for me anymore. He was an amazing father.". I have continued working in the field of music, theatre and as a teacher The brainchild of Norman Lear, the mind behind such legendary situation comedies as "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons," and "Good Times," the show was a classic, fish-out-of-water tale with a modern twist. RIP Gary. "Nobody knows her name, but everybody knows (Coleman was featured in the 2004 season of The Surreal Life where he managed a restaurant at which Internet Movie Database entry for Dana Plato enough guided her into acting. He sued his adoptive parents Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). He continues to pursue acting and voice acting work (for example, as the title role in Dave the Barbarian, and "Superbad." He's buried at L.A.'s world-famous Forest Lawn Memorial Park. and his sister to Macon, Georgia, while his father went to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. a pellet gun and netted her $164) - she was charged with armed robbery and was later sentenced of Disney's Kids Inc. in 1988. George C. Scott in the series. prospects -- Dana came out as a lesbian in a 1998 issue of the Sapphic pride Following the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes in 1986, Coleman, Bridges and Plato encountered difficulty in finding other acting jobs. Coleman was then placed on life support after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage and died on May 28 from complications of his injury at age 42.[22]. 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. She was arrested the following year for forging prescriptions for Valium. After high school, I got an economics degree from UC Berkeley and a law Legal Statement. The second episode of the fifth season, "In The Swim", introduced Mary Jo Catlett as the rotund, ever-cheerful Pearl Gallagher, the last of the Drummond household's three maids. ", "Diff'rent Strokes 'The Complete 4th Season' is Scheduled by Shout! 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. They reference Willis by name before meeting Will Smith's character, leading to Coleman uttering a variation of his catchphrase, "What'cha talkin' about, Will?". After the man's true nature became known, Arnold escaped to look for help and the man nearly raped Kimberly before the police arrived to arrest him. Martine Allard aka Carmella Robinson (the character that took down the Over the years she made several guest appearances After a performance, she has an epileptic seizure and Sam thinks she's dying. She was Miss America in 1959. Conrad Bain was born February 4, 1923 in Lethbridge, Alberta Canada. on the fringes of the entertainment industry. Her character took down The Gooch! He has since 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. Following her jail term, Dana appeared in a string of B-grade features including such Ten-year-old Coleman, meanwhile, had caught producers' attention after appearing in a number of commercials and TV guest roles, and the previous year had starred in three pilot episodes by Lear that attempted to revive the Little Rascals film series of the 1920-40s. In 1984, she married the father of her child, musician Lanny Lambert, but the couple divorced in 1990. Tucson, AZ. Shavar Malik Ross is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, film producer, editor, photographer, author, and retail entrepreneur. game from Lucas Arts called "The Curse of Monkey Island". Although she would establish herself as an unparalleled musical force with her chart-topping third album "Control" in 1986 (via Billboard), she was initially more well-known for her acting than her voice. In 1979, while visiting his father in California during his school's Christmas vacation, Shavar was discovered by top children's agent Evelyn Shultz. the folks that work with me know about it. Her first role as the "Old Lady" came in a 1975 episode of Good Times. disturbing Gloria Hodge on Desperate Housewives, earning an Emmy nomination for her work on the series. So while Linda Blair went on to huge stardom, Dana Over the course of its eight-year run, "Diff'rent Strokes" took on real-world problems such as teen crime, eating disorders, and child sexual exploitation with a seriousness never before seen in a television comedy. Coleman placed 8th in a field of 135 candidates, receiving 14,242 votes. but the scheme backfires when Drummond insists on a personal inspection of Arnold's grades, on "Diff'rent Strokes." Cast: Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Danny Cooksey, Mary Ann Mobley, and Todd Bridges . "I had just finished a month on a movie called 'Three on a Couch' when I came back to Los Angeles from location, I was not feeling well." Dana Plato, who played his daughter Kimberly, died in 1999 of a drug overdose. ", After giving birth to her son, she decided it was time to get clean. There was a Keiko O'Brien (Playmate toys) figure released April 6, 1972 in Los Angeles, California. Ms. Rae was 92. She has several other movie and tv series Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. When that series ended production following star Beatrice Arthur's decision to leave the show in the spring 1978, Tandem Productions producer Norman Lear was keen to find a suitable sitcom for Bain to star in. (Dixie as well as everyone else called her Mother Gina, pronounced Jinna.) The show helped me realize that I should never be afraid to speak out". The second housekeeper, Adelaide Brubaker, was played by Nedra Volz. for DVD", "Diff'rent Strokes And Together We'll Be Fine! refused to let her appear in such a film. rockwell commander 112 interior. 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. He appeared as a contestant on a 2006 celebrity episode of the Fear Factor, but was in jail. The producers were also impressed by Bridges stint on the sitcom Fish, which had also been cancelled earlier in 1978. He is survived by three children: Jennifer, Kent and Mark. for forging Valium prescriptions. During 2006 and 2007, Coleman appeared in commercials for a cash-advance loan company called CashCall. stopped auditioning for other roles about 2-3 years before the show ended. a pellet gun and netted her $164) - she was charged with armed robbery and was later sentenced I stopped acting for several years. Cited for parole violation, she served 30 days She played the recurring role of Sylvia Schnauser, the wife of Officer Leo Schnauser (Al Lewis), in 10 episodes of Car 54, Where Are You? She died on August 5, 2018, at her home in Los Angeles, California. The Onion Field (1979), Fast Break (1979), A Matter of Life and Death (1981), Jacqueline After the series ended Bridges developed an addiction to cocaine. eliminated after the first stunt. Danny has a daughter, Zoe, with wife Amber, a make-up artist and actress. He was supposed to have a series sometime in 1992 after he did a guest He made an appearance on Vibe (a talk show hosted by Sinbad) along with Todd Bridges and Dana Plato on November 6th, 1997. Gary Collins (formerly of 'Hour Magazine'), were seen in an infomercial for Select Comfort Systems (mattresses). In 1993, movies recently including The Last Stand (with Scott Valentine and Martin Cole), Busted (with Corey Feldman), and She also is a profound pursuits as hockey and speed skating when, in his junior year of high school, he suddenly Starring: Charlotte Rae, Dixie Carter, Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Mary Jo Catlett, Danny Cooksey. 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). Ross was born in New York City in the South Bronx. Born in Bronx, New York, on March 4, 1971, Shavar Ross would find himself landing the iconic role of Dudley Johnson in the hit classic television show, "Diff'rent Strokes," when he was only 8 years old. Dana was fired from Diff'rent Strokes after the custody of Tyler. 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. Some of her early television guest appearances included Armstrong Circle Theatre, NBC Television Opera Theatre, Appointment with Adventure, The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, The DuPont Show of the Month, The Phil Silvers Show, Play of the Week, Way Out and From These Roots. 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. "Sesame Street's" early call time and busy shooting schedule proved difficult for Rae to manage. "situation" sitcom called "The Baxters" with Nanette Fabray whom Melanie says was wonderful to work with. its pastor for four years. for a pharmaceutical firm and his mother was a nurse. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. At birth, he was diagnosed with a number of serious maladies, most notably focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a congenital autoimmune condition that damages the kidneys. He Clean and sober for over two decades, Bridges is the last living member of the show's core cast, notes USA Today. Strokes. Family Guy(1999) - S17E04 Big Trouble in Little Quahog, The Great North (2021) - S01E10 Game of Snownes Adventure. "At the end of the meeting, we all held hands and said the Lord's prayer," Rae said. This is a one disc compilation consisting of eight episodes from Season 2. Arnold Jackson missed five episodes, two from the fourth season in 198182 (First Day Blues" and "The Team") and three from the seventh season in 198485 ("The Gymnasts", "Sam Adopts a Grandparent" and "Baseball Blues"). Diff'rent Strokes (1978) - S05E16 The Bicycle Man: Part 1. my dad lets me have a little sip on special occasions. Janet Jackson who was Willis's girlfriend Charlene DuPrey, was born Janet Dameta Jackson In 2004, he was interviewed for the special features for the first season DVD release of Diff'rent Strokes. She returned for The Facts of Life Reunion television movie, which aired on ABC on November 18, 2001. 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. Diff'rent Strokes ended as well as biographical information when available. However, behind the scenes, the cast of "Diff'rent Strokes" found that life rarely offered the easy answers and happy endings of a sitcom. By the time the program was cancelled, Dana had blossomed into a striking Prince of Bel Air, Married with Children, Homeboys in Outer Space, The Keenen Ivory Wayans her as "Baby Nedra.". co-starred with Harry Hamlin in holiday TV-movie on cable's Fox Family Channel called 'Like Father, Like Santa'. All three experienced various legal problems while Bridges and Plato also struggled with drug addictions, all of which were documented in the press. She voiced the character of Nanny in 101 Dalmatians: The Series, which aired from 1997 to 1998. recently, he has reappeared in Hollywood. He appeared in Kid Rock's "Cowboy" video. "In The Swim" also saw the move of Kimberly from her private school, to the one attended by Willisa move brought about in part at Plato's suggestion, with it being felt it might open up potential new storylines. With his remaining kidney failing, Coleman was forced to urinate with the aid of a surgically created bypass opening in his side. He retired from acting and went to school so he could have a normal life. Her name that she goes by now is Melanie Bernhardt. Carter, cast as Julia Sugarbaker in CBS' "Designing Women," did not join Bain and company for "Diff'rent Strokes" move to ABC. 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). Hervey appeared in an episode of Hogan Knows Best ("Twilight of a God") alongside 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. Eric Bischoff talking about energy drinks, and an episode of Scott Baio Is 45and Single. In May 2006, Ross appeared on an E! She remained with the show until its cancellation at NBC. Diagnosed with bone cancer the previous year, Charlotte Rae died August 5, 2018, at the age of 92. Market data provided by Factset. An oft-mentioned character spanning the entire show's run, was "The Gooch", a notorious bully at Arnold's school. As a result, from the later first season and on into the second season, Plato became a regular character. He appeared in Norm child, including appearances for KFC, Arco and Dole bananas. Diff'rent Strokes (1978) - S05E17 The Bicycle Man: Part 2 clip with quote Dudley's dad let us have a couple of sips Yarn is the best search for video clips by quote. Gary retired to Colorado in 1986 after Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled to and his former manager for mishandling his funds in 1989 and was awarded 1.3 million shot on Geraldo, but the pilot did not sell and the project was scrapped. In 1979, while visiting his father in California during his school's Christmas vacation, Shavar was discovered by top children's agent Evelyn Shultz. Hype in 1995. [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. Due to Plato's pregnancy and publicized substance abuse issues, she had been dropped from the regular cast at the end of the previous season. with a deadly weapon after he shot an alleged crack dealer. MacDonald's movie Dirty Work. He was the voice of Kenny Falmouth in a cd-rom video The pilots did not sell although they were later edited into a television film for some markets. Sadly, he would outlive two of his young co-stars and see a third descend into a life plagued with drug abuse and brushes with the law. Hope, Designing Women, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In January of 1992 she was arrested leader on the TV series 227, but his short stature and ever-diminishing acting range made him Shavar Ross was born March 4, 1971 in the South Bronxm New York. He finished several At the suggestion of a friend she attended her first AA meeting after a "Sesame Street" wrap party. 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. Dana's mother, Florine 'Kay' Plato, who had guided her career died of a blood disease in January in early on -- Dana was chosen for the lead role in "The Exorcist" but her adoptive mother Coleman occasionally is able to cash in on his camp value to members of Generation X, by appearing in cameo roles in film and TV. and seemingly spontaneous malaprops, invited the lady to become a semi-regular on The Tonight Show. It was in many respects a standard episode, with no signs that it would be the show's finale due to the cancellation of the series. With Willis dropped into the background slightly, this new brotherly duo took center stage for many storylines. [12] Carter was introduced midway into the sixth season (in the episode "Drummond's Lady"); after she abruptly left for California, Drummond and the family took off after her, in the two-part story "Hooray for Hollywood", a storyline that also introduced Sam, Maggie's son from her previous marriage. While many know Ross from Diff'rent Strokes, that wasn't his only acting job. Appeared in an episode 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. He was 42. Early in her career, Mobley received potentially devastating news. View our tribute at Sitcoms Online. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Some of her drama guest appearances included The Defenders, McMillan & Wife, St. While not a spin-off, Hello, Larry (19791980) had a connection to Strokes as it was established in a crossover episode that Philip Drummond and Larry Alder (McLean Stevenson) were old Army buddies and Mr. Drummond had bought the company that owned the radio station where Larry worked as a talk show host. His second short film, A Taste of Us (2004), dealt with the civil unrest of the 1960s segregation in the south and was originally made as a pilot presentation for the TV One Network. Gary Coleman was born February 8, 1968 in Zion, Illinois. He has left the air in 1986. Sharkey and Szysznyk. Due to financial difficulties and her growing addiction to drugs and alcohol, Plato relinquished custody of her son, Tyler, to Lambert. 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. Eventually, he was forced to file bankruptcy. Following the series, he enrolled in UC-Davis Law School. 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. presently working on a solo jazz CD, touring with a cabaret show, touring Philip Drummond: No. 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. Born February 8, 1968, in Zion, Illinois, Coleman was adopted as an infant. was left with roles in flicks like 1975's "Beyond the Bermuda Triangle." Both movie franchises are very memorable and she was a big part of them. She appeared in the 1994 movie Serial Mom (Although Hasselhoff, in his costume as Michael Knight appears, the voice of K.I.T.T. from the Edge. In 2002 he made a brief appearance As documented in Biography's "Diff'rent Strokes: Behind the Scenes," Coleman was receiving a reported $70,000 per episode. Matt Houston, and Small Wonder.. The reason for this, in part, was that it was in Rae's contract that she be allowed to return to Diff'rent Strokes should The Facts of Life be canceled. Hailed for its fearless writing and the charisma of its three young leads, the show attracted guest stars ranging from the legendary Muhammad Ali to first lady Nancy Reagan, who used the sitcom as a springboard for her famous "Just Say No" anti-drug initiative. In 1990, he was acquitted on charges of assault [39] Season 7 was released on February 27, 2018. 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. 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. As Arnold, Coleman popularized the catchphrase "What'cha talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Pearl Gallagher: [Entering the living room after dumping cigarettes butts in the trash] I see that Smokey and the Bandits left. 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. Some of her other Broadway credits included Three Wishes for Jamie (1952), The Threepenny Opera (1954) and Li'l Abner (1956). a boy named Spencer Todd Bridges. He died of natural causes on January 14, 2014, at a retirement home in Livermore, California. She blasted her way back into the headlines "That was the beginning of my sobriety.". 2000. 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. 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]. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. As they leave the living room each reveal their guess as to who was the "Meathook Murderer", all guessing their counterparts. the business and just run the store. In a two-part episode on the dangers of hitchhiking ("The Hitchhikers"), Kimberly and Arnold (who were out in the cold weather and didn't have money for cab or bus fare) were abducted by a serial kidnapper-rapist (played by Woody Eney), who initially acted as a good Samaritan by giving the two of them a ride and inviting them to his apartment. My name is Martine Allard. spontaneous cuteness faded. (Kimberly did not become a regular character in that series, although the two shows had a number of crossovers.). The Facts of Life main cast included Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn and Nancy McKeon (1980-1988). long life and was 93. Not sure what I wanted Due to a dispute regarding pay,[9][10] Coleman did not appear in the first four filmed episodes of the fourth season ("The Ski Weekend", "First Day Blues", "The Team" and "Hello Daddy? (2005) - S10E04 Blonde Ambition, Never Have I Ever (2020) - S01E05 started a nuclear war. s_bukley/Shutterstock. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Arnold and Dudley give into peer pressure and experiment with smoking. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Bridges In 2013, Bain died from complications of a stroke. Dana drifted in and out of the business over the next few years. As reported by The New York Post, Coleman pleaded no contest and was ordered to attend anger management classes. 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. and Pepper Ann animated tv series. Ross enjoyed a long career and was a familiar face throughout the 1990s on such shows as "Growing Pains" and "Family Matters." She was 70. Needless 2 say 4 a 13 yrs old inner city young girl who grew up watching Sadly and tragically, she died of a prescription drug overdose on May 8th, 1999. who she is.". Dana and Lanny would divorce [34] On September 29, 2009, a "Fan Favorites" DVD was released. The third and fourth seasons had some of the show's highest ratings[citation needed] and continued much of the themes of the first two seasons, but also gradually saw the introduction of some more serious topics into storylines. She was afflicted with osteogenesis imperfecta, a disease in which a person's Thanks Steve! have enclosed a couple of recent pictures of myself, my resume with all 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. Since there was a new fresh-faced kid in the house with Sam, Arnold now had his own little sidekick and was happy to be a "big brother" for a change. Rae received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the role in 1982. to do. After graduating high school, she attended Northwestern University where she studied drama, dance, and voice. Dixie Carter lasted two seasons as Drummond's wife, Maggie. 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. the show, it was an honor ! 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. She also appeared in the TV movie I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Her experiences behind bars also seemed to change more than just her career my information and the write up of the 2 episodes I appeared in from your Desperate Housewives [29] He now travels across the United States, touring schools and discussing the dangers of drug use. By the time the program was cancelled, Dana had blossomed into a striking Volz, born in Montrose, Iowa, on June 18, 1908, first hit the stage as a toddler. we having nothing against Robert Menchaca (her fiance at the time of her death). "Diff'rent Strokes," and Dana landed the part of Kimberly. hired as an intern/on-air personality show Mojo and Betsy In the Morning for 93.7 KRQ in Gary Coleman As reported by TMZ, Cooksey's wife, Amber, filed for divorce in 2019 after over 20 years of marriage. In the seventh season, after years of harassing Arnold (and later Sam), the Gooch was finally defeated by Arnold's neighbor and nemesis (and eventually friend) Carmella, a foreign exchange student. 1983-1984 season because of her pregnancy, but she did return for the final season on ABC [40] Season 8 was released on May 29, 2018. During the series' sixth season, Plato became pregnant and her character was written out of the series (though she would go on to make guest appearances for the final two seasons). Sadly, Tari died young of a heart attack in Los Angeles County on April 4, 1986, less than three weeks before his 41st birthday. Plots focusing on Arnold and Sam also continued to feature prominently, with Willis by this stage appearing on a secondary, semi-regular basis. his dismay and disapproval resulting in Coleman leaving the restaurant.) Currently, he runs Bischoff-Hervey Productions with Eric Bischoff. In 2001, Coleman (still working as a security guard) was videotaped trying to stop a vehicle from entering the mall. The actress had been ill for some Producers immediately decided child actor Todd Bridges should play the older brother; he had appeared in a number of commercials and guest roles. In 1995, she was in a play called "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" where she received passing grades. Other notable episodes included season 8's "Bulimia," in which the family discovered that Kimberly was suffering from bulimia. gained national fame in the TV role of stuffy next-door neighbor Dr. Arthur Harmon on the This last project was spun off into the Saturday-morning Dana drifted in and out of the business over the next few years. In January 2007, he appeared as a member of the "mob" on the US version of the game show 1 vs. 100. Southern California couple (adopted by Dean and Florine 'Kay' Plato in June 1965) who soon [8] The title for the series eventually became Diff'rent Strokes, inspired by the phrase "Different strokes for different folks", popularized by boxer Muhammad Ali in 1966 (Ali himself makes a guest appearance in the second season). Recently, he was a corporate spokesperson and called Night Trap as a scantily clad victim. My Mom and Dad were approached by the producers of Diff'rent Strokes 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Advertisement Shavar Ross, who played Dudley Ramsey/Dudley Johnson on "Diff'rent Strokes" and Weasel on "Family Matters," is 47 years old today. in January of 1992, when Conrad Bain, who played "Diff'rent Strokes'" patriarch Phillip Drummond, served as a real-life father figure to the show's troubled cast. And if you want to know anything 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.