By all accounts, River Phoenix was a sensitive soul, a vegan before it was a thing, who lived a clean, close-to-the-earth lifestyle instilled in him by his parents. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Also still speaking out on behalf of those who didn't is Corey Feldman, star of the likes ofStand by MeandDream a Little Dream who in recent years hasbeen adamant about makingsure that the alleged trauma inflicted on him and others, particularlythe lateCorey Haim, doesn't get swept under the rug. Dana Plato in a scene from "Diff'rent Strokes" | Photo: Getty Images. True Hollywood Story. She recorded six tracks with songwriter/producer Daniel Liston Keller at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California, but the recordings were shelved and not released. 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. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Pontbriand relates that "a booking agent named John Apostle was asked to put a band together. [10][11], Dana Plato was born Dana Michelle Strain on November 7, 1964, in Maywood, California, to Linda Strain, a teenager who was already caring for an 18-month-old child. (she had said in more recent interviews that she was not a lesbian and was only experimenting). ", "As River grew, he did become more and more uncomfortable being the poster boy for all good things," mom Heart Phoenix toldEsquire in 1994. Plato and Lanny Lambert married in 1984 and divorced in 1990. "I've never been happier. The 34-year-old actress was on the show in the first place to rebut the claims of a former roommate who had previously called in and said Plato was back on drugs. Lambert, a cameraman and amateur songwriter, had been experimenting with drugs and alcohol, Richardson said, which she thinks contributed to his death. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Dana Plato Age + Biography + Death. [12], In 1995, during an appearance on The Marilyn Kagen Show alongside co-star Todd Bridges, she spoke of her childhood with her mother, commenting how she had not learned "reality and life skills". "I said, 'What the[bleep] are you doing?'" The song was recorded by lead singer Ernie Sorrentino using studio musicians and released by their label Big Tree Records under the name Bullet. In 1993, she spent a month in a drug and alcohol rehab center in Las Vegas - one of several times she went into rehab. At the time Lambert only admitted to using marijuana, Whitaker said. [45][46], In January 1992, Plato was arrested a second time, for forging a prescription for diazepam. That same year, she was defrauded by her accountant, who was never prosecuted. "I'm tired of defending my character," said Plato, whose missteps since the height of her fame had included being arrested for trying to rob a video store and spending a month in jail after she was caught forging prescriptions for Valium. He died on 6 May 2010 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. They changed their name to Hard Stuff after the song's American release in late 1971. "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. From there, she dabbled in softcore pornography, including a 1997 feature based on her "Diff'rent Strokes" past. Learn all about Lanny Lambert on AllMusic. Diff'rent Strokes star's son commits suicide on anniversary of mom's Dana Plato on the set of "Letting Go" | Photo: Getty Images. Clark then drove Renfro to Florida, giving the teen a chance to detox, and hired a trainer and minder for him while they madeBully. The series debuted in 1978 and became an immediate hit. To use this feature, use a newer browser. That girl looks familiar. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? [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. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. "It serves no purpose to leap to conclusions for none of us will really know what led Jonathan to his decision to take his life. "They didn't," Whitaker said. This is a carousel with slides. The Best Performances In Movies Nobody Talks About. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Sadly and tragically, she never awoke from her sleep. FEAR FACTORY's DINO CAZARES Recalls 'Making Out' With 'Diff'rent She also started her career very early. Lanny Lambert was given custody of Tyler. Lanny Lambert - Zimbio [7][8][9], On May 8, 1999, Plato was found dead from an overdose of prescription drugs at the age of 34, which was later ruled a suicide. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. In April 1984, she married Lanny and on July 2nd, 1984 their son Tyler Edward Lambert was born. In 1990 she made a brief attempt at a musical career, sponsored by producer Howie Rice. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. [50][51][52][53] Plato's body was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean. So he had that secure foundation.". American songwriter and producer. The show was a hit from its 1978 premiere, and Plato charmed audiences. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The next day, May 8, 1999, Plato died of a toxic combination of the painkiller Lortab (hydrocodone) and the muscle relaxant Somaboth of which she had been prescribed for back pain, lingering. Failed to delete flower. "We had five million talks about his compulsive personality and his guilt and fear over not being able to save his father. I didn't see her after that. 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. Plato married the father of her child, rocker Lanny Lambert, in April of that year. English Visibly in turmoil, Tyler shot himself in the head two days before his mother's 11th death anniversary. Plato appeared regularly on the show throughout its run, notably top-billed for four years. Along with Bobby Flax led the early '70s pop rock group Bullet. Born Dana Michelle Strain on the 7th November 1964 in Maywood, California USA, she was an actress best known to the world for playing Kimberly Drummond in the sitcom "Different. There's a beauty in thatthe man with the cause, the leaderbut there's also a deep loneliness.". "It was my responsibility as a kid to regulate her pills," daughter Lorna Luft remembered to author Patti Davis in her 2009 bookThe Lives Our Mothers Leave Us. I think it's right that I'm angry about it, angry at the people who helped him stay sick, and angry at River. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dana Plato R.I.P you are free my friend."[58]. Troubled Final Months of 'Diff'rent Strokes' Star Dana Plato O'Bannon: "Finally, returning to Lambert & Parker's murders, when we see the result of the creature's attack we notice that her bare legs are hung midair but we are not shown why. Judy Garland, a child performer in vaudeville before she signed with MGM as a teenager, was one of the young studio stars prescribed amphetamines to stay awake and barbiturates to help her sleep. This browser does not support getting your location. Plato began to divorce her husband in 1988, the same week her mother died of scleroderma a group of autoimmune diseases. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Renfro had been an unruly kid from the beginning, when he was an unknown making his acting debut inThe Clientat the age of 12 alongside Susan Sarandon in 1994. Add to your scrapbook. Dana Plato's Son Commits Suicide - Daily Beast She was only 34 years old. Bankrupt and addicted to prescription drugs, Plato spiraled out of control. Dana Michelle Plato (ne Strain; November 7, 1964 May 8, 1999)[2][3] was an American actress. Suggest an edit or add missing content. How The Gong Show and Wayne Newton Ruined Her Life. [I was] 18 [or] 19 years old drinking beer. Tyler Lambert was born on 2 July 1984 in California, USA. Dana Plato at the Hollywood Collectors Show | Photo: Getty Images. And we made kind of a little connection. The Tulsa, Okla., office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to ABCNews.com that Lambert died last week from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. She spoke about her life, discussing her financial problems and past run-ins with the law. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In 2000, a documentary based on Plato titled "After Diff'rent Strokes: When the Laughter Stopped" aired on Fox. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Growing up, she struggled to establish herself and to land new roles. Growing Pains: The Trials and Tribulations of 1980s TV Child Stars Tyler was born a year later. Plato's breakthrough feature was the Academy Award-winning film California Suite (1978), in which she played Jenny Warren. We would hang out. ", Asked about the allegations both he and Feldman had made about being sexually abused as kids by men still working in Hollywood to that day, Haim said, "That's life in this world. Joni Richardson says her 25-year-old grandson Tyler Lambert, who committed suicide May 6, was never able to come to terms with the 1999 death of his mother, Diff'rent Strokes star Dana Plato . Lanny Lambert - Dana Plato's Ex-Husband Age, Biