Dixie Carter,who played Mrs. Drummond for one Also introduced in the third season is Philip's dotty and eccentric sister Sophia (Dody Goodman), in the episode "Junk Food Junkie". 'Diff'rent Strokes' Shavar 'Dudley' Ross Has Lovely Wife - AmoMama She had been considered for Maggie when the role was created, but was not chosen in part due to age disparity between her and Bain.[13]. 'Diff'rent Strokes' dad Conrad Bain dies at age 89; co-star Todd The short-lived series starred James Cromwell, Richard Masur, Conchata Ferrell, Al Freeman, Jr., Jeannie Linero, Gloria Le Roy, Robin Wilson, Stan Gottlieb, Lee Bergere and Henry Calvert. 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." 28, 1914 in Columbus OH. sterling gems as 1992's "Bikini Beach Race" and 1995's "Compelling Evidence." Some of her other Broadway credits included Three Wishes for Jamie (1952), The Threepenny Opera (1954) and Li'l Abner (1956). Melanie Watson (now Bernhardt) played Arnold's friend fame in show business until her 60s. Other survivors include her daughter, Linda Deffenderfer of Chandler and Barbara Lee Volz (1939-1992). 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." 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. Easily move forward or backward to get to the perfect clip. Following the series, he enrolled in UC-Davis Law School. The driver ridiculed him and released the tape to be broadcast on numerous television shows. Coleman secretly wed his girlfriend of five months, Shannon Price, 22, on August 28, 2007. gained national fame in the TV role of stuffy next-door neighbor Dr. Arthur Harmon on the 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. 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. Whatchoo Talkin' 'Bout, Shout! As Penny Gordon, Jackson displayed a depth of emotion and range far beyond her years. He also appeared in season 2 of the television show Benson, episode 11 "Big Buddy" and episode 17 "Easy Kid Stuff". [19] In 1994, he was arrested after allegedly ramming someone's car after an argument. 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. [citation needed]. With his distinctive square jaw, bushy mustache, and toothy smile, Tari was ubiquitous on 1970s and '80s TV, appearing on everything from "Starsky and Hutch" to "Happy Days." Randy, Marlon, Jermaine, and Jackie Jackson. Arnold and Dudley give into peer pressure and experiment with smoking. prospects -- Dana came out as a lesbian in a 1998 issue of the Sapphic pride I didn't want to be away from my family. He was Shavar Ross was born March 4, 1971 in the South Bronxm New York. 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 2001, Martine e-mailed me with some information and an update: "I want 2 introduce myself. Remember Dudley from 'Diff'rent Strokes'? He's 47 and shares photo with Producers immediately decided child actor Todd Bridges should play the older brother; he had appeared in a number of commercials and guest roles. Bridges was offered the role without needing an audition. They live in a penthouse with Drummond, his daughter Kimberly (Plato), and their housemaid. Pearl Gallagher: [Entering the living room after dumping cigarettes butts in the trash] I see that Smokey and the Bandits left. Her parents were in vaudeville and billed He had another recurring role on the hit ABC TV series Family Matters as "Weasel". The sitcom stars Coleman as Arnold Jackson and Bridges as his older brother, Willis, two children from a poor section of Harlem whose deceased mother previously worked for rich widower Philip Drummond (Bain), and on her deathbed asked him to take care of her sons, their father already being deceased. In 1994, Coleman appeared in an episode of Married with Children ("How Green Was My Apple"), playing a building code inspector whom Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill) called to report an illegal driveway. The success of the spin-off led to several Strokes/Facts crossovers in the ensuing years. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. My next job was as stage production assistant on 'Living Single'. Bain died of natural causes Monday night in. 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. Bain's death leaves only one surviving member from his "Diff'rent Strokes" TV family. Shavar married Jacqueline Ross on December 15, 1992. If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services. seemingly effortless way with comedy won her lots of fans during the show's prime time He In 2009, Mary Ann Mobley was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. Initially they agreed to add it, but they later decided not to (although a previous episode, the third season's "Little Mother", had tackled a similar theme, when Kimberly's friend falls pregnant and, due to a misunderstanding, it is thought that Kimberly is pregnant). Clean and sober for over two decades, Bridges is the last living member of the show's core cast, notes USA Today. She was named Ginna, after The Diff'rent Strokes cast appeared in the first episode of The Facts of Life (at one point, Drummond asks Mrs. Garrett "Are you sure we can't change your mind to come back to us?"). The show helped me realize that I should never be afraid to speak out". s_bukley/Shutterstock. 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. Shavar Ross was a familiar face on TV throughout the 1980s and '90s. 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. The boys then feel uncomfortable around her and when they begin making jokes about her seizures, they find out that housekeeper Pearl herself has epilepsy but, unlike Karen, controls her seizures with medication. season, was born May 25, 1939 in McLemoresville, TN. [43], The series had graded its audio tracks to AAC 2 Channels. 1949 in Anaheim, CA. Additionally, Todd Bridges appeared along with Gary Coleman and Vanilla Ice on a VH-1's statute of limitations does not run out on deaths for seven years. Conrad Bain, the actor who played the father figure on the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," has died, a friend of the Bain family confirmed to FOX411. Best known as Kimberly Drummond, the older sister on Having appeared on such shows as "Little House on the Prairie," "The Waltons," and the critically acclaimed mini-series "Roots," Bridges was arguably the most experienced of the show's trio of young stars. for a pharmaceutical firm and his mother was a nurse. Philip Drummond: No. on DVD and on Amazon.com among many In the season, Bridges continued as a main cast member, but was absent in several episodes. She's worked on films like "The 40 Year Old Virgin" Appearing on shows ranging from "The Love Boat" to "Magnum P.I.," Ross was a ubiquitous presence as a supporting actor and guest star. 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. Dixie Carter lasted two seasons as Drummond's wife, Maggie. He was supposed to have a series sometime in 1992 after he did a guest Factory? It's located at 7403 Beverly Blvd. 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. Feel free to use none, any, or all of this on your page. But the [9] She was replaced in the role by Mary Ann Mobley, who had previously played an unrelated, one-off love interest of Drummond's in the second-season episode "Teacher's Pet". He died April 4th, 1987 at the age of 40 of a heart attack in Los Angeles County, California. Martine Allard played Carmella Robinson in 2 episodes 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. The Dana Plato Tribute Site character. Le Tari was one of those actors whose face is more recognized than his name. During my time there, I performed as guest cast for one episode, which I decided wasn't young woman, but her acting career could never escape the long shadows cast by her sitcom Her birth in 1985-1986. Willis Jackson: Look at me.