Welcome to Diff'rent Strokes Online, devoted to one of the most entertaining and popular sitcoms of
the late 1970s and 1980s.
Diff'rent Strokes Online - all Diff'rent Strokes, all the time...
Established: January 20th, 1998
"The page is impressive and, if you don't mind my saying, more than
a tad frightening."
-Steve Mond (former Diff'rent Strokes cast member - Robbie Jayson)
Last Updated: August 20th, 2014
Site of the Day for February 18th, 1998!
Diff'rent Strokes on DVD:
When two kids from Harlem find themselves in the lap of luxury with their newly adopted family, the Drummonds, nothing
is ever ordinary again. Young Arnold, his brother Willis, and new sister Kimberly learn to love and accept each other with
the guidance of their father and housekeeper Mrs. Garrett. This '80s favorite became a pop culture phenomenon by providing
nonstop laughter while breaking through cultural barriers. And now the complete First Season is available for the first
time on DVD!
Special features: "A Look Back at Diff'rent Strokes" featurette with
all new interviews from Todd Bridges, Conrad Bain and Charlotte Rae;
"Whatchoo Talkin' Bout?" featurette on Gary Coleman; 3 Audio Commentaries
with writer Fred Rubin
Read our review of The Complete First Season
The hit series DIFF'RENT STROKES is back for a second season of laugh-filled comedy and warm, human drama. Audiences loved the hilarious culture clash between wealthy Philip Drummond (Conrad Bain), Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Willis (Todd Bridges), the sons of his late housekeeper from Harlem and his daughter Kimberly (Dana Plato). The series continued to explore race relations through its comedic story lines, and also featured a dazzling array of guest stars, including the legendary Muhammad Ali and baseball great Reggie Jackson. During the second season, Arnold and Willis were officially adopted by Mr. Drummond. Also, midway through the season, Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) left the Drummonds to work at the Eastlake School for Girls (as seen in the hugely successful spin-off TV series "The Facts of Life"), and was replaced by Nedra Volz as the new housekeeper, Adelaide Brubaker. Experience the charm of DIFF'RENT STROKES and watch its evolution into a TV classic!
Purchase Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Second Season
Read our review of The Complete Second Season
Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges return as brothers Arnold and Willis Jackson for another season of family fun and life lessons. During the third season, Arnold and Willis get held hostage by bank robbers, Mr. Drummond (Conrad Bain) celebrates his 50th birthday in the hospital, Kimberly (Dana Plato) helps a pregnant girlfriend, and Arnold "the great" goes missing after a more-than-effective disappearing act. Diff'rent Strokes never shied away from the social and cultural issues at hand, but always managed to deliver laughs and heartfelt character development from week to week.
Purchase Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Third Season on DVD
Read our review of The Complete Third Season
Arnold and Willis are back for another season of one of television's most memorable sitcoms! During the fourth season, Arnold (Gary Coleman) lands in trouble with the law when he tries to join the Gooch’s private club, Willis (Todd Bridges) sues the basketball team when he is replaced by another player, Kimberly (Dana Plato) goes on a forbidden weekend skiing trip and Mr. Drummond (Conrad Bain) learns of a love child he had while serving in the Korean War. One of the true classics from the golden era of TV sitcoms, Diff’rent Strokes focused heavily on family values, social issues and big laughs .
Purchase Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD
Read our review of The Complete Fourth Season
Todd Bridges' Book:
Killing Willis: From Diff'rent Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted
The former child star—best known as Willis Jackson on Diff’rent Strokes—shares the shocking but inspirational details of his struggles with addiction, brushes with the law, and fierce fight to carve a path through the darkness and find his true identity.
For Todd Bridges early stardom was no protection from painful childhood events that paved the road to his own personal hell. One of the first African-American child actors on shows like Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, and Roots, Bridges burst to the national forefront on the hit sitcom Diff’rent Strokes as the subject of the popular catchphrase, "What’chu Talkin About Willis?" When the show ended, Bridges was overwhelmed by the off-camera traumas he had faced. Turning to drugs as an escape, he soon lost control.
Now, for the first time, Bridges opens up about his life before and after Diff’rent Strokes: the incredible reversals of fortune brought on by fame and the precipitous—and very public—descent that followed; the persecution from police; the drug addiction that nearly consumed him; the criminal charges that almost earned him a life sentence; and his successful legal defense led by Johnnie Cochran. Through it all, Bridges never relented in his quest to fight his way back from the abyss, establish his own identity—separate from Willis Jackson—and offer his ordeal as a positive example for those struggling to overcome similar challenges. His triumphant story of recovery and redemption is recounted here as well.
Todd Bridges has lived a life of remarkable twists and turns—from the greatest heights to the lowest lows imaginable. In this shocking but ultimately hopeful memoir, he proves that what he was really talking about was survival.
Buy Killing Willis: From Diff'rent Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted
Buy Diff'rent Strokes Memorabilia and Photos:
Please visit our message board regularly for the most up-to-date news, articles and cast updates.
Diff'rent Strokes can currently be seen on Antenna TV and Encore Black. It's also available on demand on Comcast.
Share your memories on our message board.
View photos in our photo galleries.
Conrad Bain at IMDB / Wikipedia / Yahoo
Whatchoo talkin' bout? Antenna TV will add the classic '80s sitcom Diff'rent Strokes to its regular lineup on Wednesday, January 2, 2013! We hinted that a new show would be coming in January, now it is official! The Gary Coleman sitcom will be airing Mondays & Wednesdays from 9-11pm ET and also on Sunday nights from 10-11pm ET. In addition, current Sunday night staples, WKRP in Cincinnati and Barney Miller, will be moving to weeknights this January! Antenna TV will also add Antenna TV Theater, a Saturday night primetime movie block. We will have more on the actual schedule for January next month, so stay with us!
