On The Facts of Life between 1987 and 1988, appeared the Australian born songbird and actress Sherrie Austin. With a start in music opening for legendary Johnny Cash in Australia at the age of 14, Austin has deemed a talent and moved to the U.S. to pursue acting.
Her character was an Australian exchange student who appeared in 15 episodes, most often joined at the hip with Andy on his monetary schemes. She was even adopted by Cloris Leachman’s character Beverly Ann and became a sister to Andy!
Julie Anne Haddock – Then
A child actress at age 10, Haddock is known for her portrayal of tomboy Cindy Webster. Sadly, she became a victim of the show’s restructuring. and appeared in seasons two and three.
The producers’ excuse for axing characters like Cindy is owing to the fact that they wanted to “change the direction” of the show. Perhaps it was the right move in the end.
Julie Anne Haddock – Now
Not a fan of the spotlight, Julie now lives in California, enjoying the sun with her lovely family. She’s also found a deep spirituality, with a love for singing in church!
She hasn't done much acting, though. In 2008 however, Haddock was reunited with former co-stars. Aside from raising her family, Haddock is quite the philanthropist, filling her days with work for charitable causes.
Sherrie Austin – Now
Austin really dove into her music career and even had a song that was featured on Baywatch in 1992! She released two albums for Arista, and occasionally produced covers, such as a cover of Dolly Parton’s hit “Jolene.”
Her song “Streets of Heaven” in 2003 was a Billboard chart-topper, her biggest country hit to date. However, she didn’t stop there; she pursued Broadway before returning to Nashville and releasing her fifth album in 2011, titled Circus Girl.
Geri Jewell – Then
Producer Norman Lear hand-selected Geri to star on the show following a stand-up performance at the Media Access Awards in 1980. Jewell was the first actor with a disability (specifically, cerebral palsy) who was a fixture to a primetime series.
Jewell looks back on her time on the series and notes that “it did help children get comfortable dealing with a person who has a disability and taught them the value of a good sense of humor.”