Karen Wore Hair Extensions
The actress who played Kevin’s older sister Karen was as far from her character’s persona as one could be. Olivia D’Abo was born in London before her family ultimately moved to Los Angeles.
On the contrary, her character, Karen, is an anti-war feminist whose wardrobe could fit the hippies of the time. To keep up with the look, D’Abo wore extensions to make her hair appear long and unkempt.
First Kiss
In the first episode of "The Wonder Years", Kevin and his love interest Winnie Cooper share a kiss. Few people know that this was actually the first kiss for both of the actors involved. Savage was just 11-years-old while McKellar was 12-years-old when the scene was filmed.
When recalling the onscreen kiss years later Savage referred to it as “terrifying.” McKellar elaborated on the moment saying, “We were both really scared and nervous and didn't know what was gonna happen or if we were gonna do it right.” Fortunately, things worked out for the two of them!
Friendly Competition
McKellar would often be up against her sister, Crystal McKellar, for parts including the role of Winnie Cooper. It was down to the two sisters, but ultimately Danica was chosen just one day before filming began.
Crystal had lighter hair at the time, so her sister was given the role simply because her hair color better complimented Savage’s. Don’t feel sorry for Crystal though, as she was given the recurring role as Becky Slater.
Emmy Winners
After just one season, which consisted of only six episodes, "The Wonder Years" became a huge hit. The show won an Emmy for Most Outstanding Comedy Series in 1988.
Savage also went on to become the youngest actor nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category. He was only 13 at the time and went on to be nominated again in 1990.
The Town Was a Mystery
No one actually knows where "The Wonder Years" took place. While it was written to be set in Burbank, California, the location is never confirmed in the series.
For this reason, many fans have tried to debunk the speculation by searching episodes for clues that could prove the show took place elsewhere. However, no one was able to find anything that narrowed down the setting to a city or even a general area.