Purchase Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD
Read our review of Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD
Pre-order Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Third Season on DVD
Google News / TMZ / Wikipedia /
IMDB / Gary Coleman Photos
Parents to Fight for Gary Coleman's Remains as Todd Bridges Announces "Secret Will"
Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife Explains Why She Took Him Off Life Support
Todd Bridges on Gary Coleman: 'He Wasn't Prepared'
Gary Coleman's Secret Divorce and Increasingly Strange Death
Hospital: Coleman's Ex Had Right to Decide His Fate
Gary Coleman Divorced from Shannon Price
Gary Coleman Police Report -- 'Nothing Suspicious'
Gary Coleman 911 Call -- 'Blood Everywhere'
Gary Coleman's Wife Resisted Giving Him Emergency Aid
'Diff'rent Strokes' star Gary Coleman dies (AP)
R.I.P. Gary. You will be greatly missed by all your fans. Post your condolences on our message board. View our tribute at Sitcoms Online.
Bio TV will remember Gary by airing a block of Biography episodes on Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Biography: Dana Plato airs at 8pm, Biography: Diff'rent Strokes airs at 9pm, Biography Remembers: Gary Coleman airs at 10pm and The Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals: Gilligan's Island & Diff'rent Strokes airs at 11pm. Stay tuned for further updates.
Me-TV (Chicago) will air a tribute marathon of Diff'rent Strokes for Gary Coleman on Saturday (May 29) from 11a-7p.
David Hasselhoff Remembers Gary Coleman
Rare photos of Gary Coleman and Shavar Ross
Paul Petersen of A Minor Consideration Remembers Gary Coleman
BET - Remembering Gary Coleman: take a look at the life and career of the former child star
Troubled lives for child stars of Coleman's sitcom
In Memoriam: The Top 5 "Arnold Jackson" Moments
Diff'rent Strokes Co-Star Mary Jo Catlett Recalls Gary Coleman was "A Joy to Work With"
Gary Coleman: Child Star's Rise and Fall (20/20 video segment from 05/14/99)
Some photos of Dana and Tyler:
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Photo #2 /
Photo #3 /
Photo #4 / Photo #5
Our condolences to his family and friends. Such a heartbreaking story.
In Memory of Dana Plato Tribute Video by DanaPlato4ever
On Wednesday (April 1), they will air Biography: 'Diff'rent Strokes' at 10pm ET/PT (with an encore at 2am ET/PT, if you miss it). What do a softcore porn star-turned-armed robber, a rehabilitated coke addict, and a bankrupt 4'8" 40-year-old have in common? They were the child stars of Diff'rent Strokes, the popular NBC/ABC sitcom that aired from the late '70s to the mid '80s. From what happened behind the scenes to what went wrong after the cameras stopped rolling, we'll find out what the gang was really talkin' about when Gary Coleman would ask, "Wha'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Yes, you may think another special on this series? Biography has never done a special on the show itself, so it is all-new, but I wonder if we will learn anything different from the other specials like E! True Hollywood Story? Tune in to find out!
The Dana Plato Biography special will re-air 9pm ET/PT and 1AM ET/PT.
All the Sony Pictures sitcoms they have are all expiring at the end of August and they will not be renewing them, unfortunately. So you will not see Diff'rent Strokes, Thea, Sanford, and Malcolm & Eddie in September. Yes, The Steve Harvey Show is from Sony but that is not part of that package and thus Harvey is not expiring.
Diff'rent Strokes (weekdays 9-11am) will have a missing episode finally aired on BET. The episode "Bulimia" has never aired on BET because the tape they had was damaged...but now BET has gotten a new one and will air it on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 9:30am, so get those VCRs/DVRs ready! Speaking of Diff'rent Strokes, it will have a five-episode block in primetime on Saturday, August 23 from 8pm-10:30pm, followed by a five-episode block of A Different World from 10:30pm-1am. The episodes will be multiple-part storylines. View the episode info for this stunt.
That's not all for Diff'rent Strokes! On its last day of airing, BET will give it a proper send-off with an all-day marathon on Friday, August 29 from 9am-6pm. We don't have episode info yet for that stunt, but should by next week, so keep checking our Diff'rent Strokes message board.
The Biography Channel aired a special on Dana Plato on Tuesday, April 15. It had premiered at 4AM on one night in December.
We will let you know when it airs again or is available on DVD.
Biography: Dana Plato. Chronicles the tragic life of the Diff'rent Strokes star who died of a drug overdose at 35. Born to an unwed,
teenage mother, Plato was put up for adoption. She appeared in her first TV ad when she was just 7, and at age 14 she was hired for Diff'rent Strokes. Six years
later she was forced to leave the show when she became pregnant. Plato then languished in the world of B-movies and even soft core pornography, all the while
struggling with an addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol. Plato's rise and fall continues to have a haunting effect on the culture of child celebrity in
Hollywood. CC HD [TVPG]
Shavar Ross, who played Dudley Ramsey, is an up and coming film director and operates his own film and television production company, Tri-Seven Entertainment.
Lord Help Us (released in May 2007), an inspirational
urban romantic comedy starring American Idol‘s Nadia Turner, Oscar nominee Margaret Avery (The Color Purple), Debra Wilson (MADtv, Scary Movie 4), comedian Joe Clair (B.E.T.'s Rap City, Take the Cake),
Grammy-Award winning singer Al Jarreau and many others marked his feature film directorial debut. The movie is currently in stores nationwide
on DVD and on Amazon.com among many
others.
Visit his Official Website.
Here are a few of his Diff'rent Strokes related posts:
Shavar Meets Kareem Abdul-Jabaar on the set of Diff'rent Strokes
Updated Mach 2012: Nikki is still working as an Assistant Director. She's worked on films like "The 40 Year Old Virgin"
and "Superbad." She has worked in television on the "Just Jordan" and "So Random" kids show. In early 2007, she opened up a upscale
women's vintage clothing boutique called, "Revival Vintage"
in Los Angeles, California. It's located at 7403 Beverly Blvd. Eventually, she wants to transition out of
the business and just run the store. She married Director Eric Dean Seaton on July 2, 2011. They are expecting their first child on March 22, 2012.
