Coleman also played himself in the 2001 Scooby-Doo parody, Night of the Living Doo, produced by the Cartoon Network. She appeared in such popular films as Grease, Grease 2, playing Blanche (the principal's assistant), and in the movie More recently, he is trying to get on with his life and start over. [21] On May 26, 2010, Coleman, who had battled health problems since childhood caused by congenital kidney disease, was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo after falling and hitting his head after suffering a seizure. 15-year-old can retire from anything. s_bukley/Shutterstock. A surveillance video of Coleman trying to stop a vehicle from entering the mall while the driver ridiculed him was broadcast on numerous television shows. the other cast members worked, and after Todd Bridges appeared, was encouraged by Vanilla Ice to say "What'chu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" In 1995, she was in a play called "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" where she received passing grades. I appeared as Most notably: Joy Luck Club (1993), Deception (1990), and Star Trek: Deep Menu Trending from 1961 to 1963. He is survived by three children: Jennifer, Kent and Mark. Rae appeared in every first season episode and part of the second season before she left for the spin-off series The Facts of Life. (Dana did grab a Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). MyNetworkTV's new show, Decision House with his wife, Dori Bridges on the episode titled, 'Burned Bridges' aired on November 14th, 2007. [2] As a director, his first short film, Soul to Take (2003), garnered him an Internet distribution deal with Russell Simmons' media company Simmons/Lathan Media Group. Her other and shattering lows. She returned for The Facts of Life Reunion television movie, which aired on ABC on November 18, 2001. cartoon series The Gary Coleman Show (1983), with In 1991, he was the lead singer in a band called Roadkill. In 1993, she spent a month in a drug and alcohol rehab center in Las Vegas - one #55. run, which lasted from 1978 to 1986. In the fall of 1985, when the series moved to ABC for the seventh season, Arnold, Dudley and Lisa entered high school, where they gained a new friend in Charlie (Jason Hervey). Well, it turns out that viewers of the hit NBC show 30 Rock got a double-dose of Dudley name-dropping on an the 12th episode of Season 4 titled "Verna." (Tina Fey's character, Liz . softcore tale of a guy and a girl and another girl, and Dana shows off her curvaceous Ross enjoyed a long career and was a familiar face throughout the 1990s on such shows as "Growing Pains" and "Family Matters." [19], In 1989 three years after the series ended, Coleman sued his parents and his former manager over misappropriation of his trust fund. The Real Housewives of Dubai (2022) - S01E05 Piping Tea with a Hint of Peach, HE HAD A COUPLE OF SIPS OF CHIANTI TONIGHT. Internet Movie Database entry for Dana Plato each cast member that I could find along with what they have done since in 1985-1986. Following the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes in 1986, Coleman, Bridges and Plato encountered difficulty in finding other acting jobs. else, feel free to contact me. From 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Appearing on a semi-regular basis, she effectively filled the same function as Adelaide as the older female character in many stories, and is present in many third and fourth season episodes. Fortunately, Warner Bros. Studios had a spot open At 18, Plato became pregnant and was written off the show. (she had said in more recent interviews that she was not A 1998 confrontation with an autograph seeker led to his arrest. In 1980, Ross landed his first recurring television role, on NBC's Diff'rent Strokes, as Dudley Johnson, the best friend of Gary Coleman's character, Arnold Jackson. last season, was born 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". a pellet gun and netted her $164) - she was charged with armed robbery and was later sentenced when that changes I'll be sure to keep you up to date. More recently, he has made guest appearances on television series such as Fresh in live television before scoring his first real success in the 1956 Broadway revival of A more humorous episode on pollution and the environment ("Green Hair") had Kimberly's hair turning green from acid rain. This campaign was sponsored by the free newsweekly the East Bay Express as a satirical comment on the recall. Although she didn't bear her character's physical scars, the young actress nonetheless suffered at the hands of the adults in her life. At birth, he was diagnosed with a number of serious maladies, most notably focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a congenital autoimmune condition that damages the kidneys. (Dana did grab a In 1979, while visiting his father in California during his school's Christmas vacation, Shavar was discovered by top children's agent Evelyn Shultz. View our tribute at Sitcoms Online. She was married to Robert Bernhardt on January 8, 1994 and they divorced on July 26, 1996. Also first appearing in the second season was Arnold's best friend Dudley Johnson (Shavar Ross), first seen in the episode "Teacher's Pet". Edna Garrett was the housekeeper for the Drummond family at their Park Avenue apartment in New York City. She did a The fifth season also continued the upturn of many more serious-themed stories, which became the epitome of "Very Special Episodes" in 1980s sitcoms,[citation needed] a trend that continued until the end of the show's run, the best-known example[11] being the fifth season's two-part story "The Bicycle Man" (originally broadcast on February 5 and 12, 1983), in which Arnold and Dudley are lured in by pedophilic bicycle shop owner Mr. Horton (Gordon Jump) who attempts to molest them. co-starred with Harry Hamlin in holiday TV-movie on cable's Fox Family Channel called 'Like Father, Like Santa'. Dogs), and she's done a lot of public TV spots for another organization that trains assistance dogs. series Friday the 13th: A New Beginning in 1985 as "Reggie". However, behind the scenes, the cast of "Diff'rent Strokes" found that life rarely offered the easy answers and happy endings of a sitcom. stopped auditioning for other roles about 2-3 years before the show ended. He appeared in Norm They realize they don't like the effects of cigarettes, but the real persuasion to have them kick the habit comes from someone very close to home from Dudley - his father, whom despite having had a lung operation, is still a chronic smoker. Yes, I have great memories of being on the show and am glad that I did. Le Tari was one of those actors whose face is more recognized than his name. Dana Plato led quite an interesting life, full of dizzying heights She was also famous in the '80s for her recurring role as Aunt Sophia on the '80s sitcom Diff'rent Her character took down The Gooch! moment in a TV show, movie, or music video you want to share. I'm not yet a computer person but In 1978, Coleman Dana was fired from Diff'rent Strokes after the Thanks for your interest in me. As the youngest sister of one of the most popular musical families in entertainment history, Janet Jackson grew up in the shadow of her famous brothers. in March of 1990 and Dana was allowed visitation of her son, but her husband won physical As one of the most in-demand child stars of the 1980s, Gary Coleman's salary was more than double that of his "Diff'rent Strokes" co-stars. where I got my start.". It leaves you with such a helpless feeling. While working on "Diff'rent Strokes," Bridges and Dana Plato began to experiment with drugs. 1980, Ross landed his first recurring television role on NBC's Diff'rent Strokes as "Dudley", the best friend of Gary Coleman's character, "Arnold Jackson". Hervey himself was not implicated, although he was fired from HealthSouth during the scandal. Arnold and Dudley give into peer pressure and experiment with smoking. By this time while still pulling in reasonable viewing figures, ratings were beginning to fall, so producers decided to add several new characters to the cast to freshen the series up and open up future storylines. The Kid With the Broken Halo (1982). Two years later, Ross became a voice actor for Hanna-Barbera. Southern California couple (adopted by Dean and Florine 'Kay' Plato in June 1965) who soon Dana landed roles on over 100 TV commercials as a 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. 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. Dody Goodman died June 22, 2008 at Englewood (N.J.) Hospital and Medical Center. Diff'rent Strokes was always a terrible show, but in its early years, it was content to try to rub up against an audience by exploiting the cuteness of the child actors and the sweet fantasy at . He also appeared in season 2 of the television show Benson, episode 11 "Big Buddy" and episode 17 "Easy Kid Stuff". The show had Robert Guillaume (who played Benson) and had people working at a station either a train or radio and was on Sundays. [42] They subsequently re-released the first and second seasons on DVD on July 15, 2014. opposite Dolly Parton and Lee Majors in the telefilm A Smoky Mountain Christmas, where he played an orphan, and also starred magazine "Girlfriends." In a Regina Post-Leader interview, Bain played down Bridges' brushes with the law. fame often has its own pitfalls. The misadventures of a wealthy Manhattan family who adopted the children of their late African American housekeeper from Harlem. The actress had been ill for some In 1987, he In 1979, while visiting his father in California during his school's Christmas vacation, Shavar was discovered by top children's agent Evelyn Shultz. Tragically, Ross found his own life mirroring the plot of "The Bicycle Man." Before being cast as Arnold Jackson in "Diff'rent Strokes," Coleman made memorable appearances on Lear's hit comedies "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times.". with a production of "Ain't Misbehavin", teaching private voice in New "I cared about him deeply when he got into difficulty," Bain said. [clarification needed]. on other TV comedies including Alice, Maude and Designing Women. born April 21st, 1946 in Ohio. When the dispute was ultimately settled, Coleman returned to the series, missing only two more episodes (season 7's "The Gymnasts" and "Baseball Blues"). Coleman sued his parents and business manager for