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Dana Plato

Dana Plato

Actor

Born November 7, 1964 in Maywood, California, USA

Died May 8, 1999

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Biography

Dana Michelle Plato was born in Maywood, California, on Saturday, November 7, 1964. Dana made an impact on the TV screen when she landed the role of Kimberly Drummond in the TV hit sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978) from 1978-1986. After the series ended, Dana had difficulty finding more acting work. Sometimes she would act in a made-for-TV movie or a low- budget silver-screen film. She was married for Lanny Lambert for seven years and they had a son.

Plato was arrested in 1991 for robbing a Las Vegas video store and placed on probation; the next year she was arrested again, this time for forging a Valium prescription. She had just finished an interview with Howard Stern in the spring of 1999 when she and her fiancé, Robert Menchaca, were headed back to California. She hoped the interview would revive her stalled career. They stopped at his parents' house in Moore, Oklahoma for a Mother's-Day-weekend visit; on Saturday, May 8, 1999, Dana died of what appeared to be an accidental overdose of the painkiller "Loritab". On May 21, a coroner's inquest ruled her death a suicide because of the large amount of drugs in her body and her history of past suicide attempts. She was 34 years old.

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Dana Plato Photos

Dana Plato Videos

Official Trailer

Bikini Beach Race Trailer

Schoolboy Father 1980 afterschool special

Filmography

Actor

52

Type

Year

Gary Feature Film2024Self - 'Kimberly' in Diff'rent Strokes

The Tragic Side of Fame TV Movie2011Self

The Child Star Jinx Poster

The Child Star Jinx Documentary2005

Pacino Is Missing Poster

Pacino Is Missing Feature Film2002Prosecuting Attorney

The Kid Stays in the Picture Poster

The Kid Stays in the Picture Documentary2002Self

Insatiable Coeds Poster

Insatiable Coeds TV Movie2000Piano Teacher's Wife

TV Guide's Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals 2 Documentary2000Self

Silent Scream Feature Film1999Emma Jones

The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Poster

The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards TV Special1999Self - Memorial Tribute

Desperation Boulevard Poster

Desperation Boulevard Feature Film1998Dana Plato

Different Strokes Poster

Different Strokes Video1998Jill Martin

The Hostage Poster

The Hostage Feature Film1998Leslie

Blade Boxer Poster

Blade Boxer Video1997Rita

Tiger Feature Film1997Andrea Baker

Vibe TV Series1997Self

E! True Hollywood Story Poster

E! True Hollywood Story TV Series1996Self

The Best of Ed's Night Party Video1996Self

Compelling Evidence Poster

Compelling Evidence Feature Film1995Dana Fields

Lethal Cowboy Poster

Lethal Cowboy Feature Film1995Elizabeth

Millenium Day Poster

Millenium Day Feature Film1995

Silent Fury Poster

Silent Fury Feature Film1994

The Suzanne Somers Show Poster

The Suzanne Somers Show TV Series1994Self

Bikini Beach Race Poster

Bikini Beach Race Feature Film1992J. D.

Night Trap Poster

Night Trap Video Game1992Kelly

The Sounds of Silence Poster

The Sounds of Silence Feature Film1992Deborah Nichols

Maury TV Series1991Self

The Word Poster

The Word TV Series1990Self

Prime Suspect Poster

Prime Suspect Feature Film1989Diana Masters

The Arsenio Hall Show Poster

The Arsenio Hall Show TV Series1989Self

Growing Pains Poster

Growing Pains TV Series1985Lisa

Celebrity Daredevils TV Movie1983Self

High School U.S.A. Poster

High School U.S.A. TV Movie1983Cara Ames

Sally Jessy Raphael Poster

Sally Jessy Raphael TV Series1983Self

Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary Poster

Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary TV Special1982Daughter

A Step in Time TV Movie1981

Circus of the Stars #6 TV Special1981Self

Circus of the Stars #5 Documentary1980Self - Performer

Hello, Larry Poster

Hello, Larry TV Series1979Kimberly Drummond

The Facts of Life Poster

The Facts of Life TV Series1979Kimberly Drummond

California Suite Poster

California Suite Feature Film1978Jenny

Diff'rent Strokes Poster

Diff'rent Strokes TV Series1978Kimberly Drummond

The End Feature Film1978Dancing Student

CHiPs TV Series1977Dana Plato

Exorcist II: The Heretic Poster

Exorcist II: The Heretic Feature Film1977Sandra Phalor

Return to Boggy Creek Poster

Return to Boggy Creek Feature Film1977Evie Jo

The Love Boat Poster

The Love Boat TV Series1977Patty Springer

What Really Happened to the Class of '65? Poster

What Really Happened to the Class of '65? TV Series19771 episode, 1978

Family TV Series1976Debbie

Beyond the Bermuda Triangle Poster

Beyond the Bermuda Triangle TV Movie1975Wendy

The Six Million Dollar Man Poster

The Six Million Dollar Man TV Series1974Girl on the Tennis Court

ABC Afterschool Specials Poster

ABC Afterschool Specials TV Series1972Daisy Dallenger

The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) Poster

The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) TV Series1965Self - Panelist

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