", Before landing the TV role for which he would become best known, Bain acted on Broadway, with a role in "The Iceman Cometh," in films including Woody Allen's "Bananas," and on the sitcom "Maude.". As Penny Gordon, Jackson displayed a depth of emotion and range far beyond her years. Danny Cooksey, who played little Sam McKinney, was born November 2, 1975 in Moore, rockwell commander 112 interior. [citation needed]. But the Lear saw immense potential in Coleman and was determined to find him a suitable sitcom, and it was decided that Bain and Coleman would make a good, if unusual, pairing for the project. In the final season (when the sitcom moved from NBC to ABC), the one-hour season opener ("Sam's Missing") revolved around Sam being kidnapped by Donald Brown (Royce D. Applegate), a bereaved father hoping to replace his own dead son, Tommy. She appeared in the 1994 movie Serial Mom Years. Some of her guest appearances in 1970s sitcoms included Temperatures Rising, The Partridge Family, The Paul Lynde Show, All in the Family, Good Times, Phyllis, Barney Miller, All's Fair, C.P.O. Outside the Drummond household, there were a large number of supporting characters over the years. Nedra Volz Dixie's Mother. The driver ridiculed him and released the tape to be broadcast on numerous television shows. "outsider," coming in for a few episodes a year, so I was never really and Six Feet Under. Ross enjoyed a long career and was a familiar face throughout the 1990s on such shows as "Growing Pains" and "Family Matters." His Although in her first appearance, in the episode "Cyrano De Jackson", she is sweet on Arnold, in subsequent appearances, the pair were enemies, often squabbling and trading insults, a recurring theme until the end of the series (although Lisa's final appearance, in the penultimate episode of the show's run, "The Photo Club", sees the pair addressing their differences and striking a truce of sorts). Her character took down The Gooch! Roberto was portrayed by Sal Lopez and Eddie was portrayed by Shannon Presby. 15-year-old can retire from anything. small part in "Exorcist II: The Heretic," a film that has been voted one of the worst of all The ratings did not improve, sinking further over the course of the season. RIP Gary. His parents separated when he was seven years old. [24] In 1998, she appeared in a softcore pornographic film entitled Different Strokes: The Story of Jack and Jilland Jill, which was intended to capitalize on her Diff'rent Strokes fame. April 6, 1972 in Los Angeles, California. Appeared in an episode She will live on in our hearts forever, and will be sorely missed. information. The backdoor pilot episode on Diff'rent Strokes titled The Girls School on May 4, 1979, led to the spin-off series The Facts of Life. Bosque de Palabras He has since Both movie franchises are very memorable and she was a big part of them. Charlotte Rae appeared as Edna Garrett in every first-season episode; the final broadcast episode of the first season, "The Girl's School", also known as "Garrett's Girls", sees her agreeing to accompany Kimberly to her private school, the fictional Eastland, in order to help with preparations for a play- in actuality, this episode acted as the backdoor pilot for the spin-off series The Facts of Life (Garrett's Girls being an early working title). Tragically, Ross found his own life mirroring the plot of "The Bicycle Man." representation. was in the short-lived Fox series, Mr. President, where he was the chief advisor to They met on the set of the 2006 comedy film Church Ball. In her marraige to Arthur she had two This is a one disc compilation consisting of eight episodes from Season 2. Coleman Productions was formed, for the purpose of starring the youngster in theatrical She received Tony Award nominations for Pickwick in 1966 and Morning, Noon and Night in 1969. of several times she went into rehab. Most disturbingly, she alleged that Danny had used their 8-year-old son, Jackson, to spy on her in an attempt to catch her in an act of marital infidelity. [17][18] He also guest-starred as himself on The Wayans Bros., The Ben Stiller Show, Drake & Josh, The Jamie Foxx Show, The Parkers, Robot Chicken, and The Simpsons. Beginning with the third-season episode "Count Your Blessings" and also touched upon in several other episodes is the fact that Arnold will never grow much taller, reflecting Gary Coleman's real-life medical condition. In 1984, she married the father of her child, musician Lanny Lambert, but the couple divorced in 1990. Other appearances include Magnum, P.I., Chicago 's (Roger E. Mosley) son (from 1986 to 1988) in the television series Magnum, P.I. Dixie Carter,who played Mrs. Drummond for one sending me out on enough auditions and went with Gary Coleman's manager. "It was difficult. Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included The Love Boat, 227, Baby Talk, Can't Hurry Love (which starred Nancy McKeon), The King of Queens and Girl Meets World. He has basically retired from the business since Diff'rent Strokes ended in 1986. : 'The Complete 5th Season' on DVD", "DVD Calendar Feature Articles - Metacritic", "Site News DVD news: Mill Creek Licenses 52 TV Shows from Sony for Low-Cost DVD Release - TVShowsOnDVD.com", "Diff'rent Strokes DVD news: Box Art for Diff'rent Strokes - Seasons 1 & 2 - TVShowsOnDVD.com", Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diff%27rent_Strokes&oldid=1142357052, American Broadcasting Company original programming, American television series revived after cancellation, Television series by Sony Pictures Television, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from August 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "It Takes Diff'rent Strokes" performed by, "It Takes Diff'rent Strokes" (seasons 17; 19781985), On September 4, 2006, NBC aired a television drama titled, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 23:43. He is known for hi. She and her husband, Due to the popularity of Coleman's character, a spin-off series was briefly considered, to be titled Arnold and focusing on the character's school life[citation needed]. Veteran actress Charlotte Rae was beloved by fans of '80s TV as housemother Edna Garrett on NBC's "The Facts of Life," a role she originated on "Diff'rent Strokes." He would reach a height of only 4 feet 8 inches. The pilots did not sell although they were later edited into a television film for some markets. Child Stars Special, Geeks, Freaks, and Sidekicks, where he revealed that during the taping of the very special episode of Diff'rent Strokes in which he was molested, he was going through a similar experience in real life; he was being "touched" by a family friend inappropriately while he was asleep.[4]. September 2nd, 1938 in Denver, Colorado. and Pepper Ann animated tv series. became fascinated with acting. I do list my acting "career" on my resume, so on TV's "The Gong Show." She is the sister of Michael, LaToya, Tito, from the Edge. (Dana did grab a [37] Season 5 was released on April 4, 2017. shot on Geraldo, but the pilot did not sell and the project was scrapped. Her final appearance which is the episode "Bulimia", dealt with the revelation of Kimberly's eating disorder, and won praise both for Plato's performance and the sensitivity of the writing. She was a frequent recurring character until the sixth season, when Charlene and Willis break up but remain friends. enough guided her into acting. difficult to cast. In season 7's "A Special Friend," Arnold and Sam met Karen, a street performer. Day) and tv series (such as Nickelodeon's Salute Your Shorts). In 1987, he Diff'rent Strokes (Theme Song) Written by Alan Thicke, Al Burton and Gloria Loring Performed by Alan Thicke Details Release date December 17, 1980 (United States) Country of origin United States Language English Filming locations Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA Production company Tandem Productions young woman, but her acting career could never escape the long shadows cast by her sitcom However, to fans of "Diff'rent Strokes," he will forever be remembered as Ted Ramsey, the adoptive father of Arnold Jackson's best friend, Dudley, played by Shavar Ross. Yes, I have great memories of being on the show and am glad that I did. Jack Spicer in Xiaolin Showdown and Milo Kamalani in Pepper Ann) as well as his music career. information: Melanie worked in Oceanside, California as the executive director of a nonprofit She came to the attention of nighttime talkshow host Jack Paar, who after becoming enchanted by Goodman's ditzy persona Featuring Conrad Bain, then best known for his role as Dr. Arthur Harmon on Lear's "Maude," as per Biography, as white millionaire widower Phillip Drummond who adopts two inner city kids from Harlem, "Diff'rent Strokes" tackled the touchy subjects of race and class with sensitivity and humor. She blasted her way back into the headlines in Biloxi, Mississippi and grew up in Brandon, Mississippi. When the characters married in a two-part, season five episode, Carter became a principal cast member. Under the pressures of sudden fame, Dana Plato, who appeared as Phillip Drummond's daughter, Kimberly, began using marijuana, prescription pills, and cocaine while shooting "Diff'rent Strokes." we having nothing against Robert Menchaca (her fiance at the time of her death). Their daughter, Mary Clancy Collins, is a Senior Vice President with MGM Television. enough guided her into acting. 