In 1983, she moved in with her rock guitarist boyfriend Lambert, the pair were married by April 24, 1984, and their son, Tyler, was born on July 2, 1984. She also dabbled in softcore pornography, including a 1997 feature based on her "Diff'rent Strokes" past. When the song became a hit, an actual band was needed to . After Plato discovered she was pregnant in 1984, the network decided the actress no longer fit their wholesome image. Tyler was a cameraman and amateur songwriter. "He had all the opportunities in the world and we just can't understand it." To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Later that month, the deputy state medical examiner ruled Plato's death a suicide; she didn't leave a note, but he factored in her history of drug abuse and depression as well as the amount of medication found in her system. There's a beauty in thatthe man with the cause, the leaderbut there's also a deep loneliness.". Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [28] In spite of the film being met with a mixed response from critics and viewers alike,[29][30] it gained popularity at the time of its premiere, particularly for its cast. So he had that secure foundation.". Phoenix had also mentioned beingsexually abused as a little boy when his family was still a part of the Children of God cult, a group he later called "disgusting. Plato was born to teen mother Linda Strain in 1964 and was adopted by Dean and Florine "Kay" Plato in 1965. "It's helped me greatly. Toward the end of her career, Plato chose roles that were erotic;[39] she appeared nude in Prime Suspect (1989) and Compelling Evidence (1995), and in the softcore erotic drama Different Strokes: The Story of Jack and Jilland Jill (1998), the title of which was changed after filming in order to tie it to Plato's past. Thereafter, Plato appeared recurringly on Diff'rent Strokes from 1985 to 1986, the show's end;[25] in season 8, the episode which aired on January 17, 1986, was Plato's final appearance on the show, which showed her character suffering from bulimia. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. In addition to being a budding actress, Plato was an experienced figure skater, almost worthy of a potential qualification for an Olympic team. ", "My life is so good now," she added. But he also said Lambert thought he had a closer relatonship with his mother than he really did. [12] Upon waking up, Menchaca and their family discovered that Plato had died in her sleep initially assumed an accidental overdose but later ruled a suicide based on Plato's long history of substance use. does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. I just saw the whole movie going down the drain.". I know her. (Dana did grab a small part in "Exorcist II: The Heretic," a film that has been voted one of the worst of all time. Just over a year later, on May 28, 2010, Gary Coleman died, two days after suffering a head injury in a fall down the stairs at his home in Utah. After she left with the money, the clerk called 9-1-1 and said, "I've just been robbed by the girl who played Kimberly on Diff'rent Strokes." Like his mother, Tyler, a cameraman and aspiring songwriter, had battled drug and alcohol abuse. Some callers, as well as host Howard Stern, came to Plato's defense, though Stern also referred to himself as "an enabler" and sarcastically offered Plato drugs. [47] Many callers to the show insulted Plato and questioned her sobriety, which angered and provoked her, and she defiantly offered to take a drug test on the air. A few years later, she bared all for Playboy and began starring in B-movies. ", Remarking on what was said at his memorial, all the people comforting each other with thoughts of Phoenix in heaven, or as energy now all around them, Plimpton cracked, "You would have thought he was 90 and had died in his sleep. Approximately fifteen minutes after the robbery, Plato returned to the scene and was immediately arrested. Bullet was a one-hit wonder American rock band. Recent News:Dana Plato's Diff'rent Strokes co-star, Gary Coleman has died. (It also wasn't a bad career move for Jodi Foster, who wasnominated for an Oscar for 1976'sTaxi Driver and has since won two.) Lambert, a cameraman and amateur songwriter, had been experimenting with drugs and alcohol, Richardson said, which she thinks contributed to his death. Lambert, a cameraman and amateur songwriter, had been experimenting with drugs and alcohol, Richardson said, which she thinks contributed to his death. During the interview, Plato was quite frank about her life and career, even openly admitting to being a recovering addict. Phoenix, coincidentally, turned down the lead inThe Basketball Diaries, despite being an admirer of the book,and he was lined up to star inTotal Eclipseboth roles that then went to DiCaprio. She spoke about her life, discussing her financial problems and past run-ins with the law. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. [55] In 2006, NBC aired the television film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Diff'rent Strokes, which was based on the lives of the child stars who had worked on the show. Following is the autopsy report from the Office of the Chief of Medical Examiners in Oklahoma City, OK. Dana Plato in one of her less glamorous moments. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. We had a connection. "I'm not just saying that nowI said that before he died. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. I don't want to be comforted by his death. No part(s) of this site may be duplicated or used without permission. The 25-year-old Tyler was Plato's son with Lanny Lambert. As "White Lies" quickly ran up the charts, guitarist Paul Granato was recruited along with keyboard/trumpet player Roget Pontbriand, and other members of the New York band Riverside Drive, to fill out a touring band. This violated her probation terms, and she was sent to jail for thirty days while entering a drug rehabilitation program. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. In 1991, Plato was arrested after robbing a video rental store for a miserable loot of one hundred and sixty-four dollars. "Mother's Day was always a difficult time, not only because it was Mother's Day but the anniversary of Dana's death," Johnny Whitaker, a former child actor who had been Plato's manager and later became a certified drug counselor, told ABC News after Tyler's death. But he never was. Plato married Lambert's father, Lanny Lambert. This browser does not support getting your location. the filmmaker told theSeattle Timesafter Renfro died. He also would take the opportunity to cash in on his celebrity, running for governor of California in 2003 and appearing onThe Surreal Life in 2004. According to vocalist Ernie Sorrentino, he was asked to provide a lead vocal for the Lanny Lambert and Bobby Flax song, "White Lies, Blue Eyes," which had been recorded with studio instrumentalists some weeks before with Flax and Lambert singing harmony vocals. In 1992, Plato starred in the video game Night Trap, becoming one of the first celebrities to appear in a video game. Portrait of Dana Plato in 1985 | Photo: Getty Images. Her ill-conceived grab for rent money (it was really a cry for help according to many people) sent her to jail for a short stint, but her new notoriety managed to get her work in the "no publicity is bad publicity" world of Hollywood. American songwriter and producer. And by the time she was 18, she got pregnant by her then 21-year-old boyfriend, Lanny Lambert, and was written off the show. Coroner officials in Oklahoma today ruled the troubled ex-Diff'rent Strokes star committed suicide--intentionally overdosing on a toxic batch of painkillers. She posed for a June 1989 Playboy pictorial (a 5-page nude layout, the shots were taken in November 1988 in Arizona and appeared in the June 1989 issue of Playboy Magazine). And we would always invite some people over. Her first excursion into the film world occurred when she was 11 in the television film Beyond the Bermuda Triangle (1975). No matter how public, the stars have always found a way to suffer in silence. Dana Plato was a child actress on the television show Diff'rent Strokes. In reality, Plato was adopted, and after her adoptive parents divorced, she grew up mainly with her adoptive mother. Her body was cremated, and ashes dispersed into the Pacific Ocean. He was in and out of court and rehab before dying of a heroin overdose at 25. He charted eight times as a songwriter between 1971 and 1980, with "White Lies, Blue Eyes" by Bullet (co-written by Flax) landing at #28 in the U.S. in 1971. The producers, satisfied with the result, asked Sorrentino to record "Changes of Mind" for the B side, a song that he and drummer Mike Micara had written for their current band. She then starred in the 1975 made for television film Beyond the Bermuda Triangle. (April 21, 1984 - March 15, 1990) (divorced) (1 child) In December 1983, Plato moved in with her boyfriend, rock guitarist Lanny Lambert. But she was written off the series in 1984 amid rumors of drug use, and she struggled to find other roles. It was a devastating blow for the family. Plato, who died at age 34, had a son, Tyler, with her former husband, rock guitarist Lanny Lambert. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. And then I was, like, 'I don't live too far from here. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. "He'd been banging coke. EU Users: Click here to revoke your choice, California Notice / Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Add to your scrapbook. The Best Performances In Movies Nobody Talks About. Learn more about merges. At one point, the young actress was even reduced to accepting anything and everything. "I don't know if it's reflective of child actors exactly, but more about whether child actors have enough of a familial foundation to withstand the difficulties," Rob Reiner, who directed Phoenix in Stand by Me, toldThe Guardianin 2018. "It's a shame that such a talented human being would do this with his life," his paternal grandmother, Joni Richardson, who had helped raised him, told People at the time. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. And we made kind of a little connection. Tyler tried to get over losing his mum at such a young age, but he also became a victim of his mother's death. I probably shouldn't say that, but, yeah, I was doing that. Lanny Lambert and Dana Plato were married for 5 years. He had been out that night with his girlfriend Samantha Mathis, who he had just co-starred with in The Thing Called Love, and his then 19-year-old brother Joaquin Phoenix. They ask, 'Where you been, Corey?' We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}contact us!