Diff'rent Strokes Marathon on BET on Sunday, April 20 from 6-11PM ET/PT
In the U.S., Diff'rent Strokes can be seen on Comcast's On Demand service and the following local channels:
WWME - Chicago
Additional information, cast details, and our review
NBC'S "BEHIND THE CAMERA: THE UNAUTHORIZED STORY OF
'DIFF'RENT STROKES'" -- A CAUTIONARY TALE OF CHILD
STARDOM -- PREMIERES ON SEPTEMBER 4
Series Stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges
Participated in Project and Appear in On-camera
Interviews in the Movie; Bobb'e J Thompson Stars as a
Young Gary Coleman
BURBANK August 7, 2006 NBC will re-visit one of
television's most popular comedy series -- "Diff'rent
Strokes" -- with a movie that serves as a powerful
cautionary tale about the tragedies and challenges
facing the child stars of the sitcom as well as all
child stars in "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized
Story of 'Diff'rent Strokes,'" premiering on Monday,
Sept. 4 (8-10 p.m. ET). Original cast members Gary
Coleman and Todd Bridges participated in the movie and
will also appear in on-camera interviews.
"Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of
'Diff'rent Strokes'" not only takes viewers behind the
scenes of the popular sitcom, but also follows the
lives of Coleman, Bridges and fellow star Dana Plato
in the years after the series went off the air as
their personal lives spiraled downward. In addition,
it also examines the pitfalls of child stardom.
"Diff'rent Strokes" premiered on NBC on November 3,
1978 and concluded in 1986. Coleman and Bridges
starred as Arnold and Willis Jackson, respectively --
two orphaned children from Harlem who were adopted by
wealthy businessman Philip Drummond. The brothers'
sudden lifestyle change from poverty to the penthouse
made the comedy an instant hit for NBC.
This production which follows previous "Behind the
Camera" movies on NBC that re-created the story and
era surrounding "Three's Company," "Charlie's Angels"
and "Mork & Mindy" -- is produced by Once Upon a Time
Films. Bobb'e J Thompson ("The Tracy Morgan Show")
plays the young Coleman while Verda Bridges, Bridges'
real-life sister, portrays Bridges' mother.
"Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of
'Diff'rent Strokes'" is executive-produced by Stanley
M. Brooks ("Broken Trail") and Scott W. Anderson
(NBC's "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of
'Three's Company'"), with Damian Ganczewski ("Broken
Trail") producing. Robert Iscove ("She's All That")
directs from a script written by Greg Pincus and Susan
Rinehart.
Nancy Kerrigan, Kurt Browning and Tai Babilonia Among Pro Skaters to Skate with Celebrities Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton to Host Show Olympic Gold Medalist Dorothy Hamill to be a Judge of Competition
SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES will partner six famous personalities with six professional figure skaters to compete for an unprecedented figure skating title on FOX. Hosted by Olympic gold medalist and world champion Scott Hamilton, the competition will feature some of the most recognized and celebrated names in professional figure skating and a mix of celebrities who span a wide spectrum within the entertainment industry.
The celebrity/professional figure skater pairs are:
- Actor/comedian Dave Coulier ("Full House") with two-time Olympic figure skating medalist Nancy Kerrigan;
- Olympic decathlon gold medalist and television personality Bruce Jenner with world champion pairs figure skater Tai Babilonia;
- Actor Todd Bridges ("Diff'rent Strokes") with three-time U.S. national pairs figure skating champion and world championship medalist Jenni Meno;
- Actress Kristy Swanson ("Dude, Where's My Car?", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") with two-time Olympic pairs figure skating medalist and world champion Lloyd Eisler;
- Singer/songwriter/actress Deborah Gibson with four-time world figure skating champion Kurt Browning;
- Television personality, reporter and weather forecaster Jillian Barberie ("Good Day LA," "Fox NFL Sunday," "Good Morning, Miami") with three-time U.S. pairs figure skating champion and world championship medalist John Zimmerman.
Over the course of six themed episodes, the celebrities and their professional partners will perform figure skating routines that will challenge the celebs' athletic and artistic abilities and push them to prepare and perform in ways they've never done before. Each episode will test the pairs' skills as they demonstrate whether they can successfully pull off original and challenging skating sequences – or whether they'll freeze under pressure.
"For most people, it's tough enough to learn these types of moves while on the dance floor or working out in the gym," said FOX's executive vice president of alternative programming, Mike Darnell. "This competition will require our celebrity skaters to not only demonstrate rhythm, but also athleticism, grace and balance … on ice, and before a team of unforgiving judges with both Olympic and world championship experience. No doubt there will be plenty of falls, bruises and scary moments."
"All of the celebrities in the competition not only have the ability to skate, but the desire to excel and become great. What's really interesting is that even at the training level, a competition between the pairs is already developing," said executive producer Arthur Smith.
Olympic gold medalist, world figure skating champion and American icon Dorothy Hamill will be one of the judges of the unique competition. Hamill, with her extensive expertise on all aspects of the sport and artistry of skating, will help decide which pairs move forward in the competition and who is eliminated.
The six pairs will each have the benefit of working with a professional figure skating choreographer during the competition. Five-time U.S. national ice dance champion and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Michael Seibert, U.S. and world figure skating champion and director/choreographer Randy Gardner and three-time U.S. ice dance champion Renee Roca are working with the pairs to help craft the challenging and exciting routines they will perform in each episode.
SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES is produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions. Arthur Smith and Kent Weed are executive producers.
NEW YORK, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- VH1 has crowned Gary Coleman, of "Diff'rent Strokes" fame, the number one kid star. Macaulay Culkin, Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, Jodie Foster, Drew Barrymore, Emmanuel Lewis, Ron Howard, Corey Feldman, Maureen McCormick and Danny Bonaduce round out the top ten on the list.
Premiering on Monday, June 13 at 9 P.M.* and hosted by Christopher Knight, "100 Greatest Kid Stars" is a five-night special that follows the tradition of VH1's successful "100 Greatest ... " franchise. VH1 has assembled the definitive list of child stars, and counts them down using new, exclusive interviews with many of the stars themselves and that golden footage from way back when ...