misappropriating the approximately $18 million he had earned over the course of his career. The following day, Plato and her fianc,Robert Menchaca, traveled in their motorhome to Moore, Oklahoma, to visit Menchaca's family. small part in "Exorcist II: The Heretic," a film that has been voted one of the worst of all Only Todd Bridges, who played his adopted son Willis Jackson, remains. But the in Los Angeles, California. She also appeared in the Los Angeles cast of favorite car is a Hummer. September 2nd, 1938 in Denver, Colorado. Shavar Ross was born March 4, 1971 in the South Bronxm New York. See production, box office & company info. Beauty and the Beast and off-broadway in Fashion. However, he is still best known for playing Arnold Jackson's best friend Dudley on "Diff'rent Strokes." Academy of Dramatic Arts. When Kelly (Christina Applegate) recognizes him, he denies any connection to Arnold Jackson, but utters his catchphrase to Al, "What'cha talkin' about, Bundy? He studied at Alberta's Banff School of Fine Arts, served car with his own after an argument. Easily I stopped acting for several years. Despite having made $25,000 an episode while on the series, she was often broke and was working as a cashier at a dry cleaning store. Volz appeared on a semi-regular basis, but was not added to the opening credits, instead always credited with the guest cast on the closing credits. In January of 1992 she was arrested He appeared in Kid Rock's "Cowboy" video. Dudley Johnson (Shavar Ross) was Arnold's best friend, who, like Arnold, was adopted, and with whom he shared many memorable childhood scrapes. His parents separated when he was seven years old. to five years probation. Additionally, Todd Bridges appeared along with Gary Coleman and Vanilla Ice on a VH-1's In addition, he did a guest shot as Mr. Drummond on a May 20, 1996 episode Shortly after the filing, Amber Cooksey sought a restraining order against the former child star, citing his allegedly out-of-control anger and jealousy. together with Media Play. She died on August 5, 2018, at her home in Los Angeles, California. Roberto was portrayed by Sal Lopez and Eddie was portrayed by Shannon Presby. [30] Bridges has continued acting in films and television. She has worked in television on the "Just Jordan" and "So Random" kids show. In 1999, she appeared in the movie Abiliene Sadly, in August of 2007, the organization came to an end. The introduction of Maggie and Sam had not boosted ratings, and in the spring of 1985, in the face of sagging ratings, NBC cancelled Diff'rent Strokes. young woman, but her acting career could never escape the long shadows cast by her sitcom In addition, she has 2 yoga Little Lisa. Arnold and Dudley (and often Robbie) shared many childhood escapades together, and were featured in many episodes, school-based and otherwise, throughout the show's run. performance in the 1997 straight-to-video epic "Different Strokes." ", Later in life, however, Bain expressed his despair at the plights of "Diff'rent Strokes'" youthful stars. 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 She sang with a band as a young woman but stayed out of performing until about the 1950s when she did community theater. They are expecting their first child on March 22, 2012. Rae appeared in every first season episode and part of the second season before she left for the spin-off series The Facts of Life. Todd Bridges He was 42. (Dixie as well as everyone else called her Mother Gina, pronounced Jinna.) Her girl-next-door cuteness and [Willis has just learned his close friend has died in an auto accident]. He is an avid hockey fan and often participates in celebrity Plots that saw Mr. Drummond searching for love, and stories that mildly addressed racism were also sometimes featured. Movies. On April 10, 2010, Carter died in Houston, Texas, of complications from endometrial cancer, as per ABC News. played for Lucy's Milk. Shavar Ross played Arnold's best friend Dudley on Diff'rent Strokes and appeared in nearly 50 episodes. The final season ranked 69th out of 106 shows and averaged an 11.5 household rating.[14]. sterling gems as 1992's "Bikini Beach Race" and 1995's "Compelling Evidence." Menu. 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. The series made stars of Coleman, Bridges, and Plato and became known for the "very special episodes", in which serious issues such as racism, illegal drug use, alcoholism, hitchhiking, kidnapping, and child sexual abuse were dramatically explored. Plato, 34, died in her sleep of an overdose of Lortab and Valium. Character actress Nedra Volz, who played housekeeper Adelaide Brubaker in the early 1980s on the Diff'rent Strokes alongside future "Munsters" stars Al Lewis and Fred Gwynne. While many know Ross from Diff'rent Strokes, that wasn't his only acting job. . Coleman was featured in the 2004 season of The Surreal Life. would be nice to see any of them again. Rae would return for the 1984 episode The Wedding. do get evidence that Robert is guilty by criminal negligence or actual participation, 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. Robbie Jason (Steven Mond), another recurring school friend, also makes his first appearance in that episode. series, coupled with the precocious Coleman's spirited TV talk show appearances, that 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. Though 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. Ginna was born May 17, 1969. for DVD", "Diff'rent Strokes And Together We'll Be Fine! with the ending varying depending on whom he was addressing. It's available on his dismay and disapproval resulting in Coleman leaving the restaurant.) place. York-based films as Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) and Woody Allen's Bananas (1973). Where There's Smoke. She voiced the character of Nanny in 101 Dalmatians: The Series, which aired from 1997 to 1998. She provided the voice of Adrienne Van Leydon in Itsy Bitsy Spider from 1994 to 1995. According to Reuters, he was lucid the following day but soon slipped into unconsciousness. It's a steamy Dana was helped by Las Vegas singer, Wayne Newton, He has basically retired from the business since Diff'rent Strokes ended in 1986. I spoke up and told my parents. [2] The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, respectively who are two black boys from Harlem taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman and his daughter. [3][4] During the first season and the first half of the second season, Charlotte Rae also starred, as Mrs. Edna Garrett, the Drummonds' first housekeeper, who ultimately spun off into her own sitcom, The Facts of Life, as a housemother at the fictional Eastland School. He was an amazing father.". Race and class relations became topics on the show as much as the typical trials of growing up. Some of her other Broadway credits included Three Wishes for Jamie (1952), The Threepenny Opera (1954) and Li'l Abner (1956). for forging Valium prescriptions. in January of 1992, when the business and just run the store. Todd Bridges was born May 27, 1965 in San Francisco, CA. 's Rap City, Take the Cake), Puff" on the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. Roberto and Eddie are teenage bullies and extortionists and the main antagonists in the 2-part episode "Crime Story (aka Crime in the Schools) " of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. In an attempt to recapture the show's former ratings glory, Dixie Carter was added to the cast as divorced aerobics instructor Maggie McKinney, a Southern-fried love interest for Conrad Bain's Phillip Drummond. But Plato and her character were well received by audiences, and the producers became convinced that her inclusion added an extra element of appeal to the audience, offering a female character for young girls and women to identify with. furniture packs spain murcia. to be a professional advantage when he began appearing in Chicago-area TV commercials; even In the third season, Janet Jackson played Willis's girlfriend, Charlene DuPrey. Diff'rent Strokes was also known for its many "very special episodes," most notably an anti-drug episode ("The Reporter") that featured First Lady Nancy Reagan, who promoted her "Just Say No" campaign, and "The Bicycle Man", a two-part episode that guest starred Gordon Jump as a pedophile who lures Arnold and Dudley into his bicycle shop and attempts to molest them. She remained with the show until its cancellation at NBC. 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. The cast reunited at the TV Land Awards in 2007 and 2011, where it won the award for Pop Culture Icon. [31] Since Charlotte Rae's death in 2018 at the age of 92, Bridges is the only living member of the original cast. October 9, 1998. In 1990, he was acquitted on charges of assault He appeared as a contestant on the Fox reality show Skating with Celebrities, but was eliminated on the second episode of the show. Dody lived a Other classmates and friends of Arnold seen over time included Robbie Jason ( Steven Mond) and snobby Lisa Hayes (Nikki Swasey), who initially was sweet on Arnold, but later came to despise him, leading to hatred between the pair and many squabbles. During the visit, Plato claimed she was ill and decided to take a nap. Entertainment Tomorrow, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shavar_Ross&oldid=1142302881, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 17:24. enough guided her into acting. He remained on the show as a regular cast member through the show's seventh season at NBC and its ill-fated move to ABC. Producer Al Burton had spotted Dana Plato as part of a cheerleading team auditioning on The Gong Show and felt she had a spark about her, and recommended her for the role of Drummond's daughter Kimberly. Jason Hervey , who played one of Arnold's friends Charlie in the Although veteran actor Conrad Bain had top billing, the undisputed star of "Diff'rent Strokes" was Gary Coleman. With Willis dropped into the background slightly, this new brotherly duo took center stage for many storylines. Replacing Dixie Carter in the role of Phillip Drummond's second wife, Maggie McKinney, she appeared on the show's eighth and final season after its move to ABC. He is known for his recurring television role as Dudley Johnson, Gary Coleman's best friend in the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, Alex "Weasel" Parks in the ABC sitcom Family Matters, and as "Reggie the Reckless" in the fifth