What it was like Growing Up in the Eighties (1980s)
  • Tue. Mar 19th, 2024

Different Strokes – 80s TV Sitcom

Diff’rent Strokes is a 80s sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, respectively, two African-American boys from Harlem taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman and widower, Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain), for whom their deceased mother previously worked, and his daughter Kimberly (Dana Plato).

Cast

Conrad Bain as Phillip Drummond
Gary Coleman as Arnold Jackson
Todd Bridges as Willis Jackson
Dixe Carter as Maggie McKinney (1984-1985)
Dana Plato as Kimberly Drummond (1978-1984)
Mary Jo Carlett as Pearl Gallagher (1982-1986)
Rosilind Chao as Miss Chung (1982-1983)
Dody Goodman as Aunt Sophia (1981-1982)
Janet Jackson as Charlene DuPrey (1981-1982)
Nedra Volz as Adelaide Brubaker (1980-1982)
Shavar Ross as Dudley Ramsey (1981-1986)
Le Tari as Mr. Ted Ramsey (1981-1985)
Steven Mond as Robbie Jackson (1982-1983)
Nikki Swasey as Lisa Hayes (1982-1986)
Danny Cooksey as Sam Mckinney (1984-1986)
Mary Ann Mobley as Maggie McKinney (1985-1986)
Jason Hervey as Charlie (1985-1986)
Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Garret (1978-1980)

Series Run

First Telecast: November 3, 1978
Last Telecast: August 30, 1986

Broadcast History

November 1978- October 1979, NBC, Friday 8:00-8:30pm
October 1979- October 1981, NBC, Wednesday 9:00-9:30pm
October 1981- August 1982, NBC, Thursday 9:00-9:30pm
August 1982- August 1985, NBC, Saturday 8:00-8:30pm
September 1985- March 1986, ABC, Friday 9:00-9:30pm
June 1986- August 1986, ABC, Saturday 8:00-8:30pm

Plot

Diff’rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, respectively, two African-American boys from Harlem taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman and widower, Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain), for whom their deceased mother previously worked, and his daughter Kimberly (Dana Plato). During the first season and first half of the second season, Charlotte Rae also starred as Mrs. Edna Garrett, the Drummonds’ first housekeeper. The second housekeeper, Adelaide Brubaker, was played by Nedra Volz. The third housekeeper, Pearl Gallagher, was played by Mary Jo Catlett, appearing first as a recurring character before eventually becoming a main cast member.

More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diff%27rent_Strokes

Theme Song and Opening

“”It Takes Diff’rent Strokes”

Different Strokes Theme Song Lyrics

Now, the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you, may not be right for some.
A man is born, he’s a man of means.
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans.
But they got, Diff’rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff’rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff’rent Strokes to move the world.
Everybody’s got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don’t matter that you got not alot
So what,
They’ll have theirs, and you’ll have yours, and I’ll have mine.
And together we’ll be fine….
Because it takes, Diff’rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes, Diff’rent Strokes to move the world.