VH1 "100 GREATEST KID STARS"
Series Stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges to Serve as Consultants. Bobb'e J Thompson stars as a young Gary Coleman
BURBANK, Calif. -- February 28, 2005 -- NBC will re-visit one of television's most popular comedy series, "Diff'rent Strokes" with a new movie that serves as a powerful cautionary tale about the tragedies and challenges facing the child stars of the sitcom in "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Diff'rent Strokes.'" Production will begin this month in Vancouver, Canada. Original cast members, Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges will serve as consultants on the movie and will also appear in on-camera interviews.
"Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Diff'rent Strokes'" not only takes us behind the scenes of the popular sitcom, but also follows the lives of Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, and Dana Plato in the years after the series went off the air, as their lives spiraled downward. In addition, it also takes a look at the pitfalls of child stardom.
"Diff'rent Strokes" premiered on NBC on November 3, 1978 and concluded in 1986. Coleman and Bridges starred as Arnold and Willis Jackson, respectively, two orphaned children from Harlem who were adopted by wealthy businessman Phillip Drummond. The brothers' sudden lifestyle change from poverty to the penthouse made the comedy an instant hit for NBC.
The movie -- which follows previous Behind the Camera movies by NBC that successfully re-created the story and era surrounding "Three's Company" and "Charlie's Angels" -- will be produced by Once Upon a Time Films. Bobb'e J Thompson (NBC's "The Tracy Morgan Show") has been cast to play a young Gary Coleman, and Verda Bridges, Todd Bridges' real life sister, has been cast to play Todd Bridges' mother.
In addition, NBC will also broadcast "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Mork & Mindy'" a movie version of the backstage story of the comedy "Mork and Mindy," which launched Oscar winner Robin Williams' career.
"Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Diff'rent Strokes'" is executive-produced by Stanley M. Brooks (NBC's "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company'") and Scott W. Anderson (NBC's "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company'"), with Damian Ganczewski (NBC's "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company'") producing. Robert Iscove ("She's All That") will direct from a script written by Greg Pincus and Susan Rinehart.
Bobb'e J, most recently seen on "The Tracy Morgan Show," has been cast to play the young Gary Coleman in the project. Both Coleman and co-star Todd Bridges have also signed on as consultants to the project and will appear in on-camera interviews during the pic, which will blend scripted and unscripted elements.
In addition, Verda Bridges -- sister of Todd Bridges -- will play the siblings' mother. Robert Bailey Jr. has been cast to play the older Coleman in the pic, which is being produced via Brooks' Once Upon a Time Prods.
There's no casting yet for the role of "Strokes" star Dana Plato, who died of a drug overdose in 1999.
Production starts next week in Vancouver, with Robert Iscove helming. Greg Pincus and Susan Rinehart wrote the script, and Brooks will exec produce with Scott W. Anderson; Damian Ganczewski is a producer.
Unauthorized telepic, in development since last year (Daily Variety, March 26) will depart from the usual "Behind the Camera" format by not just focusing on the time during which the show aired (1978-86), but also examining what happened to the cast long after the cameras stopped rolling.
Brooks, who produced the "Three's Company" and upcoming "Mork and Mindy" editions of the "Behind the Camera" franchise, said "Strokes" promises to be the most dramatic pic of the series "by far."
Other pics, he said, deal with careers falling apart. "With this one, what's at stake was people's lives," Brooks said.
"The thesis of this movie is, Where were the parents in all this? The studios, the networks, the managers -- all the people benefiting from the success of this show never looked at the effect it was having (on the young cast). They stole their childhood."
Pic reps the first time a "Behind the Camera" title has focused on an NBC skein. Brooks is currently casting for a thesp to play late Peacock topper Brandon Tartikoff, and he said he's hoping Mr. T will agree to re-create his famed cameo on "Strokes."
While Coleman and Bridges are consultants on the pic, they didn't have approval on the script and, in fact, didn't see the script until after the pic was greenlit, Brooks said.
"We didn't have to do much to make (Coleman) sympathetic," Brooks said. "You can't spend five minutes with the guy without feeling some sympathy for his plight."
This is not the first "Strokes" telepic. A few years ago, Fox produced "After 'Diff'rent Strokes': When the Laughter Stopped."
NBC is expected to air the "Mork and Mindy" edition of "Behind the Camera" in early April.
They were interviewed for it and it will air on VH-1 on April 30th and many times after that.
In a 2-hour documentary entitled Child Star Babylon, Shavar chats about what it was like growing up as a child star. If you've seen "Behind the Music", you'll love this. Airs April 30th (All times Eastern/Pacific).
VH1 04/30/2004 11:00 AM
As part of its "Behind the Camera" franchise, Peacock is developing a two-hour look at the drama surrounding the hit '80s NBC sitcom, "Diff'rent Strokes." Greg Pincus is writing a script for the project, which is one of several TV tales in the works at NBC.
NBC is also in early development on telepics focusing on the behind-the-scenes drama of ABC hits "Mork & Mindy," "Laverne & Shirley" and "Bewitched." NBC has previously produced telepics on ABC hits "Three's Company" and "Charlie's Angels."
"The franchise has performed quite well for us," said NBC longform topper Jeff Gaspin, who also heads alternative programming at NBC and is prexy of Bravo. Most recent "Charlie's Angel" pic was just so-so in raw numbers, "but when we got in the upscale demos for 'Angels,' it was off the chart," Gaspin added.
Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges have signed on as consultants on the "Diff'rent Strokes" telefilm, which Gaspin said will tread cautiously when dealing with many of the tragic events surrounding the sitcom -- including the death of star Dana Plato.
"If you get it right, this is a cautionary tale about kids in Hollywood," he said. "We need to do it in a non-exploitative manner."
Todd Bridges and Gary Coleman appeared on the WB's "The Surreal Life" in January
Remember Arnold's arch-nemesis Lisa Hayes? She was played by Nikki Swasey (pictured above).
