Dana Michelle Plato (née Strain; November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999) was an American actress and model.
In 1999, she died from a drug overdose (later ruled a suicide) of prescription drugs at the age of 34. == Early life == Plato was born Dana Michelle Strain on November 7, 1964, in Maywood, California to Linda Strain, an unwed teenager who was already caring for an 18-month-old child.
In June 1965, the seven-month-old Dana was adopted by Dean Plato, who owned a trucking company, and his wife Florine "Kay" Plato.
The series debuted on NBC in 1978, becoming an immediate hit.
Plato starred on the show from 1978 until 1984, and again from 1985 to 1986; during her tenure, the show appeared on two different networks.
She was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her work on Diff'rent Strokes, and also was part of two TV Land Award nominations given to the cast of the show. In 1981, Plato appeared in the television special A Step In Time.
In 1983, she starred in the television film High School U.S.A.
She admitted to drinking alcohol, using cannabis and cocaine, and suffered an overdose of diazepam when she was 14. In December 1983, Plato moved in with her boyfriend, rock guitarist Lanny Lambert.
Plato starred on the show from 1978 until 1984, and again from 1985 to 1986; during her tenure, the show appeared on two different networks.
The couple married on April 24, 1984, and their only child, Tyler Edward Lambert, was born on July 2, 1984.
Plato starred on the show from 1978 until 1984, and again from 1985 to 1986; during her tenure, the show appeared on two different networks.
Plato starred on the show from 1978 until 1984, and again from 1985 to 1986; during her tenure, the show appeared on two different networks.
In the Season 8 episode that aired on January 17, 1986—Plato's final appearance on the show—Kimberly suffered from the effects of bulimia.
The game was a moderate success (the majority of the game's video content was actually filmed in 1987 and then shelved), but is considered a pioneering title because it was the first to use live actors, one of whom was a well-known personality.
When I get the baby, I will never be alone again." Plato separated from Lambert in January 1988, the same week her mother died of scleroderma.
She had breast implants and modeled for a June 1989 Playboy pictorial, but her career remained stagnant.
During her March 1990 divorce, Plato lost custody of her son to Lambert and was given visitation rights. On February 28, 1991, she entered a video store, produced a pellet gun, and demanded the money in the cash register.
During her March 1990 divorce, Plato lost custody of her son to Lambert and was given visitation rights. On February 28, 1991, she entered a video store, produced a pellet gun, and demanded the money in the cash register.
Consequently, she started taking roles in such B-movies as Bikini Beach Race (1989) and Lethal Cowboy (1992). In 1992, Plato starred in the video game Night Trap, becoming one of the first celebrities to appear in a video game.
In January 1992, she was arrested again, this time for forging a prescription for diazepam.
Dana Michelle Plato (née Strain; November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999) was an American actress and model.
In 1999, she died from a drug overdose (later ruled a suicide) of prescription drugs at the age of 34. == Early life == Plato was born Dana Michelle Strain on November 7, 1964, in Maywood, California to Linda Strain, an unwed teenager who was already caring for an 18-month-old child.
Before her death, she was engaged to her manager Robert Menchaca, with whom she lived in a motor home in Navarre, Florida. On May 7, 1999, the day before she died, Plato appeared on The Howard Stern Show.
Although she allowed a hair to be cut for the test, Stern later claimed she asked for it back after the interview. == Death == On May 8, 1999, Plato and Menchaca were returning to California and stopped at Menchaca's mother's home in Moore, Oklahoma, for a Mother's Day visit.
Upon waking up, Menchaca and their family discovered that Plato had died in her sleep, which they later found out was due to an accidental overdose, but was later ruled a suicide based on Plato's long history of drug abuse. Her body was cremated, and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean. == Legacy == In 2000, Fox broadcast a television documentary based on Plato, titled After Diff'rent Strokes: When the Laughter Stopped.
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.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05