I say Cindy, played by Julie Anne Haddock. Molly, played by Molly Ringwald was a close second.
shareMost definitely Nancy McKeon She made the show
sharePerhaps. Cindy who got fired never had a chance. I always thought Blair and Mrs. Garrett were the show. Nancy may have save the show. Similar to Fonzie replacing Potsie as Richie's best friend and featured actor. Fonzie drove ratings that were poor in first few seasons.
shareIf included ALL actresses period, Cloris Leachman.
If focusing on the younger crowd, I would say McKeon and Fields.
John Lawlor aka Mr. Bradley in an interview said Molly Ringwald was brilliant and Julie Anne aka Cindy was especially good.
shareMolly certainly wasn't brilliant on FOL, though she became a much better actress after she left the show.
shareI was just thinking that. In the season she was on, I always thought she talked too fast and jumped in on her lines too quickly, but I don't know anything about directing so I shouldn't critique. Her singing was great though. She certainly had a very successful movie and TV career later which was great to see. And now I think she is recording albums as well? Well-rounded!
shareI agree about Cloris although she didn't make a big impression on this show.....
shareJo and Blair
shareMr.Bradley and Ms. Garrett
shareMolly Ringwald became a mega star, FOL ended up looking foolish letting her go. Julie Anne was in the Great Santini plus other films and tv shows. Her biggest mistake was going back for a few reoccurring episodes of FOL. Something Molly Ringwald was smart enough not to do.
shareNancy McKeon. The scenes where she cries are very realistic. Have you seen her tv movies? She is great! My favorite is A Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story.
shareMindy Cohn (Natalie) is actually a bit underrated here. Her comic timing was really quite good. She grew a lot as a comic actress from the first season, for sure.
Mindy is underrated, especially given that she had ZERO experience prior to the show. Mindy was also pretty good at dramatic scenes like in Fear Strikes Back and the episodes on her Father's death.
shareShe also couldn't stop smiling after every funny line she had. She was Jimmy Fallon before Jimmy Fallon.
shareRingwald, with McKeon second.
No way is Haddock even in any running to be considered a good actress. I'm completely sure she would agree with that, because it was never really her thing.
You are dead wrong. John Lawlor who played the headmaster said Julie Anne was an especially good actress and a hard worker. She was last one on FOL that was let go. They had wanted to keep her. Julie Anne was also in a movie called the Great Santini before any of the other FOL girls. Her biggest mistake was deciding to return to FOL as a reoccurring actress. Unfortunately that was for just four shows. Molly Ringwald was smart she went back for one episode and went on too have a great career.
shareI know her credits, and they really weren't that impressive. If she were so good at it, then why did they end with FOL? Unfortunately, all we have is meaningless comments from people like John Lawlor.
shareJulie Anne quit Hollywood shortly after FOL. She had the best career prior to FOL, appearing in Mulligen Stew, The Great Santini a movie, Like Normal People tv movie, episode in Wonder Woman, several episodes after FOL on Little House on the Prairie. John Lawlor was a pretty big time actor. Highly sought after back in the day.
shareI personally never thought of Ringwald as an especially good actress. Don't get me wrong, I liked her But I think she got lucky and was cast with other actors that were good and starred in good teen movies with hot guys that were big at the time.
shareMolly lasted a long time she must have had some talent. However I never thought she was hot. Julie Anne Haddock was a babe. I think Molly was well connected in Hollywood through her family.
shareI vote for Nancy McKeon as the most talented, followed very closely by Lisa Welchel. They were both very funny, but had the chops to pull off serious scenes. Tootie and Natalie always felt a little "child-actorish" to me.
Yes, Molly Ringwald was a talented performer, but she didn't show it much on FOL (she'd get her chance later in the movies). I'm surprised no one has mentioned film and stage veteran Charlotte Rae - no love for Mrs. Garrett?
Charlotte Rae was the show a superlative actress. Actually Charlotte was funnier in season one when John Lawlor the Headmaster was on the show. Julie Anne didn't have much of a chance to shine other than in two episodes in season one. In those two episodes she did shine. Julie Anne was also last actress to be let go from season one of FOL.
shareLisa Whelchel for sure (if we are talking about show content). Overall in terms of body of work, Cloris Leachman who can do anything.