Nikki sends us this update:
"After Diff'rent Strokes I left my agent because I felt she wasn't sending me out on enough auditions and went with Gary Coleman's manager. He was able to get me a guest spot on 227 and a Doritos commercial. This was during the time when Gary was suing his parents, manager and other financial advisors. The manager in turn left the business and I never pursued other representation. I stopped acting for several years. Not sure what I wanted to do next, I took part-time jobs in retail during my later high school years. I went to college for a year, but found it wasn't for me. I was able to make some contacts in the entertainment industry and landed a job as a personal assistant for Yvette Lee Bowser who was a producer for 'A Different World'. During my time there, I performed as guest cast for one episode, which I decided wasn't for me anymore. My next job was as stage production assistant on 'Living Single'. I enjoyed working behind the scenes. Fortunately, Warner Bros. Studios had a spot open in their directors guild program which I landed. From there I began my career as a stage manager / assistant director, which I'm still working as today. (Living Single, Wayan's Brothers, Sunset Beach, Hype, The Berne Mac Show, The Tracy Morgan Show - where I am now, and various others). Thanks for your interest in me. I'm not yet a computer person but when that changes I'll be sure to keep you up to date. Thanks Todd. From Little Lisa. "
Gary Coleman Appears in "A Christmas Carol" on the Hallmark Channel
Gary Coleman finished in 8th place in the race for governor of California out of 135 candidates
The Diff'rent Strokes theme was recently used in a British commercial for
Lipton Ice Tea
Some actors that appeared on Diff'rent Strokes as guest stars have passed away this year:
Robert Rockwell, actor who became best known for his roles on TV died on January 25th of cancer at age 82. He played
Mr. Drummond's lawyer Tom Bishop in multiple episodes of Diff'rent Strokes. Rockwell appeared in a string of B-movies in the
early 50’s, before turning to TV. He appeared on more than 350 television shows and performed in scores of
commercials over a 50 year period most notably as Philip Boynton the shy biology teacher on “Our Miss Brooks.” Younger
viewers may remember him as Wally' Overmier on "Growing Pains."
Gordon Jump who played bicycle shop owner Mr. Horton in the classic 2-part episode "The Bicycle Man"
passed away in September.
LOS ANGELES (Sept. 22) - Gordon Jump, who played a befuddled radio station manager on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" and made his mark in commercials as the lonely Maytag repairman, died Monday. He was 71. Jump suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, said his cousin, Katherine Jump Wagner. The illness causes scarring of the air sacs of the lungs, leading to heart or respiratory failure.
Wagner, of Arcanum, Ohio, said she learned of her cousin's death from her father, also named Gordon Jump. Her cousin was under hospice care at his home southeast of Los Angeles, she said.
Jump played Arthur Carlson in "WKRP in Cincinnati," which aired on CBS from 1978-82 and featured Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman and Richard Sanders as the ragtag station's crew.
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Jump began his career working at radio and TV stations in the Midwest. He worked behind the microphone and the camera, including jobs as a producer for Kansas and Ohio stations.
Jump portrayed the Maytag repairman "Ol' Lonely," a well-recognized advertising symbol, from 1989 until he retired from the role in July and another actor took over.
"Gordon was an incredibly talented actor and a remarkable human being," said Ralph Hake, chairman and chief executive officer of Maytag Corp.
Jump came to appreciate the attention he got for the ad campaign and the steady work it provided, Wagner said. But his heart was elsewhere professionally. Gordon Jump as the Maytag repairman
"What he loved more than anything was doing theater. He was a marvelous actor," she said, recalling a visit to Florida to watch him perform in "Norman, Is That You?"
Jump began his Hollywood career after moving to Los Angeles in 1963, appearing on series including "Daniel Boone," "Get Smart" and "The Partridge Family."
His dramatic roles included a part in the TV movie "Ruby and Oswald," about the assassination of President Kennedy, and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes."
Jump is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son, Maytag said in a statement. He also had a brother, Wagner said.
Hours before Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement, celebrity Gary Coleman, the star of the 1980s sitcom
"Diff'rent Strokes," plunked down $3,500 in Alameda County and declared himself a candidate for governor.
The onetime Diff'rent Strokes star stood on a platform on Wednesday of balancing the state's budget, legalizing gay
marriage, decriminalizing marijuana, "restor[ing] sanity to California politics" and "drill[ing] for oil in every national park." The
35-year-old's candidacy is being championed by a San Francisco newspaper that, with Coleman's permission, put up
the $3,500 filing fee and collected 87 signatures, publicist Mike Casey said. Coleman previously announced a bid for
run for the U.S. Senate from California in 2000, but dropped out, Casey said, because he felt the competition was too strong.
Gary Coleman on California ballot (CNN article)
This TV Land Awards special hosted by John Ritter will air on Wednesday, March
12th at 8:30-11:30PM EST/PST on TV Land and Nick at Nite
and will re-air several more times that week.
"E! Original Special: More Child Stars of 1980s" -- For those who loved our first walk down memory lane, there's more
child stars where those came from. This "Back to School" themed edition of child stars features class reunions with the
stars from: Head of the Class, Fame, Doogie Howser, and Life Goes On. These and other featured stars have lived
intriguing lives since their TV teens. Shavar Ross ("Dudley" from Dif'rent Strokes) became a church pastor; Brian
Robbins (Head of the Class) is a major Hollywood producer, with credits that include "Smallville." Rain Pryor (Head
of the Class) acts and lectures against drug abuse; Tannis Valleley (Head of the Class) is a casting agent; Carlo
Imperato (Fame) owns a string of Gold's Gyms; Chris Burke (Life goes On) plays in a band. We'll also update the lives
and times of several child actors, including Josh Brolin (The Goonies), and Nia Peeples (Fame), who have become
adult stars.
Premieres Monday, March 10 at 9:00 PM ET/PT. (1 hour)
They are conducting a survey to see which shows we would like on DVD. You can vote
for up to 5 series and let them know if you prefer "full season" sets or "best of"
compilations of a single series or theme.
