"Diff'rent Strokes" (1978) TV series 1978-1986

Creators:

Jeff Harris
Bernie Kukoff
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | unknown

Release Date:

3 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

The misadventures of a rich Manhattan family who adopted the children of their late African American maid.

Plot Keywords:

Millionaire | African American | Sitcom | New York City | Cult TV

Awards:

2 wins & 30 nominations

Cast

Conrad Bain	...	Philip Drummond (189 episodes, 1978-1986)
Gary Coleman	...	Arnold Jackson (184 episodes, 1978-1986)
Todd Bridges	...	Willis Jackson (169 episodes, 1978-1986)
Dana Plato	...	Kimberly Drummond (140 episodes, 1978-1986)

Series Directed by
Gerren Keith		(144 episodes, 1979-1986)
Herbert Kenwith		(23 episodes, 1978-1979)
Mel Ferber		(8 episodes, 1984-1986)
Doug Rogers		(3 episodes, 1979)
Leslie H. Martinson		(2 episodes, 1984)
Selig Frank		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Tony Singletary		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Writing credits
Howard Leeds		(36 episodes, 1978-1984)
Martin Cohan		(34 episodes, 1979-1984)
Ben Starr		(27 episodes, 1978-1982)
Bruce A. Taylor		(17 episodes, 1981-1985)
Robert Jayson		(15 episodes, 1982-1986)
A. Dudley Johnson Jr.		(15 episodes, 1982-1986)
Ed Jurist		(12 episodes, 1979-1983)
Howard Meyers		(11 episodes, 1981-1984)
Blake Hunter		(11 episodes, 1982-1984)
Albert E. Lewin		(10 episodes, 1978-1983)
Bob Brunner		(9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Ken Hecht		(9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Glenn Padnick		(8 episodes, 1981-1985)
Alan Rosen		(7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Fred Rubin		(7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Dawn Aldredge		(7 episodes, 1980-1984)
John Donley		(7 episodes, 1981-1983)
Sandy Veith		(6 episodes, 1979-1981)
Jeff Harris		(5 episodes, 1978-1983)
Bernie Kukoff		(5 episodes, 1978-1983)
Fred S. Fox		(4 episodes, 1978-1981)
Seaman Jacobs		(4 episodes, 1978-1981)
Donald Ross		(4 episodes, 1980-1982)
Richard Gurman		(4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Budd Grossman		(3 episodes, 1978)
Jerry Winnick		(3 episodes, 1979-1981)
Heywood Kling		(3 episodes, 1979)
Debra Frank		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Scott Rubenstein		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Calvin Kelly		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Marshall Goldberg		(3 episodes, 1981-1983)
Paul Haggis		(3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Sydney Julien		(3 episodes, 1983-1984)
Mark Miller		(3 episodes, 1984)
Jose Rivera		(3 episodes, 1985)
Elaine Newman		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Joseph Sirota		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Norm Liebmann		(2 episodes, 1979)
George Tibbles		(2 episodes, 1979)
Gordon Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Bill Shinkai		(2 episodes, 1981-1983)
Warren S. Murray		(2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Kurt Taylor		(2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bernard Burnell Mack		(2 episodes, 1982-1984)
Jack Gross Jr.		(2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Phil Margo		(2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Ifa Baeza		(2 episodes, 1984)
Michael Curley		(2 episodes, 1984)
Dan Kennicott		(2 episodes, 1984)
Al Aidekman		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Susan H. Lee		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Max Katz		(2 episodes, 1985)
Toni Wunsch		(2 episodes, 1985)
Janna Lowell		(2 episodes, 1986)

Series Produced by
Martin Cohan	....	producer / executive producer (150 episodes, 1979-1985)
Howard Leeds	....	producer / executive producer (139 episodes, 1978-1984)
John Maxwell Anderson	....	associate producer (115 episodes, 1978-1983)
Ben Starr	....	producer (70 episodes, 1979-1982)
Blake Hunter	....	executive producer (69 episodes, 1982-1985)
Roxie Wenk Evans	....	associate producer (47 episodes, 1983-1985)
Bob Brunner	....	supervising producer / executive producer (40 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ken Hecht	....	supervising producer / executive producer (40 episodes, 1984-1986)
Herbert Kenwith	....	producer (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bruce A. Taylor	....	producer (24 episodes, 1984-1985)
Al Aidekman	....	producer (16 episodes, 1985-1986)
Barbara Cramer	....	associate producer (16 episodes, 1985-1986)
Richard Gurman	....	producer (16 episodes, 1985-1986)
Budd Grossman	....	executive producer (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rita Dillon	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1979)

