When we think of Friends, the names Ross, Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler and Monica likely come to mind. Yet devoted fans will also remember the stellar cast of recurring characters that rounded out the iconic sitcom. Over its 10-season run, the show introduced some great acquaintances, lovers, and relatives of the core crew, including Morgan Fairchild's Nora Bing. Chandler’s mom is introduced about halfway through Season 1, but Fairchild was actually first introduced to the late Matthew Perry long before becoming his TV mother.
By the time Fairchild stepped onto the Friends set in 1994, she was already a household name due to her many appearances in popular ‘80s primetime soaps like Falcon Crest and Search For Tomorrow. So it was a huge deal for the NBC sitcom to nab a big name like Fairchild to guest star as Chandler’s mom, famous erotica author Nora Bing. The Concrete Cowboys actress recently told People why she decided to sign on:
My first day on the set, the show was not a big hit yet, but they offered me the part. And I thought the show had potential and, God, I was right.
I would say so. Friends is widely considered one of the best sitcoms of all time, and the finale was watched live by 52.5 million people. Clearly, Fairchild has an eye for good TV and, as it turned out, her fateful decision would also come with an incredibly sweet surprise. Fairchild eventually reunited with Perry, after which she realized they'd already been acquainted in a very sweet way years prior:
He came bounding over to me like this big puppy dog that he is and he said, 'Oh, you won't remember me, but I used to hang out with you on the set of Flamingo Road and Falcon Crest with my dad.' said, 'Oh, who's your dad?' He said, 'John Bennett Perry,' who had a recurring part as a sheriff on both of those shows. I said, 'Oh my God, you were that kid?' because I had to make a decision to play the mother of an adult kid, then I'm suddenly thinking, I guess I could be the mother of this kid. He was hanging out on the set with me.
Fairchild would have briefly first crossed paths with the elder Perry on Flamingo Road in the early ‘80s but may have really gotten to know the George Of The Jungle actor in 1984 when the two worked together on the TV show Paper Dolls. That show was immediately followed up by Season 5 of Falcon Crest in 1985, in which Perry played Sheriff Floyd Gilmore.
Presumably, these are the times Perry was hanging out with his dad and future TV mom on set. At the time, the younger Perry would have been 15 and 16 years old, so it’s no wonder he chose to follow in his father’s footsteps, after spending his formidable teen years on a TV set.
I will say, this background info makes a lot of sense now. Nora Bing may not have been the perfect mother, but Morgan Fairchild was the perfect Nora Bing. From the jump, Chandler and Nora have seemingly easy comedic chemistry as a mother son duo and, now, we know why.
Though she only appeared in five episodes throughout the series’ run, Fairchild certainly made her mark as a memorable Friends guest star early on by kissing Ross and embarrassing her son on national TV. Check out a clip of Nora's conversation with Jay Leno from her first episode:
Over the years, Morgan Fairchild has spoken fondly of Matthew Perry and previously even talked about how the show's theme song deeply resonated with the late actor. Though Fairchild told People she and Perry lost touch toward the end of his life, she never lost that motherly instinct. She said she was really proud of the 17 Again actor’s bravery in regards to his struggles with addiction, and his willingness to help others experiencing the same. All in all, it seems that Fairchild now relishes the time she spent with Perry at different points in his life.
You can relive all the best Friends moments and guest appearances by streaming all 10 seasons and the reunion special with an HBO Max subscription.
