"The Facts of Life" (1979) TV series 1979-1988

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Creators:

Dick Clair
Jenna McMahon
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

24 August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life...

Plot:

A group of girls attending a boarding school experience the joys and the trials of adolescence under the guiding hand of housemother Edna Garrett...

Plot Keywords:

Housemother | Boarding School | Tolerance | Uniform | Bad Girl

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 6 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Lisa Whelchel	...	Blair Warner (200 episodes, 1979-1988)
Kim Fields	...	Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey (200 episodes, 1979-1988)
Mindy Cohn	...	Natalie Green (200 episodes, 1979-1988)
Nancy McKeon	...	Joanne 'Jo' Polniaczek / ... (186 episodes, 1980-1988)
Charlotte Rae	...	Edna Garrett (145 episodes, 1979-1986)

(more)

Series Directed by
John Bowab		(91 episodes, 1980-1988)
Asaad Kelada		(77 episodes, 1980-1985)
Valentine Mayer		(6 episodes, 1986-1988)
Bob Claver		(4 episodes, 1980-1981)
Lee Lochhead		(4 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jim Drake		(3 episodes, 1979)
Judi Elterman		(3 episodes, 1982-1985)
Marian Deaton		(3 episodes, 1986-1988)

Series Writing credits
Jerry Mayer		(27 episodes, 1979-1985)
Linda Marsh		(24 episodes, 1980-1985)
Margie Peters		(24 episodes, 1980-1985)
Stuart Wolpert		(18 episodes, 1981-1985)
Deidre Fay		(16 episodes, 1981-1985)
Paul Haggis		(13 episodes, 1982-1986)
Bob Myer		(10 episodes, 1983-1986)
Bob Young		(10 episodes, 1983-1986)
Martha Williamson		(8 episodes, 1986-1988)
Kimberly Hill		(7 episodes, 1982-1985)
Ross Brown		(7 episodes, 1986-1988)
Ann Gibbs		(5 episodes, 1980-1981)
Joel Kimmel		(5 episodes, 1980-1981)
Andy Borowitz		(5 episodes, 1983-1984)
Michael Maurer		(5 episodes, 1985-1987)
Michael Poryes		(5 episodes, 1986-1988)
Dick Clair		(4 episodes, 1979-1982)
Jenna McMahon		(4 episodes, 1979-1982)
Douglas Arango		(4 episodes, 1986-1988)
Phil Doran		(4 episodes, 1986-1988)
Austin Kalish		(4 episodes, 1987-1988)
Irma Kalish		(4 episodes, 1987-1988)
Howard Leeds		(3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Ben Starr		(3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Jack Elinson		(3 episodes, 1980-1986)
Jane Anderson		(3 episodes, 1984-1986)
Katherine Green		(3 episodes, 1986-1987)
Richard Gurman		(3 episodes, 1986-1987)
John Boni		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mark Tuttle		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Glenn Padnick		(2 episodes, 1979-1984)
Martin Ragaway		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Migdia Chinea-Varela		(2 episodes, 1980-1982)
Sally Sussman Morina		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Lou Messina		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Howard Meyers		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Diane Messina Stanley		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Jerry Jacobius		(2 episodes, 1982)
Peter Noah		(2 episodes, 1982)
Bill Shinkai		(2 episodes, 1982)
Bill Steinkellner		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Cherie Steinkellner		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gail Honigberg		(2 episodes, 1984)
Patrick Cleary		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Bob Bendetson		(2 episodes, 1985)
Howard Bendetson		(2 episodes, 1985)
Bruce Ferber		(2 episodes, 1985)
David Lerner		(2 episodes, 1985)
Racelle Friedman		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
Bob Colleary		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Matt Geller		(2 episodes, 1987)
Lawrence H. Levy		(2 episodes, 1987)

Series Produced by
Jerry Mayer	....	producer / executive producer (4 episodes, 1979-1982)
Rita Dillon	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1981-1983)
John Maxwell Anderson	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1979)
Jack Elinson	....	executive producer (2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Deidre Fay	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Bruce Ferber	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Richard Gurman	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Paul Haggis	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Kimberly Hill	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Irma Kalish	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
David Lerner	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Bob Myer	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Sue Nevens	....	associate producer / executive producer (unknown episodes)
Stuart Wolpert	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Bob Young	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Ray Colcord		(72 episodes, 1985-1988)

