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Why did Mrs. Garrett leave after Season 7?


I never understood why she left the show. Does anyone have any input on that?

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From what little I have been able to find out, Charlotte Rae just seemed to be bored with the character after playing her for so long.

She was quoted as saying, "The character was just repeating herself."

Not all actors are like Kelsey Grammer who was content to play Frasier for over twenty years.

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she was supposed to have been housemother to a bunch of 'girls' . Did not make sense now that they were out of college.

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At that point she was their employer at Edna's Edibles.

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Grammer probably made over $100 Million playing Dr. F.C. I seriously doubt Charlotte Rae made a big pile of cash but she (IMO) would have made more on the show than any other job in Hollyweird that she was suitable for.

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Charlotte Rae felt that she had taken the Edna Garrett character as far as she could take it. Plus, since the girls were getting older/reaching adulthood/or were early on in adulthood, it didn't make much sense to her for them to need Mrs. Garrett to lean on anymore.

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I thought it was about money. They were using her less since she wasn't a mother figure anymore and refused to raise her salary.

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And her contract expired.

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I had heard / read she left the series because she was offered a role in a musical which was going to open on B'way, but then she never ended up joining the cast for whatever reason. Can't remember which musical it was or if it ever made it to Broadway.

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Her contract also expired and she chose not to renew.

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