Is Diff'rent Strokes in some respects, a show with little staying power culturally

[TMC]

It was a huge hit in the late-1970s to the mid-'80s. But now, when people seem to think of the show, its either due to all the tragedies that happened to the cast or, in the case of the show itself, the infamous bike shop episode with Gordon Jump or maybe the one with Nancy Reagan guest starring. Were there ANY OTHER episodes that many people genuinely remember?

[paul.austin]

The fact that the premise of the show is seen as racist by many black Americans has also helped it drop out of the public consciousness.

[EccentricGenius]

Originally Posted by TMC

It was a huge hit in the late-1970s to the mid-'80s. But now, when people seem to think of the show, its either due to all the tragedies that happened to the cast or, in the case of the show itself, the infamous bike shop episode with Gordon Jump or maybe the one with Nancy Reagan guest starring. Were there ANY OTHER episodes that many people genuinely remember?

Season two's "Arnold's Hero" (featuring a special guest appearance by the one and only Muhammad Ali) is another memorable episode of Diff'rent Strokes that stands out, in my honest opinion significantly more so than both "The Reporter" (the aforementioned Nancy Reagan episode) and especially "The Bicycle Man" (the aforementioned two-parter guest-starring Gordon "WKRP In Cincinnati" Jump); although "Arnold's Hero" was the fifth episode to air during the second season, it was actually the first to be videotaped (the hour-long episode "Arnold's Girlfriend," guest-starring Dabney Coleman, aired as the season two premiere). In his 2010 memoir, Killing Willis, Todd Bridges named "Arnold's Hero" as his all-time favorite episode, and it's my all-time favorite episode as well.

Enjoy your fantastic Friday, as well as your weekend!

[MRPITT]

I remember a few others. The one when Grady (Whitman Mayo) tried to con them. The one where Kimberly had bulimia. The hitchhiking one. The alcohol one with Billy Jayne and the one were Dudley and Arnold smoke all come to mind. I also remember the trip to California.

[EccentricGenius]

The season eight double-length premiere "Sam's Missing" is another episode of Diff'rent Strokes most people still remember; the late Royce D. Applegate delivered a sinister performance as Sam's psychotic kidnapper Don Brown...when I first watched the episode--as a re-edited two-parter in syndication--many years ago, I honestly believed Sam was actually going to be murdered.

As chilling as "Sam's Missing" was, and still is, the episode marked two important milestones: not only was it the first to air on ABC (after NBC s**tcanned Strokes the previous spring), it was also the first to feature Mary Ann Mobley as Maggie (following Dixie Carter's acrimonious departure at the conclusion of the seventh season due to her dislike and resentment of Gary Coleman).

Enjoy your evening, guys and gals.

[EccentricGenius]

Originally Posted by MRPITT

I remember a few others. The one when Grady (Whitman Mayo) tried to con them. The one where Kimberly had bulimia. The hitchhiking one. The alcohol one with Billy Jayne and the one were Dudley and Arnold smoke all come to mind. I also remember the trip to California.

Much like "The Bicycle Man" (from the fifth season), season six's two-part episode "The Hitchhikers" was equally disturbing...Arnold and Kimberly were both offered a ride back to their Park Avenue penthouse by a total stranger only to be abducted and held captive in his apartment. The late Woody Eney's performance as Arnold and Kimberly's charming but devious captor, Bill, was truly chilling (even more so than both the late Gordon "WKRP In Cincinnati" Jump's appearance as kindly but sinister bicycle shop proprietor Mr. Horton in the aforementioned "The Bicycle Man" and the late Royce D. Applegate's portrayal of Sam's psychotic abductor Don Brown in the season eight hour-long premiere "Sam's Missing").

[paul.austin]

How many "the late" can be in one post?

That was tongue in cheek as i understand that most adult actors in "Strokes" are dead forty years later.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by paul.austin

How many "the late" can be in one post?

That was tongue in cheek as i understand that most adult actors in "Strokes" are dead forty years later.

Other than Todd Bridges and Danny Cooksey, among the starring cast I think everybody's "the late."

[TMC]

Originally Posted by stevea

Other than Todd Bridges and Danny Cooksey, among the starring cast I think everybody's "the late."

Mary Jo Catlett, who played Pearl, the third and final housekeeper is still with us at 85 years of age. She's probably best known nowadays for providing the voice of Mrs. Puff on SpongeBob SquarePants.

[EccentricGenius]

Originally Posted by TMC

Mary Jo Catlett, who played Pearl, the third and final housekeeper is still with us at 85 years of age. She's probably best known nowadays for providing the voice of Mrs. Puff on SpongeBob SquarePants.

And don't forget Shavar Ross (Dudley Ramsey), Steven Mond (Robbie Jason), Nikki Swasey Seaton (Lisa Hayes), and, of course, the legendary Janet Jackson (Charlene DuPrey).

[EccentricGenius]

Originally Posted by paul.austin

How many "the late" can be in one post?

