Reunion Show!

[still_theTHRILL]

I read today in the trade publication Broadcast TV that a reunion show for Diff'rent Strokes is in the works! Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Shavar Ross (Dudley), Dixie Carter, and Danny Cooksey (Sam) have all agreed to reprise their roles. I would prefer to leave Dixie and Danny out of it, but oh well. The only holdout right now is Todd Bridges. Apparently the show holds too many bad memories from his past and he has yet to commit. To that, I respond a big fat "Whatchu talkin bout Willis!"

[julian bozo]

I wish Dana was still here to be in it.

[still_theTHRILL]

I wonder how the writer's are planning to explain Kimberly's absence. Maybe they'll just re-cast the part like they did when Dixie Carter left and they brought that other lady on. I think someone like Kelly Osborne would make a GREAT Kimberly! Plus, it would help expose Diff'rent Strokes to a whole new generation.

[Maxamillon]

What happened to Dana Plato? Last I heard she was performing on broadway. Cats I believe?? but not sure. It would just not be the same without Kimberly!!! Is she holding out for more money or something?

[hughpuppies]

Originally posted by Maxamillon
What happened to Dana Plato? Last I heard she was performing on broadway. Cats I believe?? but not sure. It would just not be the same without Kimberly!!! Is she holding out for more money or something?

She died in 1999. Some say she died of a drug overdose in a trailer in Oklahoma near her husbands parents place. Others say her husband killed her. So Some people who are close to Dana Plato are trying to get an investigation going to prove her husband killed her not drugs that killed her.

They say he is the one who gave her the pills she took, and did not try and help her when she woke and waited a few hours after she was died to call police.

The total lack of an investigation is troubling. The police took Menchaca's account of what happened as gospel, even though it was apparent that Plato had been dead for hours before he phoned the police. Even more troubling was that the police confiscated Polaroids he took of Plato as she laid dead or dying. The police determined death was accidental overdose, the medical examiner determined suicide based on old scars at her wrist. Good work, Quincy! You and Sheriff Lobo there in Moore, Oklahoma should be real proud. Let's see: Dana was attempting a comeback; was in Oklahoma to be with her son for Mother's Day, and it looked very much like she was going to leave Robert Menchaca. Add to the mix Dana's mother-in-law, a nurse, who recommended Dana try Lortab, even though she knew Dana was using Valium and the deadly combination of the two drugs. Menchaca was attempting to ride the gravy train of a Dana Plato revival, and with Plato leaving him out of her trip to New York to appear on Howard Stern, it looked like he was about to be cut out of the picture. He may have decided he could profit more from a dead, martyred Dana Plato than a live one hoping to get parts in international market sex thrillers, or making the talk show circuit. It's hard to imagine you could be in the extremely close confines of a small RV and not know your girlfriend was dead. Especially when she had a history of suicidal gestures, and drug problems, including a Valium OD when she was fourteen.

She was laid over in Dallas trying to meet him in Oklahoma City. Did Dana Plato die because of insane jealousy? Would this non-investigation of this death have happened in New York or Los Angeles or St. Louis? Would a city with a murder rate in the top 20 have just taken the deceased's boyfriend's word for what happened? Did these small town cops just assume some drug addict got what she had coming? Did Robert Menchaca get away with the perfect murder? Was Menchaca just an idiot who couldn't tell his fiancée was dead? Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? Was Marilyn Monroe murdered? Or was it suicide? Did Dana Plato simply give up?

The mystery of her death will forever make Dana Plato a name people will remember. The revisionists are hard at work building her into the greatest and most beloved actress of a generation. She is fast becoming a tragic figure and a martyr. A saint for the disillusioned. The Internet will keep the legend growing. Suicide, OD, Murder. Does it really matter why she died? The truth is, millions of dollars will continue to be spent on Princess Diana's incredibly straightforward death as the media tries to hunt down elusive Fiats, unable to accept she died because she got into a car with a drunk driver. But the mainstream media is all too eager to simply accept that Dana Plato took too many sleeping pills and died, end of story. With new books, Web sites, and a new documentary on The E! True Hollywood Story , maybe some investigation of her death may occur.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Autopsy Report - Following is the autopsy report from the Office of the Chief of Medical Examiners in Oklahoma City, OK.

Decedent-Dana Plato; Age 35; Birth date - 11/01/63; Race - W; Sex - F; Marital Status - single; Authority for autopsy - Larry E. Balding, M.D.; Present at autopsy - Steve Mullins; Identified by - Toe Tag; Type of death - Violent, unusual, or unnatural.