installment of the Friday the 13th movie series Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985). He has gone through different jobs for years, both in and out of the entertainment industry, and some will surprise you. She appeared as Molly the Mail Lady in the third season (1971-1972) of Sesame Street. In March 1996, he founded the company "Interplay Pictures" MacDonald's movie Dirty Work. years. I was able prospects -- Dana came out as a lesbian in a 1998 issue of the Sapphic pride gained national fame in the TV role of stuffy next-door neighbor Dr. Arthur Harmon on the on the fringes of the entertainment industry. [7] Producers were keen to cast Charlotte Rae as housekeeper Edna Garrett, feeling that her more "traditional sitcom" talents would work well for the unusual line-up and that as an older character she would have good chemistry with Bain. Bain especially made a positive impression on Todd Bridges. In that notorious installment, Arnold and Dudley fall under the spell of a seemingly friendly proprietor of a local bike shop, who is actually a dangerous child molester (via Decider). After finding out they missed the ending of the movie, Pearl, Willis and Kimberly walk to the kitchen. ABC canceled the series after 19 episodes of the proposed 22-episode season, a result of low ratings and a feeling that the series had run its course, although it was also observed that by this time, the once joyous Coleman, now 17, was looking angry and haggard,[10] a combination of his ongoing medical issues and a bitter financial dispute with his parents. The movie is currently in stores nationwide he pleaded guilty to drug possession and carrying a loaded weapon. Summary: Arnold and Dudley succumb to peer pressure and ignore warnings against cigarette smoking, only to have the harsh realities brought to light by Dudley's father, a chronic smoker. With much of the show's comedy arising from brothers Arnold and Willis Jackson, played by Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges, and their struggles to adapt to their new lives, "Diff'rent Strokes" touched a nerve with audiences who made the show a runaway hit that reversed the flagging fortunes of NBC. They realize they don't like the effects of cigarettes, but the real persuasion to have them kick the habit comes from Read allArnold and Dudley give into peer pressure and experiment with smoking. Phillip Drummond is the only character to appear in every episode of the series. In March 2017, Shavar founded Shavar Ross Academy, an online school via Teachable, designed to teach everyday people how to get started making money with their own online retail business. 1998-2016, Sitcoms Online Contact Form, Internet Movie Database entry for Conrad Bain, black and white Conrad Bain autographed picture, another autographed picture as part of the Conrad Bain collection, insanely large scan of a Conrad Bain autographed photo, Internet Movie Database entry for Todd Bridges, some pictures of Todd Bridges on a 1977 episode of The Waltons, photo of Todd Bridges and John Amos in a movie, black and white autographed photo of Todd Bridges, Internet Movie Database entry for Dana Plato, Internet Movie Database entry for Mary Jo Catlett, Internet Movie Database entry for Dody Goodman, Shavar's Film and TV production company - Tri-Seven Entertainment, Internet Movie Database entry for Shavar Ross, Internet Movie Database entry for Le Tari, Internet Movie Database entry for Rosalind Chao, Internet Movie Database entry for Janet Jackson, Internet Movie Database entry for Nikki Swasey Seaton, Internet Movie Database entry for Danny Cooksey, Internet Movie Database entry for Mary Ann Mobley, Internet Movie Database entry for Jason Hervey, Internet Movie Database entry for Steve Mond, more Steve Mond photos (courtesy of Steve Mond himself! He sued his adoptive parents She has appeared in numerous movies and tv series. In January of 1992 she was arrested The book was the first opportunity for Charlotte fans to explore the fascinating story of her extraordinary life: poignant and hilarious, a story of courage and triumph, one that speaks for a generation of women breaking barriers, taking on challenges, overcoming personal tragedy, and paving the way for others. finished a movie with Todd Bridges. Bridges' more high-profile role was as Monk, a shell-shocked Vietnam veteran, conspiracy theorist, and nephew of Chris's boss Doc on the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris. [16], In addition, whilst not official in-universe cross-overs, two sixth season stories saw characters meeting stars of two of NBC's other biggest shows: the episode Mr. T and mr. t sees Mr. T guest starring when the apartment block is used to film a (fictional) episode of The A-Team; and in the two-part "Hooray for Hollywood," Arnold and Dudley sneak onto the set of a (fictional) episode of Knight Rider in hope of meeting series star, David Hasselhoff. She was named Ginna, after He retired from acting and went to school so he could have a normal life. It was said that she had left to star in her own series, Designing Women, but she and Coleman had often clashed, leading to tension and animosity on set.
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