The Connie Newton-Needham appreciation thread

Early commercial for Noxzema.

She was like the Jan Brady of the 8 Bradfords.

"Pantyhose" scene?

I would love to be privy to the casting process of TV shows. Do they just hire the actors who work cheapest? Often they are bland and can't forge careers afterwards (The Waltons).

None of those kids looked like Dick Van Patten (or each other). They should have just had his own kids play his kids.

Connie also guest starred in the Emmy winning episode of Fame "To Soar But Never Falter"

I’d rather talk about her ex husband David.

David was the son of stuntman/director, Hal Needham.

[quote] None of those kids looked like Dick Van Patten (or each other). They should have just had his own kids play his kids.

The youngest kid, who died recently, did look like Dick Van Patten.

Dick Van Patten had several real life sons and they were all handsome.

I wonder if Connie and the other girls ever recovered from the blow of Dick Van Patten referring to Dianne Kay as "the pretty one."

I don't think Connie had to "recover" from anything, R10. When I was young, she was the one all the straight boys talked about. Girl Next Door, that's what they liked... back then, anyway.

She was definitely the least paid of the 'sisters' and I don't think she gave a damn about it. She asked to be written out at one point, and they just reduced her # of scenes to 1-2 an ep. They could have done a lot more with her character, but the more aggressive actresses on the show were always demanding airtime. I thought she looked so cute with Shawn Stevens, and the show didn't want to keep him so he ended up joining a soap instead of waiting to hear if they'd use him again. He was only in 2 eps.

Mary was the smart, serious one. Joni was the kooky, artsy one. Nancy was the pretty one. And Susan was the tomboy. I’m not sure what Elizabeth was.

Joannie and Abby proposed that lez story to Lorimar, and the next year they canceled the show.

I've always wondered why some hit shows were poison when it came to people's future careers while other shows were springboards.

For example, Cheers and Dawson's Creek seemed to launch so many careers while stars on others shows disappeared afterwards.

R5 - Connie actually got a chance to act in that episode. She’s good.

R13- Elizabeth was the cute but unthreatening one.

Connie had gorgeous hair.

I own the entire series of “Eight is Enough” on DVD. I’m a Gen Xer and was in grade school when the show was popular from 1977-1981. Loved those years and get nostalgic for them more often than I probably should. Watched a LOT of tv then.

I had a crush on Lani O’Grady and Betty Buckley. Never crushed on Connie, but she was good as Elizabeth. Good dancer. Great hair.

OP, the clip you have of Connie at the link is from a Bradford talent show in 1981, a sure sign (along with Ralph Macchio) that the end was near for this show.

[quote]As of November 2006, Needham was working as a dance instructor in Orange County, California, teaching junior jazz and lyrical classes and choreographing team competitions and annual recitals

Is she from the Boston suburbs?

R19- So Cal.

The network execs tirelessly pushed Lani O’Grady as the show’s breakout sex symbol, and the other girls were largely overlooked.

It was common knowledge at the time.

R21 - Lani was not the sex symbol.

R22’s blind!

The original Nancy in the EOE pilot was played by well known child actress Kimberly Beck. Beck had played a deaf girl on Peyton Place in the 60's,, and had an impressive resume - as well as a stacked rack. Apparently NBC signed her to a Peyton Place reunion movie that had the ratings been good, would have been a series. So EOE missed out and got the prettier, taller Dianne Kay as Nancy. Beck went on to marry a Hilton, and worked contionuously for years in soaps and films like Roller Boogie with Linda Blair.

Kimberly Beck was the final girl in one of the Friday the 13th movies

r21, r22 she was a lesbian role model.

r17 are you lesbian?

Connie was the one my older teenage sisters loved the most. We all loved the show. It's the rare childhood show that I watched as an adult and enjoyed it just as much as I did when I was younger. Corny show I know but love it still. I think it's because I came from a big family too.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Walton was UGLY!

Which one of Dick's sons was in Playgirl?

Where is the "I'm America's Sweetheart" troll?

The leg warmers are everything. 🦵 🧦

R24 Kimberly Beck also starred in Massacre at Central High which is the movie Lani O'Grady appeared topless.

WTF is EOE? Eight Is Enough? EIE.

Lani O'Grady topless?? Lord have mercy..

Lani landed a young Don Johnson on EIE. LOL. Highly unrealistic, and of course, she couldn't 'live in sin' and went crying home to Daddy.

The original pilot had Mark Hamill as David.

R38 He made a smart move and chose Star Wars over EIE.

Glad Mark couldn't stay for the series. If I could go catalogue shopping for a BF he would have looked like David. Plus David always seemed a little angry which made him hotter.

Grant Goodeve looked considerably older than Mark.

Joannie was older than step mom Abby. Really who thought Betty Buckley fit on this show? She seemed to hate the lazy, lame daughters, none of whom owned a car and were in their mid 20's begging Dad for pizza money.

Grant Goodeve was hot on EIEIO.

[quote]r42 Really, who thought Betty Buckley fit on this show? She seemed to hate the lazy, lame daughters, none of whom owned a car

Betty’s sunny disposition and boundless effervescence brought a much needed lift to what was otherwise a very heavy show.

It was common knowledge at the time.

R44 Even though David singing the theme song was supposed to be the high point of that episode I thought her performance was phenomenal.

I actually tried, but i couldn't sit through the entire dance number. I kept wondering when it was going end, but it J U S T K E P T G O I N G O N A N D O N.

I like Kimberly Beck, but she wasn’t great on Capitol — and didn’t last very long. I don’t remember her on General Hospital.

Betty had great chemistry with all the male characters on the show though.

I loved that Tommy (Willie Aames) wore such tight jeans. Yum.

R48 she fucked both Grant and Willie so I hope she had great chemistry.

Please. The only dick she got was Van Patten.

EiE playing Family Feud