Drexell's Class starred Dabney Coleman in the role of Otis Drexell, a fifth-grade teacher at fictional Grantwood Elementary School in Cedar Bluffs, Iowa. In the backstory, it was revealed Drexell was a famous corporate raider who lost a large amount of money on a failed venture, to which he dodged his taxes and was subsequently arrested. At his court case, he was told that he would get a suspended sentence on the basis he work as a teacher in the undermanned school until he pays his back taxes. Drexell is also a divorced man whose two daughters live with him. Besides the bevy of cute kids, the cast also included two antagonists, rival teacher Roscoe Davis (Dakin Matthews) and Principal Francine Itkin (Randy Graff), who was later succeeded by Principal Marylin Ridge.