Poor Mr. Bradley - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

FOL-FAN-ITA · 10-27-2020, 12:35 PM

I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Bradley but it's sad they never mentioned him like he never existed

PracTz · 10-27-2020, 12:40 PM

Not to mention that Eastland seems to have paid him so little that he couldn't afford his own television set so that's likely why he'd watched shows on the big console at the girls' dorm!

80s Dude · 10-27-2020, 01:34 PM

They never mentioned the Crok, Miss Mahoney, or Mr. Harris again either. They did feature Mr. Bradley in the flashback episodes so that is a little acknowledgement of him.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-27-2020, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

Not to mention that Eastland seems to have paid him so little that he couldn't afford his own television set so that's likely why he'd watched shows on the big console at the girls' dorm!

... Well, at least in "Emily Dickinson", he was trying to get the girls to turn off the TV.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-27-2020, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

They never mentioned the Crok, Miss Mahoney, or Mr. Harris again either. They did feature Mr. Bradley in the flashback episodes so that is a little acknowledgement of him.

Yeah, we do see him in the flashbacks, so it seems they must have mentioned him as they discussed the stories.

OH Nuts! · 10-27-2020, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Bradley but it's sad they never mentioned him like he never existed

This was kind of weird, now that you mention it.

80s Dude · 10-27-2020, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, we do see him in the flashbacks, so it seems they must have mentioned him as they discussed the stories.

Like when he walks into the classroom while Tootie is writing "I will not.." on the chalk board and says "Um, Tootie, dittles are not acceptable."

RetroGuy2000 · 10-27-2020, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

This was kind of weird, now that you mention it.

Yes. It was common on television in the 1950s-1980s for characters to become un-people when they left the show. They were never, ever mentioned again, and they simply ceased to exist. Chuck Cunningham, for example, just stopped existing.

FOL was a cut above other 1980s shows because some characters were phased out or at least mentioned after their last appearances. Howard left after Season 2, but gets a mention in Season 4. George fades away after Season 7, but still makes a few appearances in Season 8. The Lost Girls disappear after the first season, but make sporadic appearances in Seasons 2, 3, and 8, and one, Sue Ann, gets mentioned as late as the 2001 Reunion film. Mr. Parker still visits in Season 5. Mrs. Garrett is mentioned several times in Seasons 8 and 9. I do feel FOL was better about character continuity than most 1980s shows, but its continuity was less good than most of today's shows.

I don't remember Miss Mahoney or Kelly getting later shout-outs, but I think everyone else seen in the opening credits got a mention or a flashback appearance.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-27-2020, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Like when he walks into the classroom while Tootie is writing "I will not.." on the chalk board and says "Um, Tootie, dittles are not acceptable."

Yep! He gets another one, too, when he's seen in one of the dorm rooms, in a flashback.

80s Dude · 10-27-2020, 03:58 PM

They should have brought Chuck Cunningham back for the final episode of Happy Days.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-27-2020, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

They should have brought Chuck Cunningham back for the final episode of Happy Days.

That would have been awesome!

"Mom, Dad! I'm back from Outer Mongolia!"

80s Dude · 10-27-2020, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

That would have been awesome!

"Mom, Dad! I'm back from Outer Mongolia!"

If I was a writer on the show, I would have had Chuck go off and join the military. At least explain his absence,

RetroGuy2000 · 10-27-2020, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

If I was a writer on the show, I would have had Chuck go off and join the military. At least explain his absence,

Yeah, I know back in the 1980s, a lot of people were claiming "Chuck died in 'Nam." Joining the military would have been a great way to explain why the character was no longer on the show. It could have even been a great way of explaining why he never came back. Heck, they could have even received phone calls from Chuck, and it wouldn't have cost the show a dime.

valentina warner · 10-28-2020, 05:22 PM

I think i must be the only one (or at least in the minority) who liked MR BRADLEY and the CROCK: those 2 characters were hilarious, and we don't see headmasters like them anymore....

'80sSitcoms · 11-03-2020, 12:55 AM

Oh no valentina, I really like Mr. Bradley too! I think lots of fans like him.

I would also like The Croc if he were an insane raving recurring character not the headmaster, not seen too often, just sometimes.

To me, this is one of the biggest mysteries of the show that is hardly ever discussed in depth. Why couldn't they have kept Mr. Bradley?? The school has to have a headmaster. They already had one who was really good in his role. Why boot him off and hire a new one for a whole season but just one appearance?

10-27-2020, 12:35 PM	#1
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	Poor Mr. Bradley I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Bradley but it's sad they never mentioned him like he never existed
	__________________ The Facts Of Life Italian Fan

11-03-2020, 12:55 AM	#15
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	Oh no valentina, I really like Mr. Bradley too! I think lots of fans like him. I would also like The Croc if he were an insane raving recurring character not the headmaster, not seen too often, just sometimes. To me, this is one of the biggest mysteries of the show that is hardly ever discussed in depth. Why couldn't they have kept Mr. Bradley?? The school has to have a headmaster. They already had one who was really good in his role. Why boot him off and hire a new one for a whole season but just one appearance?
	__________________ "The Facts of Life" - re-imagined episode guide with all 8 girls in all 9 seasons

10-27-2020, 12:40 PM	#2
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Not to mention that Eastland seems to have paid him so little that he couldn't afford his own television set so that's likely why he'd watched shows on the big console at the girls' dorm!

10-27-2020, 01:34 PM	#3
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,823	They never mentioned the Crok, Miss Mahoney, or Mr. Harris again either. They did feature Mr. Bradley in the flashback episodes so that is a little acknowledgement of him.

10-27-2020, 03:58 PM	#10
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,823	They should have brought Chuck Cunningham back for the final episode of Happy Days.

10-28-2020, 05:22 PM	#14
valentina warner Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2020 Location: The Uk Posts: 3,154	I think i must be the only one (or at least in the minority) who liked MR BRADLEY and the CROCK: those 2 characters were hilarious, and we don't see headmasters like them anymore....