TV Trivia, maybe you knew, maybe you didn't

[lostnfound117]

THE FACTS OF LIFE
*This was the longest running TV show with an all female main cast.
*Kim Fields was only 9 years old when she portrayed "Tootie" (who was supposed to be 12 years old) on the series. In order to make her appear older, during the first season, she wore roller skates to increase her height on camera.
*Kim Fields was the first female, minority child star. She is also a graduate of Pepperdine University with a degree in communications.
*Nancy McKeon got her start in show business at the age of two by modelling baby clothes in the Sears catalog. She and her brother did more than 65 commercials! She decided to not take part in the Facts of Life reunion movie. Like many others, she felt that reunion shows just don't live up to one's memories of the series and since she won't watch such TV shows, she wouldn't appear in one either.

GOOD TIMES
*Good Times was a "spin-off" of the TV show, "Maude". Maude had also been a "spin-off" of the series, "All In The Family".
*John Amos was fired from the series after the third season after comments he made about the backstage fights in an interview. He had become a partner in a garage and, just as things might be looking up for the family, he was killed in an auto accident! His character was one of the first comedy sitcom characters to ever be killed off.
*Before the next season began, Esther Rolle pretended to be ill so she could leave the TV show. In truth, she was upset over the way that Jimmy Walker's "jive-talking", womanizing and dishonest character (on screen) had become such a bad role model for black youth. The show explained her absence by saying that her new husband had developed cancer and they had moved to the South where the weather would better suit his condition.
*Then, at the beginning of the sixth season, Esther Rolle reappeared on the show, back with her children and without her husband. No reason was ever given for his absence!
*Good Times was cancelled due to low ratings in December of 1978 and the "final" episode aired on January 3rd of 1979. Then in May, the network decided to air the final nine episodes which had already been taped and the series truly ended.
*Both Jay Leno and David Letterman were writers for the show.