2000. As detailed in a 2009 Biography documentary, Coleman was a wisecracking, cherubic 8-year-old when he was spotted by writer/producer Norman Lear in a Chicago-area TV commercial in 1976. Kimberly was written out of the show with the explanation that she moved to Paris to study for a couple of years, but returned as a guest star for the season finale "A Special Friend", after Plato gave birth. Two years later, Ross became a voice actor for Hanna-Barbera. When Kelly (Christina Applegate) recognizes him, he denies any connection to Arnold Jackson, but utters his catchphrase to Al, "What'cha talkin' about, Bundy? In the seventh season, Carter and Cooksey were added to the opening credits (with Carter getting special "and" billing, last in the order) and many new areas and ideas were explored, as viewers now got to see Philip as a happily married man. Phillip Drummond is the only character to appear in every episode of the series. She performed some of the lyrics for the first season theme song. The manager in turn left the business and I never pursued other She also had a long career as a stage actress. First mentioned in the first-season episode "The Fight," which revolves around his bullying of Arnold, he is mentioned in numerous episodes (and his bullying of Arnold returned as the center of several plots), with Arnold's frequent descriptions of him as a burly and troublesome brute, forever looking for trouble but not very smart. From the very beginning, he was like a father to me," Bridges writes in his 2010 autobiography "Killing Willis." Menu. movies Poetic Justice in 1993 and opposite Eddie Murphy in Nutty Professor II: Klumps which be released July 28th, to do next, I took part-time jobs in retail during my later high school Dana was helped by Las Vegas singer, Wayne Newton, As they leave the living room each reveal their guess as to who was the "Meathook Murderer", all guessing their counterparts. time away from education, which I always considered more important. The first and second seasons of Diff'rent Strokes also starred Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges and Dana Plato. Dana drifted in and out of the business over the next few years. probably best known for her role as Julia Sugarbaker in the tv series, Designing Women. Currently, he runs Bischoff-Hervey Productions with Eric Bischoff. in jail. The press and fans of the series blamed the cast's personal problems and faltering careers on what was eventually dubbed the "curse of Diff'rent Strokes" by various tabloids. Crying just like a man. [40] Season 8 was released on May 29, 2018. could be also heard announcing the show's title at the beginning of each episode. After the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes in 1986, Coleman Kathy Gordon (in 4 episodes) who was in a wheelchair. Yarn is the best way to find video clips by quote. Sharkey and Szysznyk. In 1979, while visiting his father in California during his school's Christmas vacation, Shavar was discovered by top children's agent Evelyn Shultz. He Dixie Carter and Danny Cooksey portrayed recently divorced television aerobics instructor Margaret "Maggie" McKinney and her son Sam. She was married to Robert Bernhardt on January 8, 1994 and they divorced on July 26, 1996. 1983-1984 season because of her pregnancy, but she did return for the final season on ABC On July 30th, he allledgly struck a woman who asked for his autograph, a court hearing was held August 25th where he pleaded not guilty. It's a steamy Following Rae's departure midway through the second season, Nedra Volz took over as the housekeeper, the older and crankier Adelaide Brubaker, introduced in the episode "The Election". Her ill-conceived grab for rent money (it was really a cry for help according to many people) sent her to jail The Tracy Morgan Show, and various Arnold is writing a report on athletes at his school who are using anabolic steroids. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Shavar Ross was born March 4, 1971 in the South Bronxm New York. A daughter to Bain's character and a housekeeper were added to the lineup. She later worked as a dietitian at the school and opened a gourmet food venture named Edna's Edibles. Family Guy(1999) - S17E04 Big Trouble in Little Quahog, The Great North (2021) - S01E10 Game of Snownes Adventure. Dixie Carter lasted two seasons as Drummond's wife, Maggie. She appeared on many TV game shows as well such as Liar's Club, Cross-wits, and many more. The final episode which was "The Front Page", aired on March 7, 1986. He studied at Alberta's Banff School of Fine Arts, served With his remaining kidney failing, Coleman was forced to urinate with the aid of a surgically created bypass opening in his side. On May 26, Coleman struck his head in a fall in his Santaquin, Utah, home. Bain died of natural causes Monday night in Livermore, Calif., at the age of 89. an 18-month-old child) gave her up for adoption as an infant and she was taken in by a Declaring herself drug-free, Plato was cruelly lambasted by Stern's listeners. Wikipedia entry for Dana Plato Over the years she made several guest appearances All three experienced various legal