Diff'rent Strokes
TV Show · Comedy · Classics

Whatchoo talkin' bout Willis? Gary Coleman became a child superstar in this rags-to-riches tale of two adopted brothers from Harlem who move to Manhattan to live with their wealthy (and white) adoptive father and sister. This ground-breaking '70s series raised issues of race and class, breaking conventions about what defines a family.

1978 · 22m
  • 10+
Starring Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges
Director Gerren Keith, Mel Ferber

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1
    Movin' In
    Multi-millionaire Phillip Drummond, who has agreed to the death-bed wish of his housekeeper to raise her two small sons as his own, welcomes 8-year-old Arnold and 12-year-old Willis into his lavish penthouse.
    22m
  • EPISODE 2
    The Social Worker
    Arnold's eavesdropping leads to trouble when a misunderstanding causes Willis and him to think that Mr. Drummond no longer wants them around. He has heard Drummond tell a social worker that "black children belong with black families".
    23m
  • EPISODE 3
    Mother's Last Visit
    Mr. Drummond's socialite and rather snobbish mother arrives and finds there's a lot she doesn't like about her son's new sons, but she soon learns a valuable lesson about what's really important in a person.
    22m
  • EPISODE 4
    Prep School
    When Mr. Drummond tries to get Arnold and Willis into an exclusive prep school, it turns out to be just a little too exclusive for everyone's tastes.
    22m
  • EPISODE 5
    The Spanking
    Mr. Drummond's decision to punish Arnold for a prank with a spanking becomes a learning experience for Willis too, when he insists that he be the one to spank Arnold.
    22m
  • EPISODE 6
    Goodbye Dolly
    When Arnold loses his favorite doll, he makes sure that his misery is shared equally by the various members of his household, who soon try everything to get it back.
    22m

Related

Cast & Crew

  • Conrad Bain
    Philip Drummond
  • Gary Coleman
    Arnold Jackson
  • Todd Bridges
    Willis Jackson
  • Dana Plato
    Kimberly Drummond
  • Charlotte Rae
    Mrs. Edna Garrett
  • Mary Jo Catlett
    Pearl Gallagher
  • Danny Cooksey
    Sam McKinney
  • Mary Ann Mobley
    Maggie McKinney
  • G‌K
    Gerren Keith
    Director
  • M‌F
    Mel Ferber
    Director
  • H‌K
    Herbert Kenwith
    Director

About

Diff'rent Strokes

Comedy

Whatchoo talkin' bout Willis? Gary Coleman became a child superstar in this rags-to-riches tale of two adopted brothers from Harlem who move to Manhattan to live with their wealthy (and white) adoptive father and sister. This ground-breaking '70s series raised issues of race and class, breaking conventions about what defines a family.

10+

COMMON SENSE

Classic series with a sense of humor tackles racial issues.

Information

Studio
NBC
Released
1978
Rated
TV-PG
Region of Origin
United States
© 1978 Tandem Licensing Corp. All Rights Reserved.

Languages

Original Audio
English
  • Español (México)
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)