What led up to Todd Bridges breaking Dana' arm ? I've watched many DS retrospectives - some in which Conrad Bain and Dana Plato were interviewed, but it seems all were trying to cover over the incident. I've been a Dana fan since ine 1970's and have ALWAYS been angry about this. (A guy should NEVER strike a female, much less cause an arm to be broken !)

I never heard of this. This is prob just some legend, like Cindy Brady being run over by a bus while crossing the street

Naaaaah ! It did happen. Watch the E! Channel special on Oct. 27. Conrad Bain and Todd Bridges talk about it. Todd claims they were wrestling around and he broke Dana's arm. Conrad Bain says they were wrestling, but Todd was'nt playing around. He said Todd was mad. Benn, watch the E! special and you'll see that regretfully i'm telling the truth.

Yep sweetie ! It really happened ! :O)

I've never heard of this too. So what made him so mad??

In all that time I've never heard this. It's rather shocking. http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/eek.gif I know they both did stupid things that hurt other people, but it's unbelievable that either of them would try to hurt each one another- weren't they buddies?

Yeah, it happened but it was an accident. If you listened to the Howard Stern Interview with Dana Plato, she says they were just playin. Believe me, it was an accident.

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Shane Pantellas, the PANMAN!

It's a serious accusation folks. I've never read any verifiable quote from Dana plato saying that todd Bridges maliciously broke her arm. Tread lightly.

As a hispanic american i find different strokes to be nothing but a poor immitation of The Monkeys, without davey, mickey, and the great music ! All different strokes fans should be ashamed !

Originally posted by Paco Ramirez:
As a hispanic american i find different strokes to be nothing but a poor immitation of The Monkeys, without davey, mickey, and the great music ! All different strokes fans should be ashamed !
Paco, You're off subject. Pay attention. And, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, Paco.

This whole thing about Todd breaking Dana's arm sounds like an ugly rumor to me. I find it very hard to believe.

It's true, but it was an accident! Dana freakin admited(sp) it at her interview. Why the hell would she say "Uhh, Todd broke my arm....." and be lieing. Isn't that rediculous? Believe me, it happend and was an ACCIDENT.

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Shane Pantellas, the PANMAN!

I believe you. There isn't any reason not to. That I'm aware of.

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Kitt

It made the tabloids (Enquire). Dana was on the cover holding her casted arm. It said, He Broke My Arm. Now does anyone know someone with good archive to search for the incident?

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;) Have a nice day ;)

it was a accident even dana plato say that it was a accident that the were playing wrestling. she say he didn't mean any harm and she wasn't mad at him. true never hit or strike a woman. but the were kids and the were playing. im a girl i play wrestling with my friends and football.

I have the article, it is from the March 22, 1983 issue of Star.

Fiery Diff'rent Strokes beauty injures arm trying to KO co-star

An outburst of violence on the set of the hit show Diff'rent Strokes has left beautiful Dana Plato with a black eye and an inuured arm.

And co-star Todd Bridges, who was in the scrap with Dana, was left bewildered by the incident.

"I don't understand what happened," he said. "Dana and I have always been such good friends."

One source, a stand-in on the show, said the two teen stars were having a minor disagreement, when suddenly Dana took a swing at Todd.

"He tried to hold her off--he lifted his arm to protect himself--and pushed her away from him," the source said.

"She fell on the floor, and everyone thought that was the end of that. But the next day Dana turned up for work with a black eye, and the day after that she had her arm in a cast.

"Dana told some people on the set she had broken her arm, and others that she had only bruised it."

The clash came amid growing problems on the set of the TV series.

"Things have been pretty tense lately," the source said. "There have been a lot of delays with Gary Coleman's illness.

"Of course, everybody is very sympahtetic about that, but it still takes its toll."

And Dana, 18, and Todd, 17, have had problems in their personal lives.

"Dana's been going through some pretty difficult times lately," the source said. "She recently decided against marrying her boyfriend Lanny Lambert, so she's living on her own again.

"And things haven't been that easy on Todd, either, since his parents broke up."

Todd told the STAR the incident has upset him.

"There are times when we argue, just like any friends do. But I really can't believe Dana's making such a big deal about this. My feelings are deeply hurt.

"It's true that we've all been under a lot of pressure around here lately, but I think it's unfortunate that this incident was blown out of proportion.

"Dana has been on edge for a while, and I'm sure there are times when I've been a little difficult, too. None of us are perfect. But the last thing on my mind was hurting her in any way.

"When I saw she was going to take a swing at me, I just lifted my arms to protect myself."

In the last year, Dana has broken her arm and leg twice in accidents leaving some cast members to believe she is injury-prone.

Just after the outburst on the set, Dana told Todd's mother, Betty Bridges: "It was nothing, we were just goofing around."

But for the next six days the young star had her arm in a soft cast from the middle of her forearm to her wrist.

Said Todd: "I'm just really sorry and of this happened at all. I hope it can all be sorted out. In any case, I will always be Dana's friend--no matter what."

Dana's publicity office, Herb Tannen & Associates, would not comment when asked if the star had broken her arm.

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Here's one of the accompanying photos:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/platowithcast1.jpg


[This message has been edited by TJ (edited 08-28-2001).]

Dana was just "playing fake wrestleing" and Kimberly was doing a Miss Piggy impersination and WIllis landed on her and Kimberly fell the wrong way. On the Howard Stern interview, she said it was a complete accident.

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What 'chyou talkin' 'bout Willis?

Wow! It did happen. I wonder why there was no mention of it on the E True Hollywood Story for Diff'rent Strokes, or the one for Dana Plato, or Truth Behind The Sitcom Scandals. I guess it was a touchy subject for some of the cast.

What choo talkin' bout, Willis ? http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/smile.gif