Scandals From The Set Of 'The Facts Of Life' That Producers Tried To Keep Under Control
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Of all the sitcoms that defined the '80s, The Facts of Life is easily the most wholesome. The series often addressed serious subjects, but each episode ended with a moral lesson and a positive spin. As it turns out, however, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies behind the scenes. From serious feuds among the cast to highly inappropriate requests by production, The Facts of Life had some real turmoil raging below the surface.
A Large Ensemble
Mrs. Garrett and her gang of over half a dozen young girls proved to be quite a large ensemble for the debut of The Facts of Life. While some fans loved it, TV execs weren't so pleased.
Get Rid of Them
Former network executive Warren Littlefield remembered NBC’s harsh demand: "Pick four. Forget everyone else. Get rid of them." Their idea was that a smaller cast would allow a deeper dive into each character’s development to hook the viewer.
The Rebellious Tomboy
At the start of season 2, writers introduced Jo, played by Nancy McKeon. The rebellious tomboy would complete the main foursome with Blair, Natalie, and Tootie. But soon the network decided to shrink the cast after all.
Young Molly Ringwald
One of the girls who didn't make the cut was a young Molly Ringwald. Years before her breakout role in the John Hughes film Sixteen Candles, Ringwald found her first role as one of the girls living in Mrs. Garrett’s boarding school.
Definitely Hurt
When NBC pressured producers to shrink the main cast after season 1, Molly Ringwald was one of the girls cut loose at the tender age of 12. Despite her later success, she always remembered the sting: “It was horrible. I wouldn’t say I was pissed but I was definitely hurt.”
Pressure to be Beautiful
The smaller cast proved successful for ratings after all. But as the seasons continued, the cast began to feel the pressure of growing up onscreen, particularly in regards to their appearances.
Unrealistic Standards
Fans and network execs alike put pressure on the young girls to present themselves as sweet, pretty, even perfect young women. The unrealistic ideal thrust upon the inexperienced girls soon began to take it toll.
Joan Taking Shots
One noteworthy culture critic was particularly cruel in her criticism. Notorious comedian Joan Rivers used her platform to mock the show as “The Fats of Life,” firing blows at the actresses for looking like average teenagers rather than rail-thin supermodels.
Weight Issues
These impressionable young actresses were subjected to scrutiny from the producers, too. “One day they replaced the doughnuts and cookies with carrots and celery,” remembers Lisa Whelchel, who portrayed Blair. “It was hard feeling that my body wasn’t acceptable.”
Fat Farms
The producers even went so far as to send Whelchel to “fat farms” between seasons to ensure she maintained a slim figure for the camera. But the harsh expectations didn’t apply evenly across the board.
Constant Criticism
For the good-natured, confident character Natalie, played by Mindy Cohn, being overweight wasn’t an issue onscreen. But even though fat jokes weren’t made in the script, Cohn noted, “Weight was always an issue back then.”
Keep Up The Curves
During a summer hiatus between seasons, Cohn naturally lost some weight as her teenage metabolism shifted. When the show returned, higher-ups took note of the change and made a shocking demand.
An Unreasonable Demand
After that meeting with her producers, Cohn remembers, “I came home saying, ‘I have to gain 40 lbs.’” Her mother refused to allow it, so they made her wardrobe baggier to hide her figure.
Bare Bones Salary
As The Facts of Life grew in popularity, and with such a large part of their lives devoted to work, the young actresses began to question the fact that they were only paid the same bare bones salaries that they negotiated when the show began.
Tough Renegotiation
Nancy McKeon became extremely popular among fans with her portrayal of Jo, but her compensation didn’t reflect that. Soon, her family began to believe she was being taken advantage of by the network.
Big Stars and Big Bucks
Greg Sims, Nancy's manager, remembered, “When she went in, she was a 14-year-old girl making the absolute drop-dead minimum that they could get somebody to do a contract with.” Now, she was a star, and some changes needed to be made.
Nancy on Strike
In the summer of 1984, at age 18, McKeon demanded a higher salary to reflect her contributions to the hit TV show. When the network wouldn’t budge, she refused to show up to two tapings at the start of season 6.
More Cash For Everyone
The short strike put her job at risk, and she was nearly sued by the production company for breach of contract. Ultimately, though, her move was a success, and wages increased for other castmates as well.
Star Couple
This wasn't the only time Nancy McKeon caused a stir behind the scenes. She shocked cast-mates and network execs alike when she revealed that she was dating Hollywood blockbuster star Michael J Fox.
Hollywood Love Buzz
Lisa Whelchel, who was roomies with Nancy for a time, remembers the entire cast of girls buzzing about the news of her relationship. Perhaps some of Nancy's cast-mates were jealous that she was getting so comfortable with such a big star!
Grass Not Always Greener
Then again, Family Ties had its own backstage controversies. This particular series had a compelling line up from the beginning because of the political undertones. Alex Keaton was a young, bright Reagan-era republican being raised by two liberal, ex-hippie parents. This dynamic allowed for intelligent and funny societal commentary.
The First Choice
The part of Alex was played by a fresh-faced Michael J. Fox. However, it almost wasn't the career-making gig for Fox. Matthew Broderick was offered the role first and turned it down because he didn't want to relocate.
Successful Pilot
Luckily for Fox, he was the runner up. The pilot episode aired and network executives and fans alike loved the show. There was one thing that the NBC network president wanted to change, though.
Fox Hate
Brandon Tartikoff, the president of NBC at the time, wanted to get rid of Fox, saying, "I love the show, you’ve just got to get rid of the kid. I can’t see that face on a lunchbox.” Whoops!
Eat This!
So when Family Ties was in the height of its fame, Fox got back at Tartikoff for his comment. The actor made him a homemade lunchbox that had Fox's face on the front. The executive kept it on his desk for the rest of his career.
Unusual Commute
It was clear that Michael J. Fox wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He was so committed to his role, he hitchhiked his way to the set everyday. This was before he enjoyed all the comforts that came from fame.
Fake Chemistry
Family Ties was a roaring success, and by the time season four rolled around, Fox was enjoying his newfound star status. So much so, that the woman cast as his love interest in the show didn't like him when they first met.
Full of Himself
Tracy Pollan was cast as Ellen Reed, Alex Keaton's eventual girlfriend. When Pollen was asked about her first impression of Fox, she said, "He was feeling good about himself. I think I thought he was kind of full of himself.”
Changing Times
Pollen went on to explain that first impressions aren't always correct. Once they got to know each other, she changed her mind about Fox. "I got a completely different impression," she said. "He was just funny and so smart."
Quite a Crush
Fox later admitted he had a crush on Pollen! Well that crush blossomed into more because the couple married and has stayed together over 30 years. Fox said she helped him win his first Emmy. Yet, the relationship almost never got off the ground.
Tabloid Fodder
That's because after Pollen, another star became Alex's girlfriend on the show. Courteney Cox joined the cast and rumors swirled about her and Fox being involved. The tabloids speculated wildly about their possible "steamy affair."
Just Colleagues
Both actors denied the accusations. Fox said, "People always want to read there’s romance when it’s just two actors having a good time working with each other." Cox also joked about the rumors saying, "I’ve never been to a nightclub with Michael."
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Notable Guests
Many celebrities guest starred on the series throughout it's run. Tom Hanks played the reoccurring "Uncle Ned," Gina Davis played a housekeeper, and River Phoenix played a tutor with a crush on Jennifer Keaton.
No Future?
Clearly, the show served as a massive launchpad for Michael J. Fox. However, it almost prevented Fox from accepting his most celebrated role as Marty McFly in Back to the Future. He weighed his options, wondering if he could do both.
Brian's Downfall
The actor made the right choice by doing both projects. Not all the stars of the series experienced as much commercial success as Fox. Child actor Brian Bonsall played kid brother Andy Keaton on the series, but he had a rough adult life.
Quitting the Biz
He got in trouble with the law and never acted again despite his success as a child star. Justine Bateman, who played ditzy sister Mallory Keaton, departed from acting after the show wrapped as well.
Smoke Breaks
Bateman was very close with Fox in real life. They portrayed straight-laced as members of the Keaton family, but would sometimes sneak away to smoke cigarettes together in between takes. Bateman's career took a turn after the show.
A Memorable Cameo
Bateman made a cameo on the show Arrested Development alongside her brother, Jason Bateman. She played an escort with the same name as her Family Ties character. After that, in 2016, she graduated from UCLA to pursue a career in technology.
Rejected Reboot
Family Ties wrapped in 1989, and the entire cast agreed they were ready to leave the Keaton family in the past. So much so they pitched a storyline where the whole family would die in a plane crash to avoid a reboot.
Warm Reunion
But of course, that didn't happen, and in 2015, they reunited for an interview with Entertainment Weekly. In the discussion, they reflected warmly on their characters and the impact the series made on a generation for almost a full decade of airtime.
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