We merely mentioned Dana Plato, the actress behind Diff’rent Strokes’ Kimberly Drummond, in my previous post on her co-star’s, Gary Coleman, ex-wife, Shannon Price. So now, I think it’s time for us to talk about her further. Her story is absolutely tragic. In fact, all three child-stars in the main cast on the series had tragic consequences to early fame. Gary Coleman, for one, worked as a security guard during the last couple of seasons of the show as his parents stole all of his money. By the time he sued them, they had no money left. Todd Bridges went through substance abuse. In an episode of the Allison Interviews podcast, hosted by Allison Kugel, conducted earlier this year, he said of his 32 year sobriety journey, ‘I couldn’t be the same guy anymore. I got tired of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and getting the same results. I remember when I was in the rehab program, and this light came over me and God said, ‘I’m going to put people in your path and you just listen to what they tell you, do what they tell you to do and don’t question it, and you will be sober for a long time.’ That’s exactly what happened and I finally got it. I saw the light. God healed my heart. He healed a lot of pain that I was going through, from being molested as a child and from having an alcoholic father, and from years of getting pulled over by the police every day when I was just going to work. Going through all of that, I developed a chip on my shoulder and I became angry with everything around me.’
I don’t believe in God, so I won’t go into that particular topic in depth, or at all for that matter. What I will get into, however, is his co-star’s, Dana Plato, similar struggles, as well as the very different circumstances that followed these events that lasted so many years, and documented so publicly, as well had consequences on Plato’s son’s, Tyler Lambert, life. But before we do that, I believe it’s important that we examine Plato’s beloved character, Kimberly. And so, as the story goes…
Kimberly Drummond was a central figure on Diff’rent Strokes. She was the eldest daughter of wealthy widower, Phillip Drummond. She was caring, kind, generous, bubbly and witty. At times, she was shown to be a little bit too much of all those things. But these were traits that made audiences fall in love with her so easily. Kimberly accepted her adoptive brothers, Arnold and Willis, and welcomed them into her home right from the start. She didn’t see her brothers for the colour of their skin, but rather for who they were; personality and all. Despite her privileged upbringing, Kimberly faced personal struggles, including dealing with eating disorders and nearly becoming a victim of sexual assault while hitchhiking.
Of the 189 episodes of Diff’rent Strokes, Kimberly appeared in 140 as she only appeared as a guest star in seasons 7 and 8. She was written out of the show with the explanation that she moved to Paris to study for a couple of years. The storyline didn’t just happen out of the blue. It didn’t happen because it was intended to. It happened due to circumstances in Dana Plato’s real-life. She became pregnant, and the writers of the show didn’t it’d be in Kimberly’s best interest to be pregnant too. Hence, she was written out. Thereafter, she saw her career dwindled, and after a series of personal tragedies, she fell into a drug addiction.
Plato’s life became tumultuous way before she left Diff’rent Storkes. While on the show, she experienced substance abuse issues, including an overdose and struggles with alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. She first overdosed when she was just 14 years old. Following the show’s cancellation, Plato experienced financial difficulties. She was defrauded by an accountant who stole a large sum of her money, leaving her with significantly less than she had. She continued to struggle with legal issues and addiction. In 1991, she pleaded no contest to robbing a video store.
If Plato were to pass away in the 1980’s, it would’ve came as a complete shock to the entire nation of the world. But when she did eventually pass away on May 8, 1999, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Her personal troubles became too much to bear. On top of being fired from Diff’rent Strokes due to her pregnancy, the producers of the show worried that Plato’s personal life ruined the wholesomeness of her character and the squeaky-clean image of the show. Who knows… maybe she would’ve been fired anyways had she not gotten pregnant, and that was jut a blessing for them.
Instant success became dangerous for Plato as she began experimenting with alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine alongside her young costars. Navigating early fame and the struggles of being a teenage girl without having the proper coping mechanisms soon became an increasingly difficult task for the young star. In 1983, Plato moved in with her future husband, guitarist Lanny Lambert, and she became pregnant around the age of 19 or 20. Following the birth of her son, she had a hard time being taken seriously as an actress. That said, she never got the chance to showcase herself as an established actress. Her personal problems worsened in the late 1980s, especially when her husband ended their marriage and her mother died. Lambert eventually got full custody of their son due to Plato’s ongoing addiction.
