Kim Fields joined Whelchel and Cohn during the live performance but was absent during the rehearsals. She even earned the approval of the show’s original cast members Lisa Whelchel and Mindy Cohn, who opened Live with their rendition of the Facts of Life theme song. Not only does Dowd capture Rae’s essence in every scene, she never broke character when cameras stopped rolling. Ann Dowd and Jon Stewart Christopher Willard/ABC

Garrett, originally played by the late Charlotte Rae, was the Drummond family’s housekeeper on Diff’rent Strokes before taking on the new role of housemother at the Eastland School in the spinoff, The Facts of Life. The night’s star indisputably was Ann Dowd, who pulled double duty on both shows in the role of Edna Garrett. Jon Stewart Books Surprise Role In ABC's ‘Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: Facts Of Life’īefore the main event, Deadline took a peek behind the curtain during Monday night’s rehearsal featuring an all-star cast of new players and plenty of surprise blast-from-the-past guest appearances.

That 70s show season 1 episode 1