It is alleged that there’s a Diff’rent Strokes “Curse” because of the well-documented troubles of the child cast members Gary Coleman, Dana Plato, and Todd Bridges. Plato and Coleman have died at young ages. Yet if there’s a Diff’rent Strokes “Curse”, it’s rather selective. Because for three other cast members, the program was a marker on the way to bigger and better things.
The Diff’rent Strokes “Curse”: 3 Cast Members Who Escaped It Number 1 – Janet Jackson
The pop rock diva played the girlfriend of Willis Jackson from 1980-84 named Charlene DuPrey. She was a heartthrob for teenage boys, including myself way back when. After that stint, she only went on accomplish the following milestones in her primary chosen career of music, naming a few to date: selling over 100 million albums worldwide, net 10 Billboard Number 1 Hot 100 Singles, 27 Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 Singles according to Wikipedia.
The Diff’rent Strokes “Curse”: 3 Cast Members Who Escaped It Number 2 -Charlotte Rae
Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, and Dana Plato were taken care of in part by the comforting housekeeper Mrs. Garrett from 1978-79. Her part was so impacting that NBC gave her a show with the starring role: The Facts of Life, which lasted from 1979-86, according to The Internet Movie Database. Since that successful stint, she’s had numerous guest appearance in such iconic television shows like St. Elsewhere; Murder, She Wrote; The King of Queens; ER, etc. She just celebrated her 84th birthday in April.
The Diff’rent Strokes “Curse”: 3 Cast Members Who Escaped It Number 3 – Dixie Carter
Mr. Drummond finally found a woman he could love again with all his heart through Carter’s character as the first Maggie McKinney (1984-85). But did the late actress (who died at 70 in April) fade away from the small screen after her brief run on Diff’rent Strokes? Nope, she went on to star in the very successful Designing Women and appeared in numerous hit television shows like Desperate Housewives, Family Law, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, etc., according to The Internet Movie Database.
Sources for this article about 3 cast members who escaped the Diff’rent Strokes “Curse”:
Janet Jackson discography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Jackson_discography, Wikipedia
Charlotte Rae: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0705989/, The Internet Movie Database
Dixie Carter: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0141581/, The Internet Movie Database
Diff’rent Strokes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diff%27rent_Strokes, Wikipedia