Hopeful to better her career and personal life, Plato did a Playboy photoshoot in 1989. But to no avail. That was also when she found out her accountant embezzled money from her bank account. Feeling absolutely defeated, Plato moved to Las Vegas in yet another attempt to reinvigorate her career, but she still struggled to find steady work. Poverty-stricken, she moved to Las Vegas and had to work in a dry cleaning store to make ends meet. The once promising young star who could’ve had a bright future ahead of her was working the life of a regular, ordinary girl. That was when she robbed a video store. The clerk recognized her, and when he called 911, he told the dispatcher, ‘I’ve just been robbed by the girl who played Kimberly on Diff’rent Strokes.’ Police arrested her, and Plato was sentenced to five years of probation. But just a year later, she found herself in trouble again. This time, it for forging prescriptions for Valium. Dana Plato was sentenced to another five years of probation for her actions. She was also ordered to attend rehab. The sad reality of it all was that she only robbed a total of $164.
Plato was known for her quirky, clean image on-screen. But behind-the-scenes and in her real-life, she was anything but that. She insisted she was clean and sober, but those who knew her questioned that and remained concerned for her health and well-being. All the while, the once beloved actress continued to find herself cast only in low-budget films, remaining on the fringes of the entertainment industry. On May 7, 1999, Dana Plato made an emotional appearance on The Howard Stern Show, during which she repeatedly claimed to be sober. She was most likely looking for support and understanding; some empathy from the environment she was in. Instead, she was met with endless accusations of being stoned and even mockery from callers. Angered and provoked, Plato offered to take a drug test to prove that she was clean and even allowed a producer to cut off a few pieces of her hair. According to The New York Post, Stern said that Plato privately begged him not to test her hair as soon as they were off the air.
Just a day later, Plato was found dead in an RV of an overdose. She was 34 years old. At the time, Plato had been in Moore, Oklahoma, to visit family members. Police initially believed that her death was accidental, but it was later ruled to be suicide by a medical examiner due to the high level of drugs found in her system — including fatal concentrations of the muscle relaxant Soma and a generic form of the painkiller Lortab — as well as her history of suicidal tendencies. No suicide note was ever found. Tragedy struck again on May 6, 2010 when Plato’s son, Tyler, fatally shot himself. He was just 25 years old at the time of his death.
Tyler was only 14 when his mother died in 1999, and mostly grew up living with his paternal grandparents. And yet, his mother’s demise greatly impacted him. Like his mother, Tyler struggled with drugs and alcohol. His grandmother told People following his death, ‘At 15, he started to get wild. These past 10 years have been pure hell. He had his mother’s name on his hand on his arm and right across his finger. He said, ‘Joni, I have to do this.’ That way] he could feel that he had part of her with him.’ According to Tyler’s grandmother, many of Lambert’s troubles stemmed from a desire to “drown out the pain” of losing his mother. In his suicide note, Lambert wrote, ‘The only moments of happiness for me are when I’m real high and don’t think about the past or I’m real drunk and not able to.’
I remember when I first saw headlines of Tyler’s death. All I could do at that moment was feel an endless amount of empathy for him. Thankfully, I don’t know what it’s like to lose one’s mother so young, especially in such a manner. But I do know what it’s like to watch one’s mother slip away to depression. If I were to compare it to anything, I’d compare it to death. Except it’s much worse because the person is right there in front of you; but they’re practically dead inside. Emotionally, they’re not there at all. It’s not like they don’t want to be there. They can’t. And then to know that you, as their child, weren’t enough to keep them alive and be their motivation to get better… I can’t imagine.
In my own life, I spent my childhood watching my mother lay on the couch, barely able to move a muscle due to her depression. I felt neglected by her. I don’t remember ever having a single normal conversation with her until I was in my 20’s. It wasn’t just due to her depression. It was also because I mostly felt like her ‘project’; like she only saw me as that because it seemed as though her only priority was to make me a person – a regular person who lives a normal, able-bodied life – and not let my cerebral palsy define my life. She wanted to redefine my life and make something out of me as it was expected of me to live the life of a vegetable.
Positive things came out of the hardships I faced in my relationship with my mother and witnessing her own hardships. The complicated relationship I had with her was the consequence of her mental health struggles. I witnessed her go through a difficult time and I paid the price for it in my own way. As I watched her slip away into a deep depression, I felt like it was all my fault, and that things would’ve been much better for her if I’d never been born, or if I’d just gone away. But I also witnessed my mom work hard and bust her a** to get better. In recent years, my mom and I have had many conversations about those years. One thing is for sure – she had the right people around her to support her and her recovery. That support was something that Dana Plato didn’t have in her life. She made the absolute wrong choices throughout her depression and addiction, and she didn’t have the right people around her to guide her through it.
Having gone through all that with my mom, as well as getting to know Dana Plato’s story and the consequences it had on her son, made me understand my role better as a parent myself. I knew there was absolutely no chance I could ever let my son go through what I’d gone through as a child, or even worse, what Dana Plato’s son had gone through throughout his life, at the hands of a parents depression. That said, this very fact made me more determined than ever to work hard on myself and my well-being. I’ve made it my mission – my goal in life – to always better myself. And I make sure that my son witnesses that about me – every single day.
I didn’t grow up watching Diff’rent Strokes, but I was a big fan nonetheless. I watched the show years, even decades, after it first aired. I loved how cheesy it was, especially Dana Plato’s portrayal of Kimberly Drummond. I don’t think anyone could’ve played her as well as Plato did. She initially began with commercials and minor roles in television and film. Her mother initially decided to take her to casting auditions when she and Plato’s father divorced. Her breakthrough came with Diff’rent Strokes. It made her a teen idol; an icon, of sorts. She received nominations for a Young Artist Award and two TV Land Awards for her work on the show. Following the end of her stint as Kimberly, Plato tried to revive her career not only by appearing on the cover of Playboy, but also starring in a few B-class movies and an adult film, ironically called Different Strokes: The Story of Jack and Jill…and Jill. She’d even gotten breast implants in 1994 in hopes to get better roles. In a twist of fate, she won the part of Violet in the movie Pretty Baby but turned it down so that she wouldn’t be typecast in this type of role. Brooke Shields ended up playing the part. The same thing happened again in The Blue Lagoon when she was offered the role of Emmeline Lestrange. Maybe that was the two greatest mistakes of her life.
Plato’s life was marked by one tragedy after another. In a nutshell, she was lonely. She had the wrong people around her who didn’t have her best interests at heart. And when she tried to turn things around, it became too late. She was only known to be Kimberly Drummond, and the world refused to believe she could be anything, or anyone else. She wasn’t given that second chance that she worked so hard to garner. While she was still alive, Plato still showed hope for the future. She always talked so positively about life and all the hardships and struggles that came with it. One particular quote of hers that really stuck with me was, ‘Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.’
She tried her hardest to live up to her words. Plato became one of the first celebrities to star in a video game. But, as luck would have it, even that move was criticized and the video game was deemed too violent by the public. The scrutiny she faced became too much for her to bear. Her appearance on The Howard Stern Show seemed to have been the last straw. She had everything – fame, money, friends, family. And still, she remained troubled all her life. She could never manage her success and her failures well enough to survive the ugly side of Hollywood. Early stardom and success turned out to be fatal for Plato.
Much like Plato, child stars like Macaulay Cullen, Jodi Sweetin, and Lindsay Lohan paid the ultimate price of early fame and glory. Unlike Plato, however, all three have seen great successes. The world forgave them for their public downfalls and actually wanted to see them succeed. Amanda Byrnes is also part of that club. She retired from acting in 2010 at just 24, but she’s been thriving nonetheless. For this particular blog entry, though, I’d like to discuss Lindsay Lohan’s path to stardom, downfall, and eventual comeback. Moreover, I’d like to compare her case to that of Plato. In hindsight, Lohan is the epiphany of what Dana Plato’s life COULD’VE looked like had she’d been given a chance; had she had someone – at least one person – believe in her.
Most recently, Lohan has seen great success with her newest film, Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 movie, Freaky Friday, co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Of their friendship, Lohan recently told People, ‘Jamie was with me at a time in my life when I was going through a lot publicly. She was privately really there for me.’ In turn, in the same interview, Curtis said of Lohan, ‘I know I can trust her. And I can’t say that about a lot of people. If I tell her something, it’s gonna stay with her. We’ve both been through hard things, ’cause we’re alive and life is hard. And we’re not dead yet. So the truth of our experience together, it belies all of the kind of showbizzy stuff. We connected, and we really stayed connected. And that is special and rare for me.’ Lohan then said, ‘I have to feel safe around people. And Jamie is one of those people for me.’ While directly speaking to Curtis, Lohan continued, ‘Like, I feel very safe with you. I feel safe telling you things. So it’s — I know you said ‘trust,’ but for me it’s ‘safe.’’
Safe – it’s a very important word, particularly in this context. Like Plato, Lohan was thrust into acting by her mother when she was 3 years old. She found instant success in her 1998 film, The Parent Trap, which also starred Dennis Quaid and the late Natasha Richardson, where she played twins. Thereafter, she found even more success at 17 with Freaky Friday, and the following year with Mean Girls.
It was that instant success and fame that caused Lohan so much pain; the same pain that Plato had felt in her lifetime while she was starring on Diff’rent Strokes. Like Plato, Lohan didn’t have the right people to guide her; to mention her through her troubles. She was expected to be the perfect role model for teenage girls around the world when she herself didn’t have anyone to help her through her struggles. Her parents certainly weren’t the perfect role models. Luckily, she had someone like Jamie Lee Curtis to help her through the toughest years of her life. To Lohan, she was THE ONE; the one person she needed to believe in her.
Like Plato, Lohan found herself in legal troubles and career downfalls. She landed in jail a whopping 6 times. These struggles in her personal life led to a career downfall. She was making one bad movie after another. Who could ever forget I know Who Killed Me and The Canyons? BUT one thing stood out about Lohan that didn’t get to happen to Plato, and it’s that she took control of her own life. She moved to Dubai where paparazzi is illegal. She worked on her sobriety and it only once she did that she allowed herself to be in a healthy relationship, get married and have a family of her own. She’s now been sober for over 10 years, and in recent years, found great success with movies like Irish wish, Our little Secret, and Falling For Christmas; as well as Freakier Friday. It was Netflix that took a leap of faith that gave her that second chance in her career as an actress.
Who knows…
Maybe if Dana Plato was given that same second chance at redemption, she would’ve been alive today. Maybe if she’d waited to get married and have a child until she got better, she would’ve been alive today. Maybe if she’d made better choices for herself, as well as for her child, she would’ve been alive today. Maybe if she’d had different people in her life, she would’ve been alive today. And maybe – just maybe – if she one person believe in her, she would’ve been alive today.
These are all what ifs. We’ll never actually ever know where Dana Plato would’ve been now, 26 years on. One things is for sure, though, and it’s that we, as a society, need to be kinder, more forgiving and more empathetic. If we don’t, there’ll be more people who’ll see the same tragic ends as Dana Plato – in the entertainment industry and not. We need to do better; to be better. All Dana Plato wanted to do was be taken seriously, and she was failed by the entire world who watched her. She was made into a laughing stock, and that in itself caused her even more pain; more pain than she could’ve ever handled.
Plato once said, ‘People have an awful lot of problems that society has put on them and a lot to work through because of it.’ In hindsight, she was talking about herself. Life is hard. It’s not ever our job to fix anyone else’s problems except for our own. But it is our job to make it just a little bit easier on them; and for them…
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I’ve never been surprised when I’ve seen a story on TV about a child star who has had a run-in with the law, mental health issues, substance abuse problems, or has comitted suicide. No kid’s brain can handle the level of money, fame, and power at those young ages that comes from being famous.
This honestly made my heart ache a little. It’s so easy to forget how much pressure gets thrown on young stars, especially when everyone’s watching but no one’s really helping. The Dana and Lindsay comparison was spot on — both had so much talent but were just overwhelmed way too early. It really makes you think about how different things could’ve been with the right support.
I loved Lindsay back in the day and it breaks my heart to think about everything she went through. And you’re right- it was jsut too much too soon. So glad she’s been able to reset
I hear more and more about child stars who have had such a hard life. It’s sad that so many of them have tragic tales.
It’s sad to see so many child stars go wayward. But its so good to see Lindsay Lohan on the up and up these days! She’s had a major glow-up.
I heard a little about this but never knew the full story about Dana! It is just so tragic!