I still can't believe Don Fedderson/CBS did that to Anissa Jones. By Season Five Buffy should have been wearing a bra and transitioning to talking about boys and wearing make-up, not carrying around Mrs. Beasley and wearing elementary school-style pigtails.
shareBecause she was playing a 9 year old and it was the 1970s!
shareThe kids aged only 3 years in 5 seasons -- the twins were supposed to be 6 when they came to live with Uncle Bill, and in a late S5 episode, Buffy says she's "almost 9." In real life, Anissa was 8 when the show debuted and almost 13 when it ended. By all accounts, she had grown to loathe the character she played, and especially hated having to tote that doll around. Kathy Garver reportedly said that Anissa used to drag "Mrs. Beasley" behind her on the ground - LOL.
I wonder what the producers would have done if Anissa hadn't remained so tiny in puberty. Physically, she could pull off playing a 9-year-old as she approached 13 herself, but psychologically, it seems to have taken a toll.
I would have dragged Mrs Beasley on the ground too. That was some creepy looking doll. I'm glad I was never given one and double glad I never asked for one. I see your point , Buffy should have been almost 11 instead of almost 9. Even The Walton and Ingall's children were allowed to age. Funny I thought of Melissa Gilbert watching Family Affair on MeTV and wondered why she never guest starred on any other shows, other than Gunsmoke.
share@Erin: ... Yesterday (TUE AUG 14, 2012) the MeTV network aired the last episode of the 5th(last) season of Family Affair. I thought the entire series was excellent; the lessons taught to the children, the morality issues, etc...just beautiful.
Can you think of a show on television today that compares to Family Affair?
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ANd CIssy the eternal thiry year old..Kathy Garver was mentioned in another thread as dressing older, a la Lawrence Welk, (to me she looked thirty, like Marlo Thomas whose own "That Girl!" debuted at the same time. fall 1966), not that it's bad or anything and in fact NOT in isolated inciodent in the day, even after the 1950s.....there were some interesting "out of age group" dressing things..kid stars had to stay kids in live action...and folks like the Lawrence Welk Lennon Sisters and Kathy Garver dressed much older (actually, in the late 70s-80s, my close friend Shari W. dresssed VERY tastefully, as well, in high school, and this was without a dress code/uniform thing...).
I've always found that interesting..Cissy's dressing older really made this seem eve older..yet Buffy and Jody looked even younger....(it would have been neat if girls all dressed like Minnie Mouse..cute little ol' red polka dot dresses..)
Amanda Bynes is hot and Lindsay Lohan is not.
Profile pic: Courtney Thorne-Smith.
I believe it stated they were 9 years old. Uncle Bill said something about a 9 year old having a crush on a girl ( he really only wanted a stamp) and being too young at 9 years old for the pitter patter of the heart.
sharethe show really should have let Anissa And Johnny age one year every year it was on. at least they would have been 11. That must have been awful for Anissa since she is a bit older than Johnny Whitaker. I felt bad for her when I heard what a tough life she had.and also when she died so young.
"the more I meet some people, the more I like my dog."
G.L.Y.D.T.W.I.H.Y.gkd.Y.E.B.H.Y.W.A.P.D.E.B.
Yeah....I always d Cissy as I've mentioned..I crushed on her as a pre-teen and a teen..
Amanda Bynes is hot and Lindsay Lohan is not.
Profile pic: Courtney Thorne-Smith.
And Yesterday, March 11, would have been her 58th birthday.
Amanda Bynes is hot and Lindsay Lohan is not.
Profile pic: Courtney Thorne-Smith.