In this clip on Kim's Podcast with Todd Bridges, at the about the 17:25 mark, Todd talks about the real terror on the set and Kim nods her head in agreement. Neither mentioned any names or even if it was the Different Strokes or Facts of Life set.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEKJUzPnm74

I suspect he's talking about Dana, as Dana introduced him to drugs, and Kim has said Dana was unprofessional on the set. Todd was almost never on the FOL set. Allison Arngrim has said kids were told to avoid the DS kids.

Yeah, DS set wasn't a safe place. I have always thought this was the reason why Dana never appeared on Facts

FWIW,

Rather than assume that Mr. Bridges and Miss Fields could only be referring to the late Miss Plato as 'the terror of the set' when decrying how the press negatively painted Mr. Bridges when the shows were in production, does anyone think it might be possible that they could be referring to someone from behind the scenes in a production capacity? Not that I have ANY idea who could possibly be a 'usual suspect' from that category, but simply because Miss Fields only would work with Miss Plato five times on 'Diff'rent Stokes' and a single time on 'Facts of Life' so IMO it might be more likely that this 'terror' would have been someone who had been a constant presence on BOTH sets (which Miss Plato would not have been- especially on FOL and for her own show the last season ).

I suspect he's talking about Dana, as Dana introduced him to drugs, and Kim has said Dana was unprofessional on the set. Todd was almost never on the FOL set. Allison Arngrim has said kids were told to avoid the DS kids.

Did Allison Arngrim say that in her book?

Interesting! Looks like Todd is gonna be on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality show. I wonder if he will discuss any of the cast on live feeds?

I remember after reading Dana's obituary, that another Kim (Richards) said that she insisted on climbing the fence to get into Disneyland despite the fact that they both had celebrity passes.

:confused:

Did Allison Arngrim say that in her book?

I don't remember that in Alison's book. I believe it was an interview.

Edit: Here's one interview where the interviewer states the LHOTP actresses were told not to hang with the DS kids, and Alison doesn't correct him (http://www.retroality.tv/2010/01/nasty-nellie-tells-all-alison-arngrim.html).

Interesting! Looks like Todd is gonna be on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality show. I wonder if he will discuss any of the cast on live feeds?

Good find! Thanks Lorsie!

I remember after reading Dana's obituary, that another Kim (Richards) said that she insisted on climbing the fence to get into Disneyland despite the fact that they both had celebrity passes.

:confused:

What?! :lol:

I had not heard that, but that is... bizarre.

Didn't expect that... Todd just said he had sex with Dana at age 12 :eek:

Didn't expect that... Todd just said he had sex with Dana at age 12 :eek:

He also said that in his book. They were in the studio school, Gary and their teacher were sleeping on the table while Dana and Todd....were rehearsing for the school play :lol:

And just why was the studio teacher asleep?! Eastland, this wasn't!

Didn't expect that... Todd just said he had sex with Dana at age 12 :eek:

Plus Todd was like Cindy. He was questioning his sexual orientation.

Plus Todd was like Cindy. He was questioning his sexual orientation.

Thanks to a grown man telling him that there really wasn't any difference between men and women. "They're really the same." (??)

And just why was the studio teacher asleep?! Eastland, this wasn't!

Mr. Gideon would have never done that :lol:

Mr. Gideon would have never done that :lol:

Neither would Miss Mahoney.

Mr. Gideon would have never done that :lol:

No, Mr. Gideon would have been all, "Fast, Accurate, Concise, True. How many of these did you get, Todd? How many?!" :lol:

Neither would Miss Mahoney.

No, Miss Mahoney would have been all, "Dana is burgeoning into womanhood!"

And Dana would have put her hand over Todd's mouth.

No, Miss Mahoney would have been all, "Dana is burgeoning into womanhood!"

And Dana would have put her hand over Todd's mouth.

:lol:

Neither would Miss Mahoney.

:lol::lol:

No, Mr. Gideon would have been all, "Fast, Accurate, Concise, True. How many of these did you get, Todd? How many?!" :lol:

Fast, that's sure, they were on the set :lol::lol:

Fast, that's sure, they were on the set :lol::lol:

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I can't help but think that Miss Rae left DS at just the right time- if nothing else to preserve the positive viewpoint she maintained for Mr. Bridges and the late Mr. Coleman.

Still,I can't help but wonder if the 'terror of the set' (who seemed to be on both DS and FOL sets) may have been someone in production rather than the disturbingly troubled late Miss Plato!

BTW, sad that it didn't take very long for Miss Plato to sour Miss Rae's impression of her.

P.S. Interesting that everyone seemed to hold the late Mr. Bain in high regard while he seemed to have made few if any comments about his troubled younger co-stars.

I can't help but think that Miss Rae left DS at just the right time- if nothing else to preserve the positive viewpoint she maintained for Mr. Bridges and the late Mr. Coleman.

Still,I can't help but wonder if the 'terror of the set' (who seemed to be on both DS and FOL sets) may have been someone in production rather than the disturbingly troubled late Miss Plato!

BTW, sad that it didn't take very long for Miss Plato to sour Miss Rae's impression of her.

P.S. Interesting that everyone seemed to hold the late Mr. Bain in high regard while he seemed to have made few if any comments about his troubled younger co-stars.

You're right, Charlotte escaped at the right time. Both Rae and Todd have always said (on separate interviews) that things were okay during the first two years, problems started in season 3, when Gary's parents realized their child was a money machine for them and people treated him like a superstar.

A little "detail" from Todd's book:

"Diff'rent Strokes launched a spin-off, The Facts of Life. It started as an episode of Diff'rent Strokes called "The Girls School", which ran on May 4, 1979. The premise of the show was that Edna Garrett, who had been our housekeeper on Diff'rent Strokes, left the Drummond household to open a girls' school. After The Facts of Life became a hit, too, we always used to do guest appearances on each other's shows, which was cool. I played Willis on an episode of their show that August."

Todd remembers the exact air date of the show's backdoor pilot and his first episode on August but I don't remember that Mrs. Garrett "opened" a girls school :lol::lol::lol:

Eastland School, teaching the facts of life since 1979 :lol:

Todd remembers the exact air date of the show's backdoor pilot and his first episode on August but I don't remember that Mrs. Garrett "opened" a girls school :lol::lol::lol:

Boy, that Edna sure had initiative! :lol:

And saying they "always used to do guest appearances" on each other's shows? That couldn't be further from the truth. They barely did any guest appearances for all the years both shows were on the air!


Eastland School, teaching the facts of life since 1979 :lol:

Indeed, amico mio! :lol:

Boy, that Edna sure had initiative! :lol:
:lol: And after she grew tired of girls, she sold the school and opened a bakery shop, what a businesswoman :lol::lol:

And saying they "always used to do guest appearances" on each other's shows? That couldn't be further from the truth. They barely did any guest appearances for all the years both shows were on the air!

Yeah, that's not "Aaaccurate" :lol:. Their last crossover was the one with Blair and Natalie in 1981. I don't consider those season 4 episodes with Tootie a crossover, she was simply replacing Arnold. And Mrs. Garrett at the wedding was more a return guest appearance rather than a crossover. Todd, you must check your works :lol:

:lol: And after she grew tired of girls, she sold the school and opened a bakery shop, what a businesswoman :lol::lol:

:lol:


Yeah, that's not "Aaaccurate" :lol:. Their last crossover was the one with Blair and Natalie in 1981. I don't consider those season 4 episodes with Tootie a crossover, she was simply replacing Arnold. And Mrs. Garrett at the wedding was more a return guest appearance rather than a crossover. Todd, you must check your works :lol:

:lol:

I see your point about Mrs. Garrett at the wedding, and I agree. Since Adelaide and Mrs. Garrett both show up, it's like a "special return of the housekeepers" rather than a crossover.

I still like to think of Tootie's DS episodes as crossovers though, even though Kim was filling in for Gary on a few of them. :wave: