Conrad Bain of 'Diff'rent Strokes' dead at 89

[mac56]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Conrad Bain, a veteran stage and film actor who became a star in middle age as the kindly white adoptive father of two young African-American brothers in the TV sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," has died.

Bain died Monday of natural causes in his hometown of Livermore, Calif., according to his daughter, Jennifer Bain. He was 89.

The show that made him famous debuted on NBC in 1978, an era when television comedies tackled relevant social issues. "Diff'rent Strokes" touched on serious themes but was known better as a family comedy that drew most of its laughs from its standout child actor, Gary Coleman.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/conrad-bain-diffrent-strokes-dead-89-175947422.html

[zellie]

1. Damn... Sorry to hear that . nt

[IveWornAHundredPants]

2. I do wish your screen name was Willis instead of mac56.

I would then be able to formulate a more appropriate response than simply "R.I.P."

[GrantDem]

12. +1

[MADem]

3. That was one weird show, when you think about it.

A rich bachelor adopts two black kids--not infants, but not quite at puberty (at least according to the storyline). No one bats an eye.

Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis, indeed!

To be fair to the plot, I think the mother of the lads died, and had worked for Mister Drummond, but if you turn the show on and don't have that key detail in your head, it doesn't quite add up. I think they should have married Mister Drummond off to a widow with two kids and had her die; the "I adopted my maid's kids" plotline was a bit noblesse oblige for my tastes.

I also always wondered why the kids didn't have any aunts or uncles or cousins or what-have-you. My family tradition wouldn't permit a stranger to adopt the children of a relative--you keep your family together, is what we've grown up with.

Of course, if you apply logic, you have no plot!

That program was carried by AFRTS, back before satellite TV and when they only had one station...talk about a captive audience! I saw quite a few episodes, I know.

That show had some serious bad luck with the child stars--all of them ended up in a bad way--Coleman and Plato ended up dead. The only one who crawled back was "Willis" (Todd Bridges) who apparently finally figured out what he was talking about and got out from under a crippling crack addiction...I guess he's doing well now.

Oh well. RIP Mister Drummond. Your show was not without its amusing moments. Safe passage!

[JI7]

5. did any of the shows ever make mention of the race thing ?

whether seriously or just in a comedic way ? i use to watch this show when i was a kid but i'm not sure of any episodes like that.

[MADem]

8. Yeah, they did a few of those "tolerance" (damn I hate that word) plotlines.

Very much written from a caucasian perspective, IMO, but they meant well.

[Aristus]

7. MAD Magazine's parody of the show offered a precient comment on the subject.

Willis was wondering if, now that "Diff'rent Strokes" was a hit, Redd Foxx would end up adopting two rich white kids.

I thought that was hilarious.

[MADem]

9. I wish I'd seen that--it does sound hilarious! nt

[CreekDog]

4. that show was truly the king of the "very specials"

they seem to quaint now.

but NBC was really into them.

[Tutonic]

6. This could get very interesting if Tod Bridges begins talking...

[JI7]

10. Todd Bridges Calls Bain a "Father Figure"

"I am deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Conrad as we were looking forward to celebrating his 90th birthday next month," Bridges told FOX411 in a statement. "In addition to being a positive and supportive father figure both on and off-screen, Conrad was well-loved and made going to work each day enjoyable for all of us. He will be missed, but never forgotten."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/01/16/diffrent-strokes-dad-conrad-bain-dies-at-age-8/#ixzz2IB22vgi9

[alp227]

11. He retired in the Bay Area? Didn't know that!

I discovered the show when a Bay Area TV station carried it as part of a classic sitcoms block in the late afternoons. RIP Conrad Bain/Phillip Drummond.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

13. Looks like Todd Bridges is the last "Drummond"

[bluestateguy]

14. I was a big fan of his show

Diff'rent Stokes was a hilarious show that also took on a lot of serious topics.

All the main cast members of that show, save for Todd Bridges, are dead now.