Series Cinematography by
Mark J. Levin		(9 episodes, 1988)
J. Bruce Nielsen		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Barry A. Cohen		(1 episode, 1982)
Vida Spears		(1 episode, 1986)
Tom Klemesrud		(unknown episodes, 1979)

Series Casting by
Eve Brandstein		(2 episodes, 1979)
Marc Hirschfeld		(unknown episodes)
Meg Liberman		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Scott Heineman		(48 episodes, 1986-1988)
Chuck Murawski		(3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Dahl Delu		(unknown episodes, 1983-1985)

Series Costume Design by
Gina Trikonis		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
JoAnn Stafford-Chaney	....	hair stylist (3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Jennifer Kaplan	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1979)
Nina Kent	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Douglas Wellman	....	unit manager (46 episodes, 1980-1982)
Alan Horn	....	production supervisor (2 episodes, 1979)
Tyna Huebner	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1979)
Glenn Padnick	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Ken Stump	....	executive in charge of production (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Judi Elterman	....	associate director (1 episode, 1982)

Series Art Department
Robert Bovill	....	assistant art director (1 episode, 1982)
George Sayeg	....	property master (1 episode, 1982)

Series Sound Department
Tamara Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer (176 episodes, 1979-1987)
Ron Worrell	....	audio (2 episodes, 1979)
Marti D. Humphrey	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dale Carlson	....	camera operator (98 episodes, 1984-1988)
Ritch Kenney	....	camera operator (26 episodes, 1983-1984)
Ken Schamp	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1979)
Steven Castaneda	....	dimmer operator (unknown episodes)
Stephen A. Jones	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Jayme Wing	....	cinematographer: additional videography (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Jane Murray	....	casting executive / executive in charge of casting (3 episodes, 1979-1982)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Lou Reinbold	....	costume supervisor (12 episodes, 1979-1980)
Margery Epstein	....	costumes (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Editorial Department
Bill Petty	....	editor: video tape (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Music Department
Al Burton	....	composer: theme music (1 episode, 1979-1988)
Gloria Loring	....	composer: theme music (1 episode, 1979-1988)
Alan Thicke	....	composer: theme music (1 episode, 1979-1988)
Avi Kipper	....	music scoring mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Fran McConnell	....	production supervisor (200 episodes, 1979-1988)
C.J. Rapp Pittman	....	first stage manager / stage manager (148 episodes, 1982-1988)
Christina Gunderson	....	script supervisor (20 episodes, 1985-1988)
Martin Ragaway	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Al Burton	....	production consultant (2 episodes, 1979)
Stu Goldman	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1979)
Danny Simon	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1979)
Gloria Vinson	....	production associate (2 episodes, 1979)
John Westbrook	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1979)
Peter Barth	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)
Andy Borowitz	....	executive story (unknown episodes)
Ellen Endo-Dizon	....	production executive (unknown episodes)
Chris Klausen	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)
Bob Myer	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes)
Martha Williamson	....	story editor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Embassy Pictures Corporation
• TAT Communications Company

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Television (USA) (syndication)
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979-1988)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Other Companies

• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Also Known As:

"Garrett's Girls" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (209 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Embassy Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

If the show had returned for a tenth season, the producers had planned for Blair to buy Eastland to save it from being closed down. However, those plans never came to fruition due to the series' cancellation.

Quotes:

Blair Warner: I don't go to wing-dings, I go to cotillions!
Jo Polniaczek: Well if that is a dance at the Hillcrest Country Club, then your cotillion and my wing-ding are the same thing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Golden Girls: The Housekeeper (#3.4)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

The Facts of Life

I greatly enjoy this classic, durable series.

The Facts of Life ran on network TV during my early years but I have seen it in syndication and I really, really like what I have seen. The series is intensely entertaining to say the least. My favorite character is none other than Jo Polniaczek, portrayed by the ever-gorgeous Nancy McKeon. From the way I look at it, the series' best episodes are those that revolve around the Jo character. The other cast members are also terrific but McKeon will always be my top favorite from the classic NBC show.

I really hope that entire Facts of Life series gets released on DVD eventually. Hopefully, when this finally happens, retail stores will be able to keep the boxed sets in stock. Also, I really hope that the first two seasons get released as one set, as those two were only half-seasons. I am very anxious to view this incredible show again!