their daughters were vying to spend time with little Richie. In the pilot episode, Judy Winslow was portrayed by another actress entirely: Valerie Jones, whose only other credits were on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (playing two completely different roles). Originally conceived as a spinoff of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters focused on the Winslow family. Even when people thought it wasnt going to make it, I believed in my heart that prayers are answered and I needed something to happen. Valerie Harper, Mary Tyler Moore and Cloris Leachman. She was the cute intelligent geeky girl who was Steve Urkel's girlfriend. We said, okay. She was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died of stomach cancer quickly. Whatever happened [with Foxworth], whatever took place, it just didnt work for the producers, he continued. Towards the end of . Though rumors have long persisted that her departure was due to Urkel fatigue, Payton set the record straight with TV Series Finale in 2010, stating that she just wanted something else to do, just to energize me a little bit more, on the creative side. Though she had wanted to leave prior to the shows final season, it wasnt until year nine that she was contractually able to do so. She had a much-loved dog, Rusty, a pony, and a tortoise, to name a few of their family pets. Valerie Jones (born in 1982 in Tustin, California) was an actress who portrayed the role of Judy Winslow in the pilot episode of "Family Matters.". 11.2k Followers, 1,822 Following, 9,287 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Valerie Jones (@vallovespink) Valerie Jones (@vallovespink) Instagram photos and videos vallovespink I had been offered an opportunity to do the Mahalia Jackson story and I wanted to do something else. It began as a family show about Chicago cop Carl Winslow and his family, but fairly quickly morphed into The Steve Urkel Show. Here are 22 things you might not know about Family Matters. I had just done my jazz album and all. Payton, with the big eyes, she said Ms. Some of us were taught the wrong things." And something did begin to shift that morning two years ago when she woke up thinking she had to lose 10 lbs. Payton, Ms. Payton, please dont be afraid. Because people run up to you and people always want to hug you, and thats good, because sometimes when they hug me [as the character], thats me getting a hug too. "I didn't see how I was stepping on anybody's toes, I was taking anybody's shine. Judy had little screen time. What happened to Aunt Rachel and Judy on Family Matters? Turbo from Breakin and Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo. I was surprised to find that in this first show, there was a different girl portraying Judy. With Urkel taking up so much bandwidth, it was decided that part of increasing his presence meant decreasing others' involvement for budgetary reasons, and that played out most extremely by cutting Judy out of the show entirely with zero warning for the young actress. Henry wanted to run away and work to buy freedom for his mother, so he ran away. Indicates the year of ceremony. Russia's recognition of the two regions, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, could allow separatist leaders to request military help from Russia, further . Today in 2001, Valerie Jones died at age 45. It was time for the show to go, I wish we couldve gone down maybe a little bit earlier, so maybe we could have gone out with the [finale] that everybody feels like, we missed, you know what I mean? There was a division between myself and the rest of the cast, but over nine years and 215 episodes, obviously relationships get better. The ratings dropped by more than a million viewers each subsequent season, with Family Matters reaching 8.8 million viewers by Season 8. There were some things being said, and like I said, just ignore it because you know its not true, said Payton. Remember whenFamily MattersJudy Winslow went upstairs never to return? RELATED: Marge Simpson's Test of Faith Also Turned Chief Wiggum Into a Superhero. That was true with her career, and also in her 10-year battle with lung cancer. Well, you know, I think it probably was because the show was kind of running out of air, what they call jumping the shark, you know what I mean? In the shows fourth season, the Winslows youngest daughter Judy is seen walking upstairs but never comes down. Yep, Steve Urkel and the lovable Winslow clan from "Family Matters" took their final bow when the show's series finale aired on July 17, 1998. As the show started revolving more around Steve Urkel, the producers of the show thought that Judy was unneeded and she was more of a background character who was given very few lines. Family Matters followed the straight-talking and sassy Harriette in her Chicago home where viewers got to see she and her husband as parents and managing a household. It was just a different kind of jump. But I understood some of what he was going through because I felt a little something when I was told that I was getting a [spin-off] show. The ratings didnt prove strong enough to make a tenth season happen. By Valerie Strauss February 23, 2023. And then I worked for them again on the Proud Family. She was in many scenes but not really involved in them. I wanted to do something else.". Family Matters had a 9-year run. In honor of the anniversary, Wonderwall.com is . Warner Home Video has released the first four seasons of Family Matters on DVD in Region 1[12][13][14] while the remaining five seasons were released by the Warner Archive Collection. Family Matters actress Jo Marie Payton alleges she and co-star Jaleel White nearly got into an on-set altercation during the filming of the show's ninth season. When she was written out, there was never any mention of her again and it was as if this member of the Winslow clan never existed. For other uses, see, (originally in first five episodes only: ", Some non-scripted shows from the 1980s such as. Urkel had a stalker/girlfriend named Myra Monkhouse, who was played by the talented Michelle Thomas. There were some things being said, and like I said, just ignore it because you know its not true. Rosedale Cemetery, Orange, New Jersey, U.S. McCrary told Entertainment Weekly in 2017 that once the network switch happened, he knew it was over for the show. You know the whole thing was our show had been picked up for the back 9 [episodes] and we had done 12, and we were told by our executive producers. Originally conceived as a spinoff of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters focused on the Winslow family. Unfortunately Thomas was diagnosed with a rare stomach cancer in 1997 and died in 1998 at the age of 30. "I never wanted to stop acting," Payton explained in an interview with TV Series Finale. What is Kelli Williams doing now? Payton eventually agreed to appear in half of Season 9, before Judyann Elder took over the role of Harriette. All rights reserved. And one of my producers on a project I am on now, he said he was in his office and his kid came in and said Dad, Dad, youve gotta see this show! Were still laughing to the bank with the residuals. I was unable to find any information on the Internet as to why Jones was replaced with Jamie Foxworth. *The legendary soul group, The Jones Girls, lost their group member/sister, Brenda Jones, last month under very tragic circumstances, ILOSM reports. But he said, You know its amazing, you still look the same and gosh, that was how many years ago? And he says, You know, my kids watching the show now, Im so happy, my kid is watching the show.. What happened to Richies mom on Family Matters? Foxworth was fired from Family Matters due to budgetary considerations, according to the show's TRENDING Payton had the same feeling. Payton left midway through the last season (replaced by Judyann Elder), and its been reported and rumored many times that the Urkel storylines were the reason. As the youngest member of the family, her character had been endearing and relatable to younger audiences, while her siblings Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams) and Eddie (Darius McCrary) served as models of how to grow into high school. Van Halen's former . I did. As for all that talk that she was just tired of Urkel? Profile. And as a director, he fired me as a kid. In the shows pilot, viewers were also introduced to Carls mother, Estelle, who also went by Mother Winslow. Jaimee Foxworth Speaks Out On Being Left Out of 'Family Matters' Reunion Shoot. I was like a free agent and so when they went to CBS and all, they asked me to come back. She also was in commercials for Trident Gum and Pepsi soft drink. Hes a friend of series co-creator Michael Warren, who named the (then) one-off character in honor of his buddy. I had a little baby and I wanted a home. The show is still popular today in syndication and can currently be seen often on the TVOne network as well as Hulu and Roku. Check out part two, More about: Family Matters, Perfect Strangers. Cool is the eighth episode of the fifth season in this television sitcom on Family Matters, which was aired on ABC on November 12, 1993. In the series fourth season, her character simply disappeared at the age of 13, with no explanation as to why. She was 90 years old at the time, and she left behind an impressive body of work in television . The trio were best known for their singles during the late-1970s through the 1980s; most notably 1979's "You Gonna Make Me Love . In an odd move, JoMarie Paytonwho played Harrietteleft midway through the series ninth and final season (the role was assumed by Judyann Elder for the remainder of the show). Why was Valerie Jones replaced on Family Matters? The series would return to TBS 17 years later on February 3, 2020 and airs in the early morning time slots paired with George Lopez. Cookies help us deliver our Services. December 23, 1998, What These Family Matters Actors Look Like Today, Rachel is seen throughout the first four seasons; after a years absence, she made occasional appearances during the rest of the shows run. The character [Judy] was never popular with fans, and after her on-camera time was reduced steadily, she disappeared without any explanation late in the 1992-1993 season.Jan 16, 2007, How old is Reginald Van Johnson? Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen at the Chasen's Restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. (function() { Its just that I was tired of doing that project, you know what Im saying, I wanted to do something else. Mother Winslow, Richie, Aunt Rachel, Waldo, Myra, Three J, and Maxine also come to mind. When he spoke to Entertainment Weekly in 2021, Jaleel White stated that there was some reality to the rumors. And then Jaleel came in and it was fun to have him there and all, but of course it did the same thing Happy Days did [with the Fonz character]. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers, the series revolves around the Winslow family, a middle class black family living in Chicago, Illinois. Reruns of the series also started airing on Cartoon Network's ACME Night block on September 19, 2021. Judy and her elder sister Laura serve as their grandmothers brides maids. [2] Midway through the first season, the show introduced the Winslows' nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), who was originally scripted to appear as a one-time character. Why Was The Original Harriet Winslow Replaced On Family Matters?. And I really didnt want to come back. Her contract was up after Season 8, and she had no interest in re-signing at first. The show aired on Nick at Nite from June 29, 2008 to December 31, 2012. The Winslows' nerdy teenage next-door neighbor, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), was introduced midway through the first season in the episode "Lauras First Date" and quickly became the focus of the show.[5]. McCrary is known for his role as Edward Eddie Winslow, the oldest child of Carl and Harriette Winslow on the ABC/CBS television sitcom Family Matters, which ran from 19891998. DMCA. Payton told TVSeriesFinale that she actually considered leaving the show a year before she did because she wanted to do other projects. And I had an option out and I exercised my option. In Season 9s Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, he learned that she hated his makeover and demanded that he return to the sexy nerd she loved so much, suspenders and all. [24] Current bidders are Apple TV+, Hulu and Netflix.[25]. Throughout Seasons 4 and 5, Family Matters maintained an average of 12.6 million viewers.