The Cast of Diff'rent Strokes : Where Are They Now?

The legendary series celebrates 35 years.

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We Are Family - This week marks the 35th anniversary of the premiere episode of the groundbreaking sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. The interracial, blended adoptive family of Kimberly, Arnold, Willis and Mr. Drummond reinvented the family sitcom by tackling racial, class and social issues in a comedy format. But the series' best legacy is its transforming the face of what a modern, American TV family could look like — forever.BET.com remembers the tragic losses of the show's cast and celebrates this classic sitcom by chronchling where its surviving stars are today.  (Photo: NBC TV/Getty Images)

Todd Bridges - After playing big brother Willis Jackson on the hit series for eight years, Todd Bridges spiraled into the dark scene of drugs and jail stints from the '80s through the early '90s. Today, the clean and sober married father of one rebounded professionally in the 2000s with roles on Everybody Hates Chris and Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Bridges also travels the nation speaking to high school kids about the dangers of drug abuse. (Photos from left: NBC TV/Getty Images, Adrian Sidney/PictureGroup)

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Todd Bridges - After playing big brother Willis Jackson on the hit series for eight years, Todd Bridges spiraled into the dark scene of drugs and jail stints from the '80s through the early '90s. Today, the clean and sober married father of one rebounded professionally in the 2000s with roles on Everybody Hates Chris and Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Bridges also travels the nation speaking to high school kids about the dangers of drug abuse. (Photos from left: NBC TV/Getty Images, Adrian Sidney/PictureGroup)

Janet Jackson - From 1980 to 1984, Janet Jackson played the recurring role of Willis' girlfriend, Charlene DuPrey. The iconic superstar has since juggled a successful career in acting and music for nearly 30 years. Jackson released 10 albums, embarked on six world tours and starred in the TV series Fame. Plus, the films Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Why Did I Get Married? and For Colored Girls. The twice-divorced Jackson married Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Mana in 2012.  (Photos from left: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank, KCS Presse / Splash News)

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Janet Jackson - From 1980 to 1984, Janet Jackson played the recurring role of Willis' girlfriend, Charlene DuPrey. The iconic superstar has since juggled a successful career in acting and music for nearly 30 years. Jackson released 10 albums, embarked on six world tours and starred in the TV series Fame. Plus, the films Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Why Did I Get Married? and For Colored Girls. The twice-divorced Jackson married Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Mana in 2012.  (Photos from left: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank, KCS Presse / Splash News)

Shavar Ross - As Arnold's loyal and sensible BFF, Dudley Johnson, Shavar Ross made so many appearances on the sitcom he was almost a de facto Drummond sibling. Since exiting the series in the mid '80s, Ross has appeared in the film What's Love Got to Do With It and the TV series Family Matters and Fresh Prince of Bel Air.(Photos from left: NBC, David Livingston/Getty Images)

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Shavar Ross - As Arnold's loyal and sensible BFF, Dudley Johnson, Shavar Ross made so many appearances on the sitcom he was almost a de facto Drummond sibling. Since exiting the series in the mid '80s, Ross has appeared in the film What's Love Got to Do With It and the TV series Family Matters and Fresh Prince of Bel Air.(Photos from left: NBC, David Livingston/Getty Images)

Charlotte Rae - The original Drummond household maid and housekeeper Mrs. Edna Garrett, portrayed by Charlotte Rae, left Diff'rent Strokes only after one season. She starred in the show's spinoff, The Facts of Life, for five years. Following that, Rae starred in The Facts of Life Reunion TV movie and ER. Bridges and Rae are now the only original remaining Diff'rent Strokes cast members. (Photos from left: NBC, Araya Diaz/Getty Images)

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Charlotte Rae - The original Drummond household maid and housekeeper Mrs. Edna Garrett, portrayed by Charlotte Rae, left Diff'rent Strokes only after one season. She starred in the show's spinoff, The Facts of Life, for five years. Following that, Rae starred in The Facts of Life Reunion TV movie and ER. Bridges and Rae are now the only original remaining Diff'rent Strokes cast members. (Photos from left: NBC, Araya Diaz/Getty Images)

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Kim Fields - As the character Tootie Ramsey, Kim Fields made five appearances on Diff'rent Stokes. Following her nearly decade-run on the popular comedy The Facts of Life, Fields went on to star as Regine Hunter on Living Single. These days, she also works as a television sitcom director of such comedies as Meet the Browns, Let's Stay Together and House of Payne. (Photos from left: NBC via WENN.com, Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) 

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Kim Fields - As the character Tootie Ramsey, Kim Fields made five appearances on Diff'rent Stokes. Following her nearly decade-run on the popular comedy The Facts of Life, Fields went on to star as Regine Hunter on Living Single. These days, she also works as a television sitcom director of such comedies as Meet the Browns, Let's Stay Together and House of Payne. (Photos from left: NBC via WENN.com, Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) 

Rosalind Chao - From 1981 to 1983 Rosalind Chao starred as Arnold's teacher Miss Chung on the hit family sitcom. Since that time, Chao has built a steady career in TV on such series as Star Trek: The Next Generation, The O.C. and Don't Trust the B*** in Apartment 23. (Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images)

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Rosalind Chao - From 1981 to 1983 Rosalind Chao starred as Arnold's teacher Miss Chung on the hit family sitcom. Since that time, Chao has built a steady career in TV on such series as Star Trek: The Next Generation, The O.C. and Don't Trust the B*** in Apartment 23. (Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images)

Dana Plato - Dana Plato's run on the hit series as daughter Kimberly Drummond ended after four years due to her real-life teenage pregnancy. Following her departure, she starred in mostly straight-to-video or TV movies. Plato was arrested for robbing a Las Vegas video store in 1991. Sadly, the actress died of an accidental overdose from a prescription painkiller on May 8, 1999. (Photos from left: NBC via WENN.com, Gary Kaplan Video LLC / Splash News)

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Dana Plato - Dana Plato's run on the hit series as daughter Kimberly Drummond ended after four years due to her real-life teenage pregnancy. Following her departure, she starred in mostly straight-to-video or TV movies. Plato was arrested for robbing a Las Vegas video store in 1991. Sadly, the actress died of an accidental overdose from a prescription painkiller on May 8, 1999. (Photos from left: NBC via WENN.com, Gary Kaplan Video LLC / Splash News)

Conrad Bain - His role as the adoptive dad Phillip Drummond on Diff'rent Stokes made Conrad Bain an honorary dad for generations of TV audiences. Bain later starred in the film Postcards From the Edge, the series Mr. President and the The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. His Strokes co-star Todd Bridges credited Bain as being a dad to him in real life. Bain passed away on January 14, 2013, just a month shy of his 90th birthday.(Photos from left: NBC via WENN.com, Robert Mora/Getty Images)

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Conrad Bain - His role as the adoptive dad Phillip Drummond on Diff'rent Stokes made Conrad Bain an honorary dad for generations of TV audiences. Bain later starred in the film Postcards From the Edge, the series Mr. President and the The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. His Strokes co-star Todd Bridges credited Bain as being a dad to him in real life. Bain passed away on January 14, 2013, just a month shy of his 90th birthday.(Photos from left: NBC via WENN.com, Robert Mora/Getty Images)

Gary Coleman - A superstar child actor of the '70s and '80s, Gary Coleman's career highlight was his starring role as Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes from 1978 to 1986. He also appeared on The Simpsons, The Jamie Foxx Show and Robot Chicken. Plagued by illness his entire lifetime — he was born with an atrophied kidney and the side effects of his dialysis medication permanently stunted his growth — Coleman died from a brain hemorrhage on May 28, 2010, but his legacy and the legacy of the classic sitcom still live on.   (Photos from left: Gene Arias/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images, Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

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Gary Coleman - A superstar child actor of the '70s and '80s, Gary Coleman's career highlight was his starring role as Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes from 1978 to 1986. He also appeared on The Simpsons, The Jamie Foxx Show and Robot Chicken. Plagued by illness his entire lifetime — he was born with an atrophied kidney and the side effects of his dialysis medication permanently stunted his growth — Coleman died from a brain hemorrhage on May 28, 2010, but his legacy and the legacy of the classic sitcom still live on.   (Photos from left: Gene Arias/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images, Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)