Besides Diff'rent Strokes, they also list: Barney Miller, Benson,
Bewitched, Designing Women, Dilbert, The Facts of Life,
Fantasy Island, Father Knows Best,
The Flying Nun, Hart to Hart,
I Dream of Jeannie, Just Shoot Me,
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,
Maude, The Nanny,
NewsRadio, One Day at a Time,
The Partridge Family, Silver Spoons,
Soap, T.J. Hooker, The Tick,
V.I.P., and Who's the Boss?
Click here to cast your vote!
By Connie Cone Sexton
Character actress Nedra Volz, who played housekeeper Adelaide Brubaker in the early 1980s on the Diff'rent Strokes television series and made a living playing grandmothers and little old ladies, died Monday of Alzheimer's complications. She was 94.
Volz, of Mesa, recognized for her trademark white bun, worked in vaudeville and radio as a young woman but didn't find fame in show business until her 60s.
Her first role as the "Old Lady" came in a 1975 episode of Good Times. Over the years she made several guest appearances on other TV comedies including Alice, Maude and Designing Women. Along with Diff'rent Strokes, she had a recurring role as Pearl Sperling in The Fall Guy and as Miz Emma Tidsale, the postmistress, on The Dukes of Hazzard.
She made her film debut in 1973 in Your Minutes Are Up as the "Free Press Lady" and went on to appear in more than a dozen theatrical and TV films including 10, Little Miss Marker and Earth Girls Are Easy. Her last film was The Great White Hype in 1995.
Volz, born in Montrose, Iowa, on June 18, 1908, first hit the stage as a toddler. Her parents were in vaudeville and billed her as "Baby Nedra."
She sang with a band as a young woman but stayed out of performing until about the 1950s when she did community theater.
"She always had that bun on her head," said her son, Edward, of Mesa. "Nobody knows her name, but everybody knows who she is."
Other survivors include her daughter, Linda Deffenderfer of Chandler.
http://www.arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/0122obit-volz22.html
Gary Coleman's episode of "Star Dates" will air on February 2nd at 10:30PM EST/PST.
Diff'rent Strokes has returned to the "Trouble" schedule in the UK.
It airs on the weekends at 9:30-10:30AM and weekdays at 8:55-9:25PM.
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Just to be clear, E!'s new series "Star Dates" has
nothing whatsoever to do with "Star Trek."
Even if the idea of 80-something Phyllis Diller being set up on a blind date seems like
something out of science fiction.
E!, the network that brought you "The Anna Nicole Show," will launch "Star Dates"
on Sunday, Dec. 15. The show is the latest addition to the ever-expanding pantheon of
"reality" TV series and its concurrent stretching of the definition of "celebrity."
The series, which has a six-episode order, will try to show that the marginally or
formerly famous are just like us regular folks when it comes to dating. Cameras will
follow the likes of Diller, Dustin Diamond ("Saved by the Bell"), Gary Coleman
("Diff'rent Strokes") and Jill Whelan ("The Love Boat") as they go on blind dates
with the non-famous.
The show is from George Verschoor, a producer of MTV's "The Real World" and
FOX's "Murder in Small Town X."
Tuesday, November 5th
Gary Coleman will play himself on an episode of UPN's
The Parkers, Monday November 11th 8 p.m. e/p on UPN
Watch Where Are They Now on VH-1 on Tuesday, October 22nd at 8PM EST/7 CST
Find out what the actors and actresses that played Blossom, Willis
from Diff'rent Strokes, Webster, Rerun from What's Happening, and
others are doing now. Hear interviews where they talk about what it
was like being famous and how they felt after the limelight faded. To
check out a larger list of your favorite TV kid actors and actresses,
you can visit this link on VH1.com
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/
Additional Airdates:
Wednesday, October 23 12:30 AM
all times eastern standard time
Coleman Joins 'BattleBots' Crew
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com, 08/16/02) - Gary Coleman has some time on his hands.
The "Diff'rent Strokes" actor will be working on Comedy Central's "BattleBots"
series. The show features two teams who build "bots" designed to destroy the
competition. Coleman has scored a choice spot working alongside the Nightmare
bot's pit crew.
Hopefully he can get a good view of host Carmen Electra ("Scary Movie" ) while he
helps Nightmare's driver, Jim Smentowski.
"I am a huge fan of 'BattleBots,'" says Coleman. "The stench of twisted metal, the
roar of a battle-hungry mob, 200-pound robots getting flung 20 feet in the air only to be
impaled on giant spikes. Now that's the kind of entertainment that puts a smile on my
face. As if Carmen Electra wasn't enough."
"BattleBots" begins its fifth season Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on Comedy
Central.
TNN will add another hour of Diff'rent Strokes starting Monday August 5th, weekdays at 12 and 12:30pm! It
will continue to air weekdays at 10 and 10:30am as well. The 12 and 12:30pm cycle will be different than
the 10-11am one, episode 1 will air at 12pm on August 5th.
Gary Coleman in The Facts of Life and Todd Bridges in The Jeffersons on The Rerun Show:
A bevy of classic television stars and other celebrities - including Fred “Rerun Berry,” Danny Bonaduce
and Gary Coleman -- will make cameo appearances on NBC’s “The Rerun Show” this summer beginning with the series premiere on Thursday, Aug. 1 (9:30-10 p.m. ET) as the alternative comedy series recreates classic television shows using original scripts while adding its own comedic, pop-culture spin to the performances.
After its premiere, “The Rerun Show” will then move to Tuesday nights for the month of August.
The following guest-stars have been confirmed for cameo appearances:
“The Facts of Life” - Gary Coleman (“Diff'rent Strokes”) appears as a shopping mall security guard in the “Shoplifting” episode.
“The Jeffersons” - Marla Gibbs (Florence on the original “The Jeffersons”) portrays sex therapist Dr. Beamish in the “A Bedtime Story” episode; Todd Bridges (“Diff’rent Strokes”) makes an appearance as Florence’s (Daniele Gaither) boyfriend in the “Florence in Love” episode. Aries Spears (“Mad TV”) is also featured in the episode in the role of Weezie Jefferson.
