading the book, I felt like Jo, screaming "Who cares?!" at Blair, as she babbled on about how rich and powerful her family is. I don't know why Molly would write a book like this, because at other times, she totally comes across as a total Social Justice Warrior. Why flaunt her wealth and power so obviously?

Molly was very talented at rolling her eyes. She even did that in the "New Girl, Part 2" right after the line "Let it go, Margo", as if she was saying "This is so lame. I am so out of here." Ironically in a recent interview Molly states her oldest daughter rolls her eyes at Molly sometimes. Nothing like being a parent yourself and you get all the behaviors that you inflicted on your own parents when you are younger.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Molly was very talented at rolling her eyes. She even did that in the "New Girl, Part 2" right after the line "Let it go, Margo", as if she was saying "This is so lame. I am so out of here." Ironically in a recent interview Molly states her oldest daughter rolls her eyes at Molly sometimes. Nothing like being a parent yourself and you get all the behaviors that you inflicted on your own parents when you are younger.

I don't really see the attitude in TNG part 2, but I absolutely do see it in many of her 1980s interviews. That totally comes across.

And I'm laughing out loud at Molly getting the "rolling eyes" treatment from her daughter. The "joys" of being a mom!

Do you have a link to the article, BTW? I'd love to read it.

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I don't really see the attitude in TNG part 2, but I absolutely do see it in many of her 1980s interviews. That totally comes across.

And I'm laughing out loud at Molly getting the "rolling eyes" treatment from her daughter. The "joys" of being a mom!

Do you have a link to the article, BTW? I'd love to read it.

I can't remember if it was on video or written words article and can't locate it. I did find this Molly Ringwald tweet which brings back FOL memories involving her daughter and a ukele.

"Stuck in traffic for 3 hours with a 10 year old trying to teach herself "The Star-Spangled Banner" on the ukulele. And, how was your day?" And we know who played a ukele (and not well) as a 11/12 year old on FOL. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/molly...b0287e5b8aad52

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Thanks for the link, 80s Dude.

I'm not at all surprised that Julie Anne was a tomboy in real life, as the characters' personalities seemed to be drawn from who they were as real people (Sue Ann/Julie Pie being from the Midwest, Nancy/Felice liking Baryshnikov... it makes me wonder if Laura didn't really have a frog named Leon (just kidding, as I know that originally, the frog was Jennifer's)).

Also: may I mention how gorgeous Julie Anne's mom was? I wonder when she passed on, as we got to see her in the Child Actors video, so she was still around in the 1980s.

I believe Lisa stated that Julie Anne was "anything but a tomboy", but Julie Anne clearly disagrees. I do wonder about the discrepancy. Certainly the backflips that Julie Anne performed on the show demonstrate that she had some kind of athletic background. I think Lisa was just wrong.

Julie Ann's mother passed away in 2018. They tried to make Jo the tomboy after the Big Purge, but Jo was more of a biker chick than a jock girl like Cindy/Julie Ann.

['80sSitcoms]

I don't think Lisa was "wrong" necessarily. IIRC she didn't say Julie Anne was "a girly girl". She just said she couldn't understand why the producers picked the prettiest girl of them all to play the tomboy. And it is obvious looking at her that Julie Anne was blossoming into beauty, not boyishness.

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Molly talked about problems she had with Mindy.

Well, not really "problems". The only thing she said was, "Mindy???" when pressed to force to give an answer as to who the mean girl on the set was, and that she was "intimidated by her". That's all. For all we know, that could have been entirely in Molly's head.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I don't think Lisa was "wrong" necessarily. IIRC she didn't say Julie Anne was "a girly girl". She just said she couldn't understand why the producers picked the prettiest girl of them all to play the tomboy. And it is obvious looking at her that Julie Anne was blossoming into beauty, not boyishness.

That's true. Although I do think she could play a tomboy even while being the prettiest little "blonde-haired, blue-eyed" cutie.

Well, not really "problems". The only thing she said was, "Mindy???" when pressed to force to give an answer as to who the mean girl on the set was, and that she was "intimidated by her". That's all. For all we know, that could have been entirely in Molly's head.

And let's hope it was so. I don't like the idea of Mindy purposely intimidating Molly. I hope it was just... maybe something along the lines of, "Well, Mindy was brought on by Charlotte, the star of the show. That feels intimidating." And nothing else.

I would love for Molly to explain her "intimidating" comment in more detail. Mindy was just a little cutie. But what an adult sees as just a cute little girl, another cute little girl could see as intimidating.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

And let's hope it was so. I don't like the idea of Mindy purposely intimidating Molly. I hope it was just... maybe something along the lines of, "Well, Mindy was brought on by Charlotte, the star of the show. That feels intimidating." And nothing else.

I really like to think that's all it is too. Seeing Julie Anne brought on is one thing, because she's a professional young actress and had been in various media before. But for Mindy to be a "regular kid" brought on as a newly created role to get lines, AND Charlotte's "protege" (not really, but you get what I mean, lol), yeah, maybe it was just that.