25 Surprising Facts About One Day at a Time | Whitney Blake, Valerie Bertinelli & Schneider Secrets

25 Surprising Facts About One Day at a Time | Whitney Blake, Valerie Bertinelli & Schneider Secrets

Author: 134 West | Susan Lambert Hatem & Sharon Johnson September 16, 2026 Duration: 52:44
Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we hold on tight and muddle through one day at a time! In this episode, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem kick off a multi-part deep dive into the classic 1975–1984 sitcom One Day at a Time.

Susan and Sharon break down 25 of the most surprising facts about the ground-breaking series—from its real-life origins and pilot changes to backstage rock-star encounters, and the evolution of everyone's favorite - and 80s inappropriate - superintendent, Dwayne Schneider.
Real-Life Origins & Creators: How co-creator Whitney Blake based the show on her own life as a divorced single mother raising three kids (including future Family Ties star Meredith Baxter).

The Conversation:


  • Pilot & Script Changes: The original pilot title Three to Get Ready, why Ann Romano was initially written as a nurse with only one daughter, and why Bonnie Franklin insisted on keeping her character’s maiden name.
  • Schneider’s Evolution: How Pat Harrington Jr. created Schneider’s iconic look, his shift from early-season "creepy" to beloved family figure, and his late-70s CB radio obsession.
  • Pop Culture & Rock Encounters: The time Elton John sent fan mail after Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips performed in full Elton drag, and how Valerie met Eddie Van Halen backstage.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Secrets: Taping at three different studio lots, theme song history (and the Gloria Estefan reboot cover), and intriguing directors Michael Lembeck, Bonnie Franklin, and past 8TL guest, Asad Kalada.
  • Series Finale & Backdoor Pilot: How the 1984 series finale doubled as an unsold spin-off pilot for Schneider - featuring a young Corey Feldman!
Next Episode Teaser: Stay tuned for our next episode, where we rank and break down the Top 10 Most Norman Lear-ish Episodes of One Day at a Time!


📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING
  • Watch One Day at a Time: Stream the original series for free on Tubi or purchase episodes on Amazon and YouTube.
  • Mackenzie Phillips Books: Read High on Arrival: A Memoir and Hopeful Healing: Essays on Managing Recovery and Surviving Addiction on bookshop.org
  • Valerie Bertinelli Books: Find her latest book, Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect, along with her memoirs and cookbooks bookshop.org
  • Find out more about the ROAR Movement’s September 27th National Walk for Longterm Care Reform. Find a walk in your state. Go to ROAR4ltc.org   ​​
🛍️ PROMO DEALS, VOTING & COMMUNITY CONNECT
  • Connect with 80s TV Ladies: Join our mailing list, follow 8TL on Instagram (@80sTVLadies), support us on Patreon for ad-free episodes, and discover more great shows on Weirding Way Media!
PROTECT THE VOTE
  • Vote.org: Check your voter registration. Make sure you and the young adults in your life are ready to vote. Stay engaged. Let your voice be heard.
  • DemocracyDocket.com is protecting our vote. Learn more. 
COMMUNITY CONNECT
  • Los Angeles Live Theatre ONE-NIGHT-ONLY Event: See producer Susan Lambert Hatem and 90s TV Baby and Stage Manager, Sailor Franklin at the incredible one-woman show, starring Victoria Libertore: 
    • LIZA (not)...

Remember those iconic women from television who defined an era? 80s TV Ladies revisits the groundbreaking, often delightfully campy, female-driven series that filled our living rooms with big hair and even bigger personalities. Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson, under the 134 West banner, aren't just offering nostalgic recaps. They dig into the fascinating stories behind how shows like "Murder, She Wrote," "Kate & Allie," or "Designing Women" were actually made, examining the creative forces and network battles that brought them to air. Each episode explores how the politics and social climate of the 1980s shaped these narratives, and conversely, how the characters and stories themselves pushed cultural conversations forward, often in a complex dance of progress and tradition. This podcast celebrates the legacy of these programs while honestly assessing their place in history through that "two-steps forward, one-step-back" lens. It's a deep, engaging listen for anyone who loves television history, cultural analysis, and the powerful, complicated women who made the decade's TV so memorable. The show's quality is underscored by its recognition as a 4-time Podcast Awards winner and a Webby nominee for Best Indie Podcast. Tune in for thoughtful, well-researched discussions that go far beyond the opening credits.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

80s TV Ladies
Podcast Episodes
SUMMER RERUN: The First Time with Scarecrow and Mrs. King [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:10
In this special summer rerun reminiscent of those hot and fabulous days of 1980s television, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem take listeners back to the very first episode of our own 80s TV Ladies. Originally…
Jon Cryer, Part 2 | 80s television, Two and a Half Men and Lex Luthor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Welcome to our final Season Three episode of 80s TV Ladies! Hosts Sharon Jonson and Susan Lambert Hatem continue their in-depth conversation with actor Jon Cryer. In this second part, Jon shares behind-the-scenes stories…
Jon Cryer, Part 1 | The Facts of Life, Pretty in Pink and Annie Potts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:22
Susan and Sharon are thrilled to welcome director, writer and actor Jon Cryer to 80s TV Ladies!Jon Cryer is an Emmy-winning film and television icon, known for starring as “Duckie” in the 1986 John Hughes teen classic Pr…
The Facts of Life with the 90s TV Babies! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:23
“This show makes me feel like I have a blanket around me and I’m eating mac & cheese.” -- Megan Ruble, 90s TV Baby, about The Facts of Life.Susan and Sharon welcome back the notorious “90s TV Babies” to find out what the…
The Facts of Life with Director Asaad Kelada | Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:06
“There was a sense of discovery about what this series was going to be about. It was going to be about young people -- with all of their shenanigans, and the maneuvering, and all the silliness that takes place with that.…