Airdates for “The Rerun Show” are as follows: Thursday, Aug. 1 (9:30-10 p.m. ET) after
“Will & Grace”; Tuesday, Aug. 6 (8:30-9 p.m. ET) after the “SPY TV” season finale;
Tuesday, Aug. 13, (8-9 p.m. ET) with two episodes back-to-back; and Tuesday, Aug. 20, (8-9 p.m. ET) with two more episodes back-to-back.
Television programs which will be “re-run ‘Rerun’-style” this summer include “Bewitched,” “Diff’rent Strokes,” “The Facts of Life,” “The Jeffersons,” “Married…with Children,” “One Day at a Time,” “The Partridge Family,” “Saved by the Bell” and “What’s Happening!”
“The Rerun Show” stars Ashley Drane, Daniele Gaither, Danielle Hoover, Don Reed, Mitch Silpa and Paul Vogt. Candy Ford and Brian Beacock are also featured performers.
Actor Todd Bridges' life has often resembled a daytime drama -- so it's somehow appropriate that he's about to appear in an actual soap.
The former "Diff'rent Strokes" star has snagged a recurring role on CBS' "The Young and the Restless," which just marked its 700th week as TV's most-watched daytime drama. He will play Juice, a character "Y&R" executive producer David Shaughnessy describes as "a real out-and-out bad guy ...bent on revenge."
Since "Strokes" left the air in 1986, Bridges has had several run-ins with the law, including charges of drug possession, carrying a loaded weapon and assault with a deadly weapon. He was acquitted on the latter charge.
Bridges, 37, taped his episodes of "Y&R" last week and will make his first appearance on the soap July 12. For now, Bridges is only slated to appear on a few episodes, though Shaughnessy said he could return depending on how his storyline plays out. Bridges most recently faced off against Vanilla Ice on Fox's "Celebrity Boxing."
Available Now! "On The Set Of Diff'rent Strokes" 60 minute audio tape. Listen as Shavar Ross (Arnold's friend
Dudley) gives you the inside scoop on what it was like on the "Strokes" set.
Topics Covered:
* How Shavar landed the role of Dudley out of more than 250 kids.
* The First Day On The Set: Meeting Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges and Dana Plato.
* What it was like going to school (on the set) with the cast members.
* Shavar gives details about the fun things he did with Gary such as the sleep overs, bowling, and other fun
times they had as real life friends.
* Shavar talks about what the seasonal wrap parties on the show was like---lots of laughter!
* Shavar tells what it was like doing the very last episode of "Strokes" with Gary Coleman and the rest of the
cast.
*Also find out how a televison show like "Diff'rent Strokes" is produced on a weekly basis.
Available at www.trisevenentertainment.com
An in-depth look at the psychological effects of finding fame at a young age. Dana Plato didn't
believe Diff'rent Strokes was ill-fated. "I would have crashed and burned no matter what," the
ex-primetimer said in 1997. And then, two years later, she crashed and burned for good - dead of
an apparent suicide. She was 34 and, commonly perceived as the latest victim of something far
greater than Diff'rent Strokes - Plato had succumbed to the former child star "curse."
Or had she? Former Child Star is the first in-depth look at a generation's virtual peers
- from Dana Plato to Gary Coleman, from Ricky Nelson to Rick Schroder and beyond. No mere
where-are-they-now? retread, Former Child Star asks the question: Why are they now? Why do
most ex-kid actors turn out just fine, while others dwell in tabloid (or worse) hell?
Author Joal Ryan, the journalist and keeper of an acclaimed Web site on tv former child stars, is
ready with answers. Tracing the behind-the-scenes history of the tv child actor from the 1950s to
today, Ryan examines the successes of the Ron Howards, the trying times of the Gary Colemans,
the burnouts of the Dana Platos. She finds that the real curse faced by these familiar faces is our
"celebrity-or-bust" culture. Drawing on first-hand interviews with players who appeared on My
Three Sons, The Brady Bunch, One Day at a Time, Diff'rent Strokes, and more, Ryan weaves a
compelling tale that is as much a treatise on the culture of celebrity as it is a really cool book about
kids we grew up watching grow up.
For more information and to purchase:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/
What's New:
Shavar Remembers Dana Plato
Shavar Talks About Gary Coleman
Shavar Reviews the Behind the Camera Diff'rent Strokes TV Movie
WRLH - Richmond-Petersburg, VA
Internet Movie Database entry
Todd Bridges on Diff'rent Strokes movie, his sister, and reality shows
1. Gary Coleman (DIFF'RENT STROKES)
40. Todd Bridges (DIFF'RENT STROKES)
91. Dana Plato (DIFF'RENT STROKES)
VH1 04/30/2004 01:00 PM
VH1 04/30/2004 09:00 PM
VH1 04/30/2004 12:00 AM
VH1 05/02/2004 12:00 PM
VH1 05/02/2004 01:30 AM
VH1 05/03/2004 12:30 PM
VH1 05/03/2004 12:00 AM
VH1 05/04/2004 02:30 PM
VH1 05/20/2004 01:00 AM
Inside look at 'Mork,' 'Shirley,' 'Bewitched' also planned
Whatchoo talkin' about, NBC?
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 22, 2003
"Classic TV Week"
Todd Bridges and Gary Coleman ("Diff'rent Strokes")
share their knowledge of "Sesame Street."
where_are_they_now/62111/episode_about.jhtml
Wednesday, October23 1:00 PM
Thursday, October 24 6:00 PM
Friday, October 25 5:00 PM
Sunday, October 27 6:00 PM
Monday, October 28 11:00 PM
Friday, November 1 2:00 PM
Sunday, November 3 3:30 PM 
155022428X/ref=nosim/happydaysonline
Diff'rent Strokes 
Gary Coleman Talks About Price of Fame
Wednesday June 6 6:25 AM ET
By CHRISTY LEMIRE, AP Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - Gary Coleman is a corporate shill.
