Sorority Sisters

With the first season's cocophany of charaters pared down to the Four Muskateers in later seasons, some of the girls' dorm mates were cut from the cast, only to show up from time to time in the following seasons. Here are their stories...

Nancy Olson



Felice Schachter took it pretty hard when she heard the news she'd been let go from the show. However, she reprised her role in a number of later episodes. Nancy was first seen on Diff'rent Strokes in the spin-off episode "The Girls School" when Mrs. Garrett got Eastland School to offer her a scholorship after her father lost his job.  She had been dating Roger (a character never seen onscreen) since the first season. Years later, she confesses to her former dorm mates she is pregnant with his child, and still unmarried. A scandal in the landscape of 80's television to be sure!

Sue Ann Weaver


A farm girl from Kansas (played by Julie Piekarski), she is often at odds with Blair for not being sophistocated enough. Although she is a top student, both athletic and academic, she seems to always be living under the shadow of having to be better. Years later, she lies to the girls about where her life has ended up, passing herself off as a high powered executive.

Cindy Webster


"Mrs. Garrett, look at me.  I like football jerseys and pants.  There's nothing about me that's feminine!"
Julie Anne Hoddock played the tom-boy of the show, as Cindy questioned her sexuality in the very first episode of the series. Later her character would become a successful model. Before coming to FOL, Julie Anne appeared in SCAVENGER HUNT with future FOL star, Cloris Leachman.

Molly Parker



Often taking photos or researching political agendas, Molly was the feminist. The character of Molly would soon disappear, but her portrayer, Molly Ringwald was about to become a huge star in films like THE BREAKFAST CLUB, PRETTY IN PINK and SIXTEEN CANDLES during the run of Facts of Life.  Her character's absence years later at a reunion was explained, saying she could not make time in her schedule, a nod to the actress's busy career.  In the pilot episode, Molly was in a version of the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream.  The actress would go on to star in another updated Shakespeare play in the feature film, TEMPEST, with Susan Sarandon.  She is currently on THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER where former co-star Mindy Cohn has guest starred in several episodes.



Some other Eastland Girls worth mentioning...




Kimberly Drummond

While Mrs. Garrett was the Drummond's housekeeper, Kimberly attended Eastland School for Girls.   However, she wasn't seen again on Facts of Life after the initial spin off.  Dana Plato, however, stayed with the parent show, Diff'rent Strokes, until her real life teenage pregnancy where she was then written off the show only to make guest appearances later.

Emily

On the last episode of the first season, Emily, along with her room mate, convince one of the girls from Mrs. Garrett's dorm to smoke a joint!  Emily was expelled, but Helen Hunt who played her went on to stardom in such films as TWISTER with another FOL alum Jami Gertz.  Helen is later in another movie which features a joint in WHAT WOMEN WANT when Dr. Perkins, played by Bette Midler, pulls one out to relax.

"Home Run" Helen

While Natalie was questioning what it was to "have a reputation" she got to know fellow student who was known as "Home Run Helen".  Portrayer, Holly Gagnier, shortly thereafter joined NBC's Days of Our Lives where she played an unwed teenage mother.  While on Days, her character's brother was played by Robert Romanus.  Robert later went on to join Facts of Life as Natalie's boyfriend.

Miko

During the Girls 3 years above the Eastland Cafeteria they became friends with foreign exchange student from Japan, Miko, played by Lauren Tom.  Lauren would go on to make new FRIENDS as Ross's girlfriend on the hit TV show.  Lauren is recognizable to FUTURAMA fans as Amy Wong.

Pippa McKenna

In the ninth season, in what seemed to be an attempt to draw younger viewers and keep the root of the show, Eastland School, still in the picture, Australian foreign exchange student, played by Sherrie Krenn (Austin), enters.  Instead of living at the dorm, she becomes a regular cast member for a short while living with the now adult Four Muskateers in downtown Peekskill.

Jennifer Cole

Before the BIG BANG THEORY Mayim Bialik played an Eastland Girl wanting to have a big bang bra!  Unfortunately, stuffing it didn't work.  The actress would go on to be in films like BEACHES, with Bette Midler (who later works with another FOL alum, Helen Hunt, in WHAT WOMEN WANT), and of course titular lead in the successful show, BLOSSOM.

Terry Rankin

Terry was a maudlin underachiever, played by Juliette Lewis, who was sent to the office for turning in a leaf as a homework assignment.  Upon learning she may be expelled a fellow student listed off all these things that could be done, like 60's protesting,  to keep her in school.  Her response, "Would you set yourself on fire?"  Later Juliette would go on to play another troubled young woman in NATURAL BORN KILLERS.  She would also star alongside FOL alum, George Clooney, in FROM DUSK TIL DAWN.

Ashley Payne

Ashley to Blair Warner, the new owner of Eastland.  "My father is your banker.  So, you HAVE to be nice to me!"
Blair, "So happy you told me or it would have never happened."
Her portrayer, Meredith Scott Lynn, was recently seen on season one of AMERICAN HORROR STORY  as Jessica Lange's character's hair stylist.

Adam Brinkerhoff

Desperate to meet girls, Adam was determined to get accepted to an all girls school.  Blair of course saw through his disguise, but ironically he was admitted to Eastland as the school was going Co-Ed due to funding cuts.  Seth Green may not have played this character for long before the show went off the air, but he goes on to play so many characters in his busy career.