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Eastland was in the Westchester County town of Peekskill, New York, roughly forty miles north of Manhattan. With a commute of less than forty-five minutes to Manhattan, it explains the relative ease with which Manhattanite Blair and Bronx-born Jo can go home as often as they do and also helps to explain the continuous interaction between the Drummond family and Mrs. Garrett after she departs from their household.
Actor Mindy Cohn did not audition for the show. However, the producers visited a girls' school to see how they interacted. She was a social magnet just being herself, and they created Natalie based on Cohn. She then tested in the role.
Kim Fields was only ten years old when she started playing Tootie, who was supposed to be 12. However, to make her appear taller and older, the character was always on roller skates for the show's first year.
After leaving the show in the seventh season, Charlotte Rae recommended Cloris Leachman replace her. Rae and Leachman were classmates at Northwestern University and were roommates when they were young struggling actors in New York City.
Mindy Cohn met Lucille Ball when she was having dinner with Cloris Leachman. Miss Ball grabbed her hand and said, "You and Tootie remind me of Viv and me. You are a very funny lady Miss Cohn. You keep it up 'cuz you have a lot to offer!" Coincidentally, Ball had starred in the film The Facts of Life (1960).
Then-NBC Chief Fred Silverman suggested the character Jo after he had seen the film "Little Darlings." He felt a streetwise scholarship student would contrast well and add conflict against the rich, spoiled Blair character.