This is what he does with his fame, which he hates. He uses it to promote
corporations, which he loves.
The diminutive star of the '80s sitcom ``Diff'rent Strokes'' pitches Holoworld Cafes, a burgeoning chain of restaurant/laser-tag/video-game establishments. He pitches Biozyme, a biodegradable product that eats up cooking grease.
He answers bizarre questions from readers of his weekly column, ``Coleman Confidential,'' on the entertainment Web site ugo.com.
Then there's his own business, building model train layouts from his West Los Angeles apartment.
He would rather do all these things than do what made him a pop culture icon.
``I say, `Hey, come to Holoworld,''' Coleman said during a recent visit to New York, which he also hates. ``I speak for Holoworld just like I speak for ugo.com, just like I speak for any other corporation that I have had the pleasure of working for. I like corporations. I like the stability of corporations.''
He disliked the instability of television, even though it made him an instant star at age 10 when ``Diff'rent Strokes'' debuted on NBC in 1978. Coleman played smart-mouthed, chubby-cheeked Arnold Jackson for the sitcom's entire eight-year run.
He doesn't watch TV anymore. He doesn't have cable. He doesn't even like talking about his time on the tube; at the end of last year, he placed a moratorium on reporters' questions about the show. And he definitely will NOT, if asked, say ``Whatchu talkin' 'bout?''
The folks at Nick at Nite, though, won't leave him alone. Not only do they broadcast the sitcom five nights a week, they're running a 40-episode ``Diff'rent Strokes'' marathon, with eight episodes a night through Thursday.
``I think he empowered kids,'' said Jim Burns, the cable channel's senior vice president of programming and creative. ``When the show was first on, he was different than most kids on sitcoms. He was the one who really took charge.''
But Coleman wishes he'd never said yes to the agent who approached his parents when he was a child in Zion, Ill., and asked if he wanted to be an actor.
``I said,`Sure, why not? As long as if I get sick of it, I don't have to do it anymore.' Well, of course, we know that was not the case,'' he said. ``... I would not give my first 15 years to my worst enemy, and I don't even have a worst enemy.''
If Coleman has a foe, it's the media, which he said ``only want to focus on the negative.'' That includes the lifelong kidney problems that halted his growth, the lawsuit he filed against his parents to get his earnings back, the autograph seeker he punched in 1999, and his bankruptcy filing six months later. He called Matt Lauer ``a sensationalist'' for asking about his troubles during an interview on NBC's ``Today'' show.
He has fared better than his fellow ``Diff'rent Strokes'' alumni, though. Todd Bridges, who played older brother Willis, battled drug and legal problems for years and is now a film director; Dana Plato, who played Kimberly Drummond, died of a drug overdose in 1999.
Joal Ryan, author of ``Former Child Stars: The Story of America's Least Wanted,'' said we're still fascinated with Coleman because he's lived what we perceive to be the quintessential former child star life.
``The difference between Gary Coleman and Emmanuel Lewis (of the ABC sitcom `Webster'), who is even smaller than Gary Coleman, is, we sort of let Emmanuel Lewis go, maybe because he's laid lower, he doesn't appear in as much stuff,'' Ryan said. ``For some reason, we're hung up on Gary Coleman.''
Coleman would do a TV series again, but ``only under the absolute condition that it be an ensemble cast and that everybody gets a chance to shine. Otherwise, no - that's not an option.
``It certainly is not something I would welcome again. But you know, that was then, this is now. Now that I'm 33, I can call the shots and I can make it be anything that I want it to be, where I can be comfortable. And if anybody has a problem with that, I guess they don't have to work with me. I'm not a difficult person, but I certainly am not going to be the only person on the show working. I've done that. I didn't like it.''
He rants about television the same way he rants about every other topic that comes up during a two-hour, stream-of-consciousness conversation.
On politics: ``I'm a conservative Republican but (President Bush) scares me.''
On a woman who's a friend but isn't his girlfriend: ``It's probably the most truest female relationship I've ever had.''
On children: ``I didn't even like being a kid when I was one. I can't see bringing a child into this world and having it cost $100,000 to raise it each year.''
On fame: ``You get to exercise your creativity. You get to play cowboys and Indians and get paid for it. Other than that, I can't find one good thing about it.''
On the Net:
Coleman Confidential: www.ugo.com/tv-film/coleman-confidential/default.asp
Former child stars: www.formerchildstar.net
Nick at Nite: www.nick-at-nite.com
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - For once, Todd Bridges knew the right strokes.
The oft-troubled actor, who played Willis on "Diff’rent Strokes," saved the life of a paraplegic woman whose wheelchair rolled into a lake Friday (April 13), the AP reports.
Stella Kline said her electric wheelchair lurched into the Balboa Park Lake in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley on Thursday (April 12) after her fishing line caught on the chair's controls. When it tipped over in 3 feet of water, she was trapped underneath.
Bridges, whose run-ins with the law made him a tabloid favorite in the mid-'80s and '90s, was fishing a few feet away with his brother James, 40. Both jumped in to help.
"I was thanking God that he was there," said Kline, 50. "And you know, everybody's been saying nothing but bad stuff about Todd Bridges on the news and in the papers ... He has a heart of gold."
The 35-year-old actor was nonchalant. "We felt God put us there at the right time to save this lady's life, because there was no one else around," he said.
Coleman No More 'Strokes' Questions
.c The Associated Press (12/26/00)
NEW YORK (AP) - Time is running out for interviewers who keep asking former child star Gary Coleman about his 1970s sitcom ``Diff'rent Strokes.''
``I've come up with the policy that, come 2001, I'll answer no more questions. We're in the 21st century here,'' he said.
The 32-year-old actor, whose next movie is ``The Flunky'' with Dean Stockwell, does not even watch much television anymore.
Instead, the sometime security guard occupies himself with model trains, DVDs, video games and the Internet, the New York Daily News reported Tuesday.
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