The Facts of Life (TV series)/Trivia


 * As Herself: In a roundabout way.  The producers visited a girls' school as preproduction research; there they came upon Mindy Cohn, who was the lynchpin around whom spun a lot of the school's social activity.  Impressed, they they created the character of Natalie based on her.  Later, they encouraged Cohn -- who had never previously considered acting -- to audition for the show, and then essentially cast her as herself.
 * The Danza:
 * In a weird sideways manner. The character "Natalie" was based on Mindy Cohn, who at the time was not an actress but a student at a school the producers visited for ideas and inspiration. She was invited to audition, and ended up cast essentially as herself.
 * Also, George Clooney as George Burnett during the 1985 and part of 1986 seasons.
 * Molly Ringwald, during her one season stint (the first one; 1979-1980) played Molly Parker.
 * Not to mention Geri Jewell as Cousin Geri.
 * Disabled Character, Disabled Actor: Geri Jewell, who played Geri, actually has cerebral palsy.
 * Hey, It's That Guy!: Lots, but most notably Kenneth Mars in the episode "Gossip".
 * Natalie wound up voicing Velma in Scooby Doo.
 * Mayim Bialik (the future Blossom and Amy Farrah Fowler), Seth Green, and Juliette Lewis in the finale.
 * A very young Helen Hunt in a first-season episode.
 * What Could Have Been: Despite the number of main characters being thinned between Seasons 1 and 2, production expressed interest in retaining Molly Ringwald as a regular. However, she left to pursue a movie career.
 * Written in Infirmity: Nancy McKeon had broken her foot shooting the Made for TV Movie Strange Voices shortly before shooting for the final season began; thus resulting in her foot being in a cast for a few early episodes that season.