The cause of death in this individual is toxic concentrations of the drugs carisoprodol and Hydrocodone / acetaminophetamin. There high levels of these drugs in the blood as determined by laboratory studies. Laboratory analysis of the gastric contents shows the equivalent of 7 tablets of Carisoprodol unabsorbed and still present in the stomach. The blood concentrations of these drugs along with the gastric concentration of Carisoprodol is indicative of an acute intentional overdose ingestion. This, coupled with past history of suicidal gestures has resulted in the determination of the manner of death as being suicide.

The body is that of a well developed, well nourished, white female clad in a pair of multicolored checkered shorts. Accompanying the body is a blue tank top, which has been cut from the body. Multiple emergency medical interventions are present on the body which are diagrammed in the included CME-182 series form. Eyes are clear and show no petechiae. Dentition is natural, intact and unremarkable as in oral mucosa. Blackish-brown vomitis is in the mouth and stains the face. Neck, chest, abdomen and back appear intact and unremarkable. Arms, hands, legs and feet show no acute injury. On the palmar aspect of the right wrist, there are two old scars. One is horizontal and approximately 1.0 in. in length and the other is somewhat curvilinear at approximately 1/2 in. in length. Hands are otherwise intact and unremarkable. Anal and genital regions appear intact and unremarkable.

Multiple professional style tattoos are present on both feet, as well as on the posterior aspect of the left shoulder and these are diagrammed on the included CME-182 series form. There is also a professional style tattoo in the right inguinal area that consists of a winged fairy and a star.

This can be all found at.

http://www.franksreelreviews.com/shorttakes/plato.htm

[Maxamillon]

WOW Holy crap. I did not know that????? I swear I thought she was working on broadway. Maybe I am thinking of Dana Plat. That really sucks!! I really enjoyed her work on Different Strokes. She was so sweet and innocent. I just cant believe she got messed up on 'blow'! That article is interesting Hushpuppy. I wonder if she faked her death. Sounds like a conspiracy!!!

[Maxamillon]

Sorry Double Post

[ClassicTV4Ever]

Originally posted by still_theTHRILL
I wonder how the writer's are planning to explain Kimberly's absence. Maybe they'll just re-cast the part like they did when Dixie Carter left and they brought that other lady on. I think someone like Kelly Osborne would make a GREAT Kimberly! Plus, it would help expose Diff'rent Strokes to a whole new generation.

First of all, I will be so excited if a reunion happens.

Second, I don't think they would, nor should they, recast Kimberly. I mean, the whole point of a reunion is to reunite the original actors and reprise their roles. It just wouldn't seem right to have another person in the role. But if by chance they were to recast Kimberly (though I highly doubt it and I sure hope they wouldn't), Kelly Osborne would be waaaaaayyyy too young for the role. The Kimberly character would be almost 40 today.

[Wildchats]

There are a few ways to write her out.


1. She is modeling in France

2. She is away with a family of her own and busy with modeling career and tenage children (ages 13-16ish)

3. She died of an eating disorder (Bulimia). When the show ended, her last episode dealt with her and Bulimia, saying she will get helped for it. (I know the writers wouldn't do this, but it would draw closure to her bulimic state. It is harsh to kill a character off, but it would be certain if she was alive she would do the reunion, since her character came back several times anyways).

4. She died of something other than the bulimic storyline. Cancer, tragic accident ice skating. Something that could tie into who she was as a character if they used this.


Maybe they will mention she is dead and how she died (any of the above reasons), or where she is today (since the character could still be alive on the show). Possibly like a quick off-screen phone call or something.



I think it would be terrible if they had her character die the same way she did in real life. I think that it would tie into Modeling/ Skating, and would have done with Bulima mostly, if they decided to use it. Maybe they could have a flashback scene of that episode and tie in her closure with that.


What does everyone else think? I am so creative, but I know it's wrong to kill her off. This is a comedy. I doubt they would do this. A drama, yes, but not a comedy. Maybe if the show was a dramdy...


Anyways...I hope if they do one they contact me. I am going to cali next year (2005) and maybe sooner if they ask me to pitch my ideas/ help write the screenplay. I know a lot about DS. I watched a lot of episodes and am a devoted fan.



The only best thing to do is have linkage in the reunion to the World Trade Center bombing and how Mr. Drummond was inside of it when it blew up. Luckily he was on the first floor, along with Arnold and Willis. Arnold was working with the NY times to do a story on the workers there, and he ended up capturing pics of the towers collapsing. I think this would fit well with his character. I guess Lisa could be married to him, or seriously dating him for many, many years (flashback to her final episode where they kissed). Maybe he will propose to her. Mrs. Garret and Pearl HAVE to return. It's a shame Adelaide died. They could mention she passed away a year ago (in real life too) but after she married into wealth and lived the posh life!

[TJ]

This is totally bogus information and completely unsupported.