Top 5 Facts About Roseanne
ABC sitcom Roseanne was watched by millions and syndicated all over the world at the height of its popularity in the 1990s.
Top 5 Facts About Roseanne
ABC sitcom Roseanne was watched by millions and syndicated all over the world at the height of its popularity in the 1990s.
The cast was led by Roseanne Barr and John Goodman as married couple Roseanne and Dan Conner and the series ran between 1988 and 1997 before being rived in 2017.
Read on to discover these facts about Roseanne...
5. How Roseanne got cast as Roseanne
TV producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner were keen to develop a sitcom about a working mother, but didn’t know who to cast.
After watching Roseanne Barr’s “domestic goddess” comedy routine on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1985 they knew they had found their lead.
4. Acting lessons
Initially, John Goodman was cast as Dan Conner because the studio hoped he would help improve Roseanne Barr’s acting skills.
Even so, after the pair squabbled like a married couple during their first reading together, it became crystal clear that he was perfect for the role.
3. Macaulay Culkin could have been D.J.
Michael Fishman played D.J. Conner, but the role nearly went to Macaulay Culkin!
The Home Alone actor - who played Kevin McAllister in the Christmas comedy - had auditioned for the part, but Roseanne Barr decided on Michael because of his resemblance to her.
She said: “I wanted Michael Fishman because he looked like my family and he was a little Russian boy.”
2. Diversity inclusions
Even though ABC weren’t keen on the idea, Roseanne featured a handful of openly-gay characters,
as the comedian was insistent that the inclusivity was essential for the show, considering both of her siblings were homosexual.
1. Roseanne’s ex-husbands all were involved in the show
All of Roseanne Barr’s ex-husbands were involved in the programme at one point throughout its time on the air.
The comedian’s first spouse, Bill Pentland, served as an executive consultant for the first three seasons, and played one of Dan Conner’s friends.
In 1990, the pair divorced, with Roseanne then marrying Tom Arnold, who infrequently appeared as Ernie Thomas in the sitcom.
Five years later, the comedian married her former bodyguard Ben Thomas, who cameoed as a police officer.
