Episode 315: “Everything I Ever Learned About TV Writing, I Learned From ‘The Facts Of Life’ | Anupam Nigam”
The Facts of Learning about Television Writing from The Facts of Life
The Golden Girls of Eastland: TV Writer Anupam Nigam Shares His Lessons from The Facts Of Life
The Golden Girls of Eastland: Top Lessons TV Writer Anupam Nigam Learned from The Facts Of Life
For some people, a childhood spent lounging in front of the television leads to nothing but being sent to bed when Law and Order license plate comes on. But for Anupam Nigam, it led to a lifelong love of television – – and a successful career in TV writing and producing. And his favorite show of all? The Facts of Life!
The Facts of Life was a spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes and aired on NBC from 1979-1988. The show starred Charlotte Rae as Eastland School for Girls housemother Edna Garrett watching over an evolving cast of young female stars including Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn, Nancy McKeon and a very young Molly Ringwald! It ran for more than 200 episodes, and spawned three TV movies.
Anupam Nigam has written and produced episodes of hit TV shows like Psych, Defiance, Cruel Summer, Mech-X4 and Station 19. He is currently writer and co-executive producer of the hit CBS drama Fire Country.
Susan and Sharon talk with Anupam about his childhood as an Indian American kid in New Jersey, his early love of television, the insight of The Facts of Life -- and the facts he learned that have stayed with him to this day.
THE CONVERSATION- GROWING UP INDIAN -- IN NEW JERSEY: For Anupam, who was raised in an immigrant Indian household, television was a window into the wider world of “American” families - and how they were alike, and different from, his.
- “I’M NOT A DOCTOR, BUT I WRITE FOR THEM ON TV” -- Anupam was pre-med, a lab researcher, and even a certified EMT -- briefly -- before realizing that TV blood was more his style.
- Anupam’s first script was a spec episode of Star Trek: Voyager -- and after that he was hooked.
- Anupam’s “scientist mind” cracked the code on how to write a Law & Order script, and it led to a coveted spot in the Warner Bros Writers Program -- and then a big move to Hollywood!
- His first job was on The Division -- starring Facts of Life’s Nancy McKeon!
- YOU TAKE THE GOOD, YOU TAKE THE VERY, VERY BAD: Anupam actually learned about the facts of life from the many “very special” episodes The Facts of Life: Abortion, divorce, drug abuse and death, anyone?
- Natalie was a natural STAR - When Charlotte Rae toured Westlake School for research, her young tour guide was… Mindy Cohn. Charlotte insisted the producers meet her and the role of Natalie was created for her!
- Those roller-skates? Tootie had to wear them to make her taller!
- CHEAPER BY THE… TEN? The original first season cast had TEN main characters - The seven girls, Mrs. Garett (Charlotte Rae), teacher Emily Mahoney (Jenny O’Hara) and Headmaster Stephen Bradley (played by John Lawlor). The OG Eastlake students: Blair Warner (Lisa Whelchel), Nancy Olsen (Felice Schachter), Sue Anne Weaver (Julie Piekarski), Tootie Ramsey (Kim Fields), Molly Parker (Molly Ringwald), Cindy Webster (Julie Anne Haddock) and Natalie Green (Mindy Cohn).
- …AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR. After season one, the young cast was cut from seven girls down to the “Core Four”: Lisa Whelchel as Blair, Kim Fields as Tootie, Mindy Cohn as Natalie and bringing on newcomer Nancy McKeon as Jo Polniaczek.
So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Anupam! -- as they talk Shondaland, The Golden Girls, shoulder pads, tea-time, Jermaine Jackson, Mech x4, Geri Jewel, Entertainment Weekly -- and “Who Shot J.R?”!
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