As I delve deeper into the world of these iconic sitcoms from the 80s, I can’t help but marvel at the diverse and fascinating lives led by these guest stars. Spice Williams-Crosby, for instance, was not just a pretty face on Diff’rent Strokes, but she also graced the final frontier as Vixis in Star Trek V!
Between 1978 and 1986, viewers were captivated by the popular sitcom Diff’rent Strokes, known for its timeless humor. They tuned in to follow the adventures of Arnold Jackson, portrayed by Gary Coleman, and his extended family, not forgetting to catch Arnold’s iconic TV phrase, “What you talking ’bout, Willis?” The show also had a unique charm due to the frequent visits of well-known celebrities. Here are some of our favorite celebrity guest appearances on Diff’rent Strokes.
Nancy Reagan (Herself)
In the fifth season of “Diff’rent Strokes,” it was a distinguished honor to host a sitting U.S. First Lady. Nancy Reagan made an appearance, portraying herself, first visiting Arnold’s school where she addressed his classmates about national concerns. Later, she paid a personal visit to the penthouse of Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain), the show’s main character.
David Hasselhoff (Himself)
During his time on the popular series “Knight Rider,” David Hasselhoff made a guest appearance in a two-part episode of “Diff’rent Strokes.” In this episode, the storyline follows Philip taking the family to Hollywood, where Arnold and his friend Dudley (Shavar Ross) encounter the actor. Remarkably, even the AI-powered car from the iconic ’80s sci-fi TV show, KITT, made an appearance in this episode, portrayed as a sentient, AI-equipped vehicle, although it was voiced by Jim Ward instead of William Daniels.
Ed “Too Tall” Jones (Himself)
1981 found Ed Jones, affectionately known as “Too Tall” due to his towering 6’9″ height, playing defense for the Dallas Cowboys. Incidentally, in that same year, he made a guest appearance on an episode of Diff’rent Strokes. During this visit to the Drummond household, Arnold showcased his magical talents.
Milton Berle (Rabbi Morris)
In Season 6’s “The Bar Mitzvah Boy” episode, Arnold becomes intrigued after witnessing the abundance of presents given to his Jewish friend during his coming-of-age ceremony. This incites him to ponder converting to Judaism himself. It’s through this journey that he encounters Rabbi Morris, a character portrayed by comedy legend Milton Berle – famously recognized for his appearances in numerous roasts and for his exceptional wit in delivering humorous jabs.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Mr. Wilkes)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, renowned basketball legend, often played himself on TV shows, but he switched things up when he appeared on “Diff’rent Strokes”. Notably, he starred in two episodes as Mr. Wilkes, a teacher who consistently managed to outsmart Arnold and his fellow students. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is also recognized for his role in the 1980 comedy spoof film, “Airplane!”.
Muhammad Ali (Himself)
In episode “Arnold’s Hero” of Season 2, Arnold finds himself face-to-face with his greatest role model, Muhammad Ali, under somewhat questionable circumstances. He recruits Willis (Todd Bridges) and Kimberly (Dana Plato) to deceive the boxing icon into visiting their penthouse, by falsely claiming that their younger sibling is critically ill.
Lance Parrish (Himself)
In the seventh season’s episode “Baseball Blues,” Philip steps in as the little league coach when Sam resigns (Sam being played by Danny Cooksey, a significant change in casting for the show). However, the team experiences difficulties due to his coaching style. Fortunately, he gets aid from a sponsor for one of his favorite charities, which happens to be Detroit Tigers catcher Lance Parrish.
John Astin (C.W.)
Known primarily for his portrayal of Gomez in the 1964 television adaptation of Charles Addams’ famous comic strip, The Addams Family, John Astin also made a noteworthy guest appearance on Diff’rent Strokes. In a fitting role, he starred in an episode titled “A Haunting We Will Go,” where Arnold and Sam believed that a nearby house was haunted and took it upon themselves to investigate the supposed supernatural activities.
Clarence Clemons (Mr. Kingsley)
In the eighth season episode titled “So You Want to Be a Rock Star?,” Arnold seeks advice from his saxophone mentor, Mr. Kingsley, after realizing his saxophone abilities needed significant improvement. It was fitting to cast one of the most renowned saxophonists in music, the late Clarence “Big Man” Clemons, who was essentially Bruce Springsteen’s right-hand man in E Street Band, for this role.
Mr. T (Himself)
In the aftermath of his triumph in the third Rocky film and post the release of The A-Team, Mr. T’s imposing persona harmonized beautifully with Gary Coleman’s diminutive stature during his guest appearance on Diff’rent Strokes. Upon meeting Arnold, Mr. T inspired him to adopt his unique fashion sense, hoping to gain the affections of his crush. However, rather than pitying the fool, the real Mr. T instead provided Arnold with a heartfelt conversation.
Gordon Jump (Mr. Horton)
A significant, emotional scene from an iconic sitcom unfolds in a unique episode titled “The Bicycle Man” of Diff’rent Strokes. In this episode, Mr. Horton, the bike shop owner, develops an unusual bond with Arnold and Dudley, played by Gordon Jump, who was famously Arthur Carlson on WKRP In Cincinnati before assuming the role of the Maytag Repairman later on.
Janet Jackson (Charlene)
Prior to achieving fame in her own singing career and being recognized as a member of the renowned Jackson family, Janet Jackson initially gained recognition through sitcom acting. One of her notable roles was portraying Penny on the show “Good Times”. Later, she made another significant appearance on “Diff’rent Strokes” as Willis’ girlfriend, Charlene. This role eventually expanded into a 10-episode recurring part for Janet.
Dorothy Hamill (Herself)
In the fifth season episode titled “Ice-Bound Family,” we follow Kimberly’s journey as she strives to become a professional figure skater, her ultimate dream. Along this path, she gains assistance from none other than Dorothy Hamill – a highly accomplished figure skater who won an Olympic Gold medal in 1976.
Reggie Jackson (Larry)
As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “In Season 2’s ‘Father and Son Day,’ I found myself anxious about not being able to compete alongside my son in our athletic event due to his skills outmatching mine. In a desperate bid to save face, I turned to a gym buddy named Larry, who happened to be none other than the legendary New York Yankees right fielder Reggie Jackson. He took on the role of my dad for the day, in what was his first acting stint, long before his side-splitting performance in that classic parody film you might recall.
Kim Fields (Tootie)
The popular TV show “Diff’rent Strokes” led to a successful spin-off titled “The Facts of Life“. In this offshoot, the character Edna Garrett, initially the Drummonds’ housekeeper, played by Charlotte Rae, transitioned into her role as a housemother and dietitian at the Eastland School. A student under her supervision was Tootie, who was portrayed by Kim Fields in some episodes of “Diff’rent Strokes“.
Molly Ringwald (Molly Parker)
Prior to becoming a household name in Hollywood during the 1980s, starring in hit films like “Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club“, Molly Ringwald first stepped into acting on the show Diff’rent Strokes. She featured in two episodes, playing a character named Molly who was friends with Kimberly.
Dabney Coleman (Fred Tanner)
Award-winning actor Dabney Coleman, unrelated to Gary, featured in the double episode debut of Diff’rent Strokes as Fred Tanner. His character’s daughter, Alice (played by Rachel Jacobs), and Arnold found themselves sharing a hospital room when Arnold required an appendectomy. When Tanner asked for Alice to be moved to another room due to Arnold’s race, the children made the decision to escape the hospital without adult supervision.
Soleil Moon Frye (Terry Harris)
Following her successful portrayal as the lead character in Punky Brewster, Soleil Moon Frye secured a guest appearance on Diff’rent Strokes during its seventh season. Here, she played Terry, a friend of Sam’s whom he welcomes for a slumber party.
Shari Belafonte-Harper (Monique)
In one of her initial acting gigs, Shari Belafonte-Harper (daughter of Harry Belafonte) made an appearance on the show Diff’rent Strokes. She portrayed Monique, a cocktail server who consents to go out with Willis. To pull this off, she used a fake ID, a false mustache, and the alias ‘Ronaldo’. However, things took an unexpected turn when his girlfriend, Charlene, discovered him attempting to hide their relationship from her.
Hoyt Axton (Wes McKinney)
While Hoyt Axton is widely known for his role as Randall Peltzer in the beloved holiday horror film “Gremlins”, he also left a lasting impression on television viewers through his appearance on “Diff’rent Strokes”. In this series, he portrayed Sam’s biological father, Wes, who dramatically entered Phillip’s penthouse to declare his intention of taking little boy Sam home with him.
Ray Bolger (Clarence Markwell)
Ray Bolger, famously known for his role as the Scarecrow in the cherished children’s film The Wizard of Oz, delivered his last acting performance on the television show Diff’rent Strokes. In an episode titled “A Haunting We Will Go”, he portrayed Clarence Markwell, a character who Arnold and Sam initially believe to be a ghost haunting the house from the neighboring street.
Mindy Cohn (Natalie Green)
Certain episodes of Diff’rent Strokes featured crossovers with its spin-off, The Facts of Life. For instance, Mindy Cohn’s character, Natalie Green, made appearances. She first joined the cast in Season 2, alongside Kim Fields as Tootie, in the episode titled “The Slumber Party.” The following season (1980-1981), she appeared again, this time with Lisa Whelchel as Blair, in an episode called “The Older Man.
Jayne Kennedy (Mrs. Jenkins)
In 1970, Jayne Kennedy became the first Black woman to win the title of Miss Ohio, an achievement that kick-started her thriving acting career. This notable role led her to appear on popular shows such as “Wonder Woman,” the TV adaptation of “Shaft,” and “Diff’rent Strokes.” In one of these roles, she portrayed a teacher named Mrs. Jenkins, who was later discovered by Arnold to secretly work at a seedy nightclub, where she served tables during her off-hours.
Joey Lawrence (Joey)
Prior to achieving fame through his role in Blossom, one of Joey Lawrence’s initial acting appearances was on a Season 5 episode of Diff’rent Strokes. In this episode, he portrayed another character named Joey, a solitary boy. Arnold requests Willis to act as a mentor to the youngster, but in the process, Willis spends so much time with him that it stirs feelings of jealousy within Arnold.
Andrew Dice Clay (Crazy Larry)
In one of his initial acting stints, comedian Andrew Dice Clay portrayed the character Larry on the sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. He made an appearance in two episodes during the fifth season. The first episode saw Willis attempting to reconcile Larry with a hostile high school gang, while in the second, he tried to get Kimberly to assist Larry in winning over the affections of a crush.
Hervé Villechaize (Himself)
In “Arnold the Entrepreneur” from Season 7, Arnold launches a venture, enlisting Sam to help him peddle bug spray. During their rounds, they encounter Hervé Villechaize, a renowned actor back then. He was famously known as the villain Nick Nack in James Bond movies and Tattoo on “Fantasy Island.
Spice Williams-Crosby (Ellen)
In a more natural and easy-to-read style, the sentence could be rephrased as follows: Spice Williams-Crosby, who was known for being a wrestler, bodybuilder, stunt performer, and actor, was often underestimated during her time in the public eye. Although many people may not recall her appearance on Diff’rent Strokes (where she went by Marcelyn Ann Williams), fans of the Star Trek films might remember her as Vixis from the 1989 movie, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
Jami Gertz (Lindsey)
Back in the early days of my gaming life, I had the chance to step into two unique characters within the world of Diff’rent Strokes/The Facts of Life Universe. In an episode of Diff’rent Strokes, I embodied a character named Lindsey, who found herself in the eye of a romantic triangle involving Larry, a friend of Willis’. The role of Larry was played by none other than Andrew Dice Clay, a fellow guest star. Initially, my character Lindsey was the focus of his affection. However, things took an unexpected turn when, in my attempts to help Larry improve his charm for Lindsey, I ended up capturing his attention unintentionally – it was Kimberly who became the center of his fascination instead.
Krista Errickson (Diane Alder)
Besides “The Facts of Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes,” there was another NBC sitcom named “Hello, Larry” that shared the same television universe. The relationship between these series was elaborated in a few crossover episodes, where Krista Errickson portrayed Diane Alder alongside her fellow cast members.
Robin Givens (Ann)
In the concluding season of ‘Diff’rent Strokes’, Robin Givens, who was about to star as Darlene Merriman in ‘Head of the Class’, appeared as Ann. Willis tried to arrange a date between Arnold and Ann’s younger sister, Phyllis (played by Tyren Perry). However, due to certain circumstances, Arnold ended up having to offer concert tickets to win Phyllis’ favor instead.
Forest Whitaker (Herman)
In his twenties, Forest Whitaker, who would later become a Future Academy Award winner and star in “Black Panther,” made an appearance on “Diff’rent Strokes” as Herman, initially portrayed as a school bully. However, it was revealed that he asked Arnold to watch over his girlfriend while he was absent from school. To his surprise, the woman developed feelings for Arnold instead.
Abb Dickson (Postman)
During his time, Abb Dickson was well-known as one of the top magicians. In an episode of Diff’rent Strokes, however, he took on the role of a mail carrier.
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2024-09-12 00:08