problems while Bridges and Plato also struggled with drug addictions, all of which were documented in the press. Norman Lear sitcom Maude (1974-78). So if the police She posed for a June 1989 pictorial in Playboy (a 5-page nude Told she needed to slim down by the show's producers, Jackson, just 10 years-old at the time, faced the grueling ritual of having her breasts bound by the wardrobe department before each taping. Bridges' life took a dark turn with the cancelation of "Diff'rent Strokes" in 1986. Shavar is an up and coming film director and operates his own film and television production company, Tri-Seven Entertainment. [19] After her arrests, Plato publicly admitted that she struggled with an addiction to drugs and alcohol. Diff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. Bridges, Plato and Catlett were all absent from the episode, and several cast members later voiced their disappointment that they had not realized it would be the final episode, and would have liked to have been present to mark the end of the series onscreen more adequately. leader on the TV series 227, but his short stature and ever-diminishing acting range made him NBC showed immediate interest and felt the format had potential; at their request the pitch was developed, with Coleman's character, Arnold, gaining an older brother, producers feeling Coleman would benefit from the addition of a second, slightly older child to interact with, and who could add a further dynamic to storylines. The episode "Almost American" (aka "Night School"), was the pilot for a potential spin-off series, which ultimately was not picked up for a full series. It's available on wrote a weekly advice column for UGO the Coleman Confidential. Soon, she began to feel that her body was, in her own words, "wrong," and that her success hinged on changing her physical appearance. Coleman played a supporting role in the controversial 2003 computer game Postal by Running With Scissors, Inc. Coleman, who played himself, appeared at a shopping mall, and one of the game's objectives was to secure his autograph. In April 1984, she married Lanny and on July 2nd, 1984 You can e-mail Melanie at: mbernhardt@trainrite.org. Unable to launch a serious acting career, Plato appeared in "Playboy" and in a few "B" grade movies. Catlett joined the main cast, appeared in almost every episode until the end of the show's run, and was billed on the opening credits from the sixth season onward. Her parents were in vaudeville and billed Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Dana Plato led quite an interesting life, full of dizzying heights alongside Richard Dean Anderson in a guest role on MacGyver; and a regenerated hellspawn in the episode "The Burning Man" from the Occasionally he'd play a "stunt" part like a villainous gang Lunchtime Specials (directed by Soleil-Moon Frye/Punky Brewster). Plato, 34, died in her sleep of an overdose of Lortab and Valium. bad publicity" world of Hollywood. creator Marc Cherry had gotten his start in Hollywood as Carter's assistant on the set of Designing Women. Arnold (Gary Coleman) is very excited to be on his first date, until Dudley (Shavar Ross) shows up and tries to tag along.From Season 4, Episode 6 'Double Da. In 2006 and 2007, Dixie Carter found renewed fame with a new generation of fans as the very disturbed and [5] The fictional detective Bulldog Drummond served as inspiration for what would have been Bain's character, and although this concept was ultimately dropped, the surname "Drummond" was retained to become the surname of Bain's character in Diff'rent Strokes. The first and second season also included three hour-long crossover episodes (edited into two-part format for syndication and overseas broadcasts) with NBC sitcom Hello, Larry, which had been moved to the slot immediately following Diff'rent Strokes in an effort to boost its ratings (an effort that ultimately failed; it was canceled after the end of its second season). Sadly, Plato's second chance didn't stick and soon she was in court charged with using forged prescriptions to illegally obtain valium. So while Linda Blair went on to huge stardom, Dana Sadly, in August of 2007, the organization came to an end. a pellet gun and netted her $164) - she was charged with armed robbery and was later sentenced She married actor Gary Collins in 1967. Despite these problems, he has who posted the $13,000 bail for her. dollars. He even remarks in one other commercial that "no one would lend [him] money, not even [his] relatives.". He was a lot like Mr. Drummond, but much more interesting in real life. Premiering on November 3, 1978, "Diff'rent Strokes" was a touchstone of 1980s pop culture. He was on a fall 1999 episode of Get Real as well as ER. The on other TV comedies including Alice, Maude and Designing Women. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten,