User Reviews

We all knew about Different Strokes mostly about the kids of Different Strokes. Dana Plato's fade into obscurity did not help her substance abuse problems or her alcoholism. She lost custody of her son or relinquished him because she couldn't take care of him. She couldn't take care of herself. So it was no surprised that she would die so young. It was heartbreaking when Conrad Bain said that Dana was happy to have a baby because then she wouldn't be alone anymore. She wasn't alone. Everybody who was a fan loved her as Kimberly Drummond, the pretty, smart, girl from the show but her real life was from perfect or close to it. For Todd Bridges, he nearly went to prison for a crime that he didn't commit. Luckily, Johnnie Cochrane defended him and he was released. Todd has his own share of problems including an abusive father and his own substance abuse problems. Gary Coleman who became the most famous probably fared the best in comparison to Todd and Dana. Gary never recovered from his Arnold Jackson image to gain more acting jobs. His publicized legal fights with his own parents is heartbreaking because they need each other as a family. Even now, the Colemans are still together but without Gary in the picture. I hate seeing working as a security guard. It just seems unreal. Hollywood must not forget the children like Dana, Todd, and Gary and stop tossing them aside like garbage. There were questions that I would have liked answered like why they switched MRs. Drummonds from Dixie Carter to Mary Ann Mobley (I liked them both) but didn't see the need for it or the maids. We know that Charlotte Rae took Mrs. Edna Garrett to Facts of Life. Then there was Nedra Volz and Mary Jo Catlett who took over that job.