That was tongue in cheek as i understand that most adult actors in "Strokes" are dead forty years later.

Thanks for commenting, paul.austin! I appreciate your flattering compliment!

It is indeed a low down dirty crying shame the bulk of the cast of the immortal Diff'rent Strokes is long gone (not to mention dead and buried), save for Todd Bridges, Danny Cooksey, Mary Jo Catlett, Shavar Ross, Steven Mond, Nikki Swasey Seaton, and, of course, the legendary Janet Jackson.

[paul.austin]

Originally Posted by EccentricGenius

Thanks for commenting, paul.austin! I appreciate your flattering compliment!

It is indeed a low down dirty crying shame the bulk of the cast of the immortal Diff'rent Strokes is long gone (not to mention dead and buried), save for Todd Bridges, Danny Cooksey, Mary Jo Catlett, Shavar Ross, Steven Mond, Nikki Swasey Seaton, and, of course, the legendary Janet Jackson.

Family Ties and The Cosby Show are rare even for 1980s shows in that they still have an intact main cast. Growing Pains is missing the father. So is Full House but that was more of a 1990s show.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by EccentricGenius

Thanks for commenting, paul.austin! I appreciate your flattering compliment!

It is indeed a low down dirty crying shame the bulk of the cast of the immortal Diff'rent Strokes is long gone (not to mention dead and buried), save for Todd Bridges, Danny Cooksey, Mary Jo Catlett, Shavar Ross, Steven Mond, Nikki Swasey Seaton, and, of course, the legendary Janet Jackson.

Gary Coleman had battled health issues all his life (mostly related to his kidneys), so in the grander scheme of things, it isn't that surprising that he would die rather young.

I don't think that Dana Plato's death is as "open and shut" as Gary's. We do know that she had long struggled with substance abuse. And even while working on Diff'rent Strokes, she was said to have abusing drugs and alcohol. When she went on Howard Stern's show just prior to her death, Dana claimed that she had been sober for for more than ten years. The only form of drugs that she had taken in that time frame were pain killers after she had her wisdom teeth extracted.

Conrad Bain was 89 years old when he passed, so it's really hard to consider his death a "tragedy" like Gary's and Dana's. Likewise, Charlotte Rae lived to be 92, so it too is easy to suggest that she lived a long and fruitful life.

[EccentricGenius]

Originally Posted by paul.austin

Family Ties and The Cosby Show are rare even for 1980s shows in that they still have an intact main cast. Growing Pains is missing the father. So is Full House but that was more of a 1990s show.

An interesting and excellent observation! Seems like either the bulk of, or even the entirety of, the primary cast members from hit eighties television programs--The Golden Girls being a perfect example--have long since kicked the proverbial bucket and are now dead and buried. Even main characters such as Growing Pains' Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke), Full House's Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), Night Court's Harry Stone (Harry Anderson), and even Saved By The Bell's Samuel "Screech" Powers (Dustin Diamond) are all long gone.

In addition to The Cosby Show and Family Ties, there are a few more examples of hit eighties television programs that for the most part still have (largely) surviving primary cast members: Cheers, Miami Vice, The Wonder Years, Riptide, Cagney & Lacey, Kate & Allie, St. Elsewhere, 21 Jump Street, Knots Landing, Silver Spoons, Moonlighting, Hunter, Square Pegs, CHiPs, L.A. Law, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Married...With Children, thirtysomething, Simon & Simon, Perfect Strangers, and Sledge Hammer!.

Thanks for commenting, paul.austin! Enjoy your fantastic Friday, as well as your weekend, bro!

[TMC]

Originally Posted by EccentricGenius

An interesting and excellent observation! Seems like either the bulk of, or even the entirety of, the primary cast members from hit eighties television programs--The Golden Girls being a perfect example--have long since kicked the proverbial bucket and are now dead and buried. Even main characters such as Growing Pains' Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke), Full House's Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), Night Court's Harry Stone (Harry Anderson), and even Saved By The Bell's Samuel "Screech" Powers (Dustin Diamond) are all long gone.

In addition to The Cosby Show and Family Ties, there are a few more examples of hit eighties television programs that for the most part still have (largely) surviving primary cast members: Cheers, Miami Vice, The Wonder Years, Riptide, Cagney & Lacey, Kate & Allie, St. Elsewhere, 21 Jump Street, Knots Landing, Silver Spoons, Moonlighting, Hunter, Square Pegs, CHiPs, L.A. Law, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Married...With Children, thirtysomething, Simon & Simon, Perfect Strangers, and Sledge Hammer!.

Thanks for commenting, paul.austin! Enjoy your fantastic Friday, as well as your weekend, bro!

Since you mentioned Square Pegs, we have to note that Merritt Butrick, who played Johnny Slash died awfully young from AIDS back in 1989. And with Cheers, well obviously, Kirstie Alley, who incidentally co-starred alongside Merritt Butrick in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan passed away recently from cancer. And of course, Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach on Cheers died following the third season of that show.