Series Cinematography by
J. Bruce Nielsen		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Film Editing by
Bill Petty		(32 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rob Bramwell		(9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Kelly Sandefur		(6 episodes, 1979)
Gregory Bennett		(6 episodes, 1980)
Abe Schwartz		(3 episodes, 1980-1983)
M.A. Krupnick		(3 episodes, 1980)

Series Casting by
Eve Brandstein		(50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Pat Kirkland		(2 episodes, 1979)

Series Production Design by
Chuck Murawski		(1 episode, 1983)

Series Art Direction by
Chuck Murawski		(52 episodes, 1978-1982)
Don Roberts		(4 episodes, 1979)
Dahl Delu		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Set Decoration by
Scott Heineman		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Costume Design by
Margery Epstein		(50 episodes, 1978-1980)
James Alvarez		(6 episodes, 1979)

Series Makeup Department
JoAnn Stafford-Chaney	....	hair stylist / hairdresser (48 episodes, 1978-1983)
Jennifer Kaplan	....	makeup artist (40 episodes, 1978-1980)
Wynona Price	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1980-1983)
Sylvia Surdu	....	hair stylist (6 episodes, 1978)
Verne Langdon	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1979)
Evelyn Trimmer	....	hair stylist (4 episodes, 1979)
Ariel Bagdadi	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1979)
Jerry Cash	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1979)
Jennifer Danzig	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Production Management
Al Burton	....	production consultant / production supervisor (51 episodes, 1978-1982)
Alan Horn	....	production supervisor (51 episodes, 1978-1980)
Douglas Wellman	....	unit manager (29 episodes, 1982)
Dick Brooks	....	unit manager (13 episodes, 1978-1979)
Tyna Huebner	....	unit manager (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Schatzie Allen	....	unit manager (13 episodes, 1979)
Roger Mills	....	unit manager (10 episodes, 1980)
Willie Geiger	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1979)
Ken Stump	....	in charge of production (2 episodes, 1983-1986)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Richard Banicki	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1980-1983)

Series Art Department
Norm Peterson	....	property master (22 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Sound Department
Ron Worrell	....	audio (23 episodes, 1979-1980)
Kerry Boggio	....	audio (19 episodes, 1978-1979)
Robert Houston	....	audio / sound (4 episodes, 1979)
Jim Mylenek	....	audio (3 episodes, 1979)
Chris Chigaridas	....	audio / sound (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dale Carlson	....	camera operator (43 episodes, 1984-1986)
Pat Day	....	lighting director (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ritch Kenney	....	camera operator (23 episodes, 1983-1984)
John O'Brien	....	video controller (19 episodes, 1985-1986)
Ken Schamp	....	lighting director (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Ken Wilcox	....	lighting director (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Tom Schamp	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1978)
George Schamp	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Casting Department
Jane Murray	....	casting executive / principal casting executive (52 episodes, 1978-1983)
Pat Kirkland	....	casting (2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandra Baker	....	costumes (2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Music Department
Alan Thicke	....	composer: theme music / composer: theme (189 episodes, 1978-1986)
Al Burton	....	composer: theme music / composer: theme (5 episodes, 1978-1983)
Gloria Loring	....	composer: theme music / composer: theme (5 episodes, 1978-1983)

Series Other crew
Fran McConnell	....	production supervisor / production consultant (186 episodes, 1978-1986)
Chris Klausen	....	production assistant / stage manager (67 episodes, 1983-1986)
Alan Rosen	....	story editor (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Fred Rubin	....	story editor (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Susan Straughn Harris	....	assistant to producers / production associate / ... (41 episodes, 1978-1983)
Stu Goldman	....	stage manager (28 episodes, 1979-1980)
Drew Handley	....	associate director (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Len Uslaner	....	technical director (25 episodes, 1978-1982)
John Banicki	....	associate director (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Howard Miller	....	stage manager (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ben Starr	....	executive script consultant (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jackie Henken	....	stage manager (24 episodes, 1979-1980)
John Westbrook	....	technical director (20 episodes, 1979-1980)
Norm Liebmann	....	program consultant / production consultant (19 episodes, 1978-1979)
Patricia Edwards	....	stage manager (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gloria Vinson	....	production associate (13 episodes, 1979)
Ed Jurist	....	script consultant / executive script consultant (11 episodes, 1980-1982)
Art Dielhenn	....	associate director (7 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard Draney	....	stage manager (7 episodes, 1979-1983)
Michael Talley	....	stage manager (7 episodes, 1979)
Paul Haggis	....	story editor (7 episodes, 1983)
Dick Woodka	....	technical director (6 episodes, 1978-1979)
Susan Jacoby	....	production associate / assistant to producers (6 episodes, 1979)
Howard Meyers	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1982-1983)
Lisa Benscheidt	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1979)
Dick Bensfield	....	creative consultant (4 episodes, 1979)
David Eisenbise	....	technical director (4 episodes, 1979)
Perry Grant	....	creative consultant (4 episodes, 1979)
A. Chisholm Halle	....	stage manager (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Glenn Padnick	....	production consultant (3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Randy Winburn	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Heywood Kling	....	creative consultant (2 episodes, 1979)
Karyl Miller	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1979)
Bernard F. Basley	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
John Donley	....	program consultant / story editor (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Bruce A. Taylor	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1983)

Production Companies

• Embassy Pictures Corporation
• Embassy Television
• Norman Lear/Tandem Productions

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1978-1985)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1985-1986)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Embassy Telecommunications
• Embassy Television
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Other Companies

• ABC Television Center  taping location
• Compact Video  production facilities
• Metromedia Square  taping location
• Universal City Studios  taping location
• Vidtronics  production facilities

Also Known As:

45 Minutes from Harlem (USA) (working title)
Arnold (Spain) (Venezuela) [es]
Arnold bouya wa ninkimono (Japan) (literal title) [ja]
Arnold et Willy (France) [fr]
Blanco y negro (Argentina) [es]
Harlem contro Manhattan (Italy) [it]
Il mio amico Arnold (Italy) (rerun title) [it]
Noch Fragen Arnold? (West Germany) [de]

Runtime:

30 min | USA:30 min (189 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Singapore:PG | Australia:G | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Embassy Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The original concept for the show was different from what would come on the air. It would have been on ABC and set in an upscale Long Island town, not in Manhattan. There was no older brother, originally, and the housekeeper would have been younger and sexier. The production company balked at the changes the network suggested, and ABC lost interest.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Arnold Jackson: Watchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Undead (#9.6)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Diff'rent Strokes

Tender sitcom shadowed by a macabre reality.

Who would think that the main characters from a naive, tender, family show would end up meeting such fatal fates? Well, that's another story.

"Diff'rent Strokes" is an important sticom in American pop culture and also paved the way for comedy shows with a social message inserted.

Here, the inter racial situations mixed with poverty and social clichés were the spinal cord for the plot and even in jokes. Everything was extremely well done and executed with class. Nothing was vulgar or tried directly to impose a criteria; the situations were just put for the audience to judge it whatsoever they wanted.

The jokes were sometimes naive but always witty. The humor was family oriented but after nearly 30 years, none of them is boring. Sure, society has changed a lot but some things just can't disappear.

The acting is top notch. Gary Coleman is now some sort of cult hero for displaying a physical illness and being part of a social minority but his comedic skills and histrionic abilities make him one of the most likable child stars ever. Conrad Bain was excellent as the protective, tender but strong man that took care about his house. Dana Plato was extremely sexy, hot; she's the kind of girl I wanted to marry.

Anyways, watch this sitcom in order to witness part of America's pop culture talking about television. This show will teach you many things and as a plus, it will make you chuckle most of the time.