History Trivia / TheFactsOfLife

** In a weird sideways manner. The character "Natalie" was based on Creator/MindyCohn, 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.

* FridayNightDeathSlot: An interesting inversion. The show aired on Friday nights in the first season, then was moved to Wednesday for the final two episodes of the first season and The {{Retool}} in the second season.
** Then in the seventh season, the show moved to Saturday night.

* RealLifeRelative: Tootie's mother Diane is played by Chip Fields, Kim Fields real life mother.

* RealLifeRelative: John Astin (of ''The Addams Family'' fame) guest-starred in the sixth season premiere as Edna's love interest. Coincidentally, his son Mackenzie would join the cast in later seasons as Andy Moffett.

* YouLookFamiliar: Todd Williams, the actor who plays Tootie's long-term, late-series boyfriend Jeff, makes an early appearance as Zack, a Bates student who goes on a camping trip with the group.

** Creator/MollyRingwald [[https://ew.com/tv/2019/01/30/molly-ringwald-fired-facts-of-life/ revealed in an interview]] that she was originally supposed to stay on as a regular for season 2. However, the producers decided that they needed an older girl who could contrast with Blair, so they dropped Molly and created Jo. The experience of being hired and then fired was so disappointing to Ringwald that, after one scene in the season 2 premiere, she turned down offers to do guest appearances on the show even before she became a movie star.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Became one for the 1980s, just compare the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_GxXRbSFDg season 2 opening ]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAX7WGCvP7c to the season 7 one]].

* ActorAllusion: In the Season 6 episode of "Dear Apple" has Jo mentioning a series of incidents to a computerized advice program as part of her questioning whether she should remain [[VitriolicBestBuds friends with Blair]]; including an incident where Blair (pretending to take a really long shower {thus letting the water run cold; something Jo finds out when Blair exits the bathroom}) while singing [[Film/SongOfTheSouth "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"]]; clearly referencing Lisa Whelchel getting her start on the [[Series/TheMickeyMouseClub 1970s New Mickey Mouse Club]].

* DyeingForYourArt: Creator/LisaWhelchel's hair was dyed blonde for the role of Blair (during her [[Series/TheMickeyMouseClub New Mickey Mouse Club]] run, her hair was a dark brunette). [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] periodically to imply the character's hair is not naturally blonde either.

* IAmNotSpock: Creator/NancyMcKeon didn't come back for the reunion, in part because of her commitment to The Division, and in part because she didn't want to be TypeCast as Jo anymore.

* TypeCasting: During the college episodes, Jami Gertz pretty much plays the exact same character she played in ''SquarePegs''. Both characters were even given silly rich girl names, Muffy in ''Square Pegs'' and Boots in ''Facts''.

* FridayNightDeathSlot: An interesting inversion. The show aired on Friday nights in the first season, then was moved to Wednesday for the final two episodes of the first season and TheRetool in the second season.

** Creator/MollyRingwald [[https://ew.com/tv/2019/01/30/molly-ringwald-fired-facts-of-life/ revealed in an interview]] that she was originally supposed to stay on as a regular for season 2. However, the producers decided that they needed an older girl who could contrast with Blair, so they dropped Molly and created Jo. The experience of being hired and then fired was so disappointing to Ringwald that, after one scene in the season 2 premiere, she turned down offers to do guest appearances on the show even before she became a star.

** Creator/MollyRingwald [[https://ew.com/tv/2019/01/30/molly-ringwald-fired-facts-of-life/ revealed in an interview]] that she was originally supposed to stay on as a regular for season 2. However, the producers decided that they needed an older girl who could contrast with Blair, so they dropped Molly and created Jo. The experience of being hired and then fired was so disappointing to Ringwald that, after one scene in the season 2 premiere, she turned down offers to do guest appearances on the show.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: 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.

** 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.

** Molly Ringwald, during her one season stint (the first one; 1979-1980) played Molly Parker.

* DyeingForYourArt: Lisa Whelchel's hair was dyed blonde for the role of Blair (during her [[Series/TheMickeyMouseClub New Mickey Mouse Club]] run, her hair was a dark brunette). [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] periodically to imply the character's hair is not naturally blonde either.

* IAmNotSpock: Nancy [=McKeon=] didn't come back for the reunion, in part because of her commitment to The Division, and in part because she didn't want to be TypeCast as Jo anymore.

** Lisa Whelchel seems to have been given opportunities to display her talents in everything from singing to ventriloquism.

* FridayNightDeathSlot : An interesting inversion. The show aired on Friday nights in the first season, then was moved to Wednesday for the final two episodes of the first season and TheRetool in the second season.

*Then in the seventh season, the show moved to Saturday night.

** Pippa sings. Australian actress Sherrie Austin and had a career as a country singer.

* FridayNightDeathSlot : An interesting inversion. The show aired on Friday nights in the first season, then was moved to Wednesday for the final two episodes of the first season and the retool in Season 2.

* TheOtherDarrin: Blair's mom is played by a different actor in Season 3 than was used in Season 1 and no explanation was given.

* TheOtherDarrin: Blair Warner's mom is played by a different actor in Season 3 than was used in Season 1 and no explanation was given.

* RealLifeRelative: John Astin (of ''Addams Family'' fame) guest-starred in the sixth season premiere as Edna's love interest. Coincidentally, his son Mackenzie would join the cast later in the same season as Andy Moffett.

* YouLookFamiliar: Todd Williams, the actor who plays Tootie's long-term, late-season boyfriend Jeff, makes an early appearance as Zack, a Bates student who goes on a camping trip with the group.

** Creator/GeorgeClooney as George Burnett during the seventh ang eighth seasons.

* FridayNightDeathSlot : An interesting inversion. The show aired on Friday nights in the first season, then was moved to Wednesday for the final two episodes of the first season and TheRetool in Season Two.

* WrittenInInfirmity: Nancy [=McKeon=] had broken her foot shooting the MadeForTVMovie ''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.
* YouLookFamiliar: Todd Williams, the actor who plays Tootie's long-term, late-series boyfriend Jeff, makes an early appearance as Zack, a Bates student who goes on a camping trip with the group.

* DyeingForYourArt: Lisa Whelchel's hair was dyed blond for the role of Blair (during her [[Series/TheMickeyMouseClub New Mickey Mouse Club]] run, her hair was a dark brunette). [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] periodically to imply the character's hair is not naturally blond either.

** Pippa sings. Sherrie Krenn later changed her name to Sherrie Austin and had a career as a country singer.

** Creator/GeorgeClooney as George Burnett during the 1985 and part of 1986 seasons.

** Pippa sings. The actress later had a career as a country singer.

* HeAlsoDid:
** Bob Claver directed four episodes. Claver is best known for co-creating ''Series/CaptainKangaroo''.
** Alejandro Rey directed an episode. Rey is best known for playing Carlos Ramirez on ''Series/TheFlyingNun''.
** John Boni wrote three episodes. Boni is best known for co-creating ''Series/WhenThingsWereRotten''.

* ActorAllusion: Season 6's "Dear Apple" has Jo mentioning a series of incidents to a computerized advice program as part of her questioning whether she should remain [[VitriolicBestBuds friends with Blair]]; including an incident where Blair (pretending to take a really long shower {thus letting the water run cold; something Jo finds out when Blair exits the bathroom}) while singing [[Film/SongOfTheSouth "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"]]; clearly referencing Lisa Whelchel getting her start on the [[Series/TheMickeyMouseClub 1970s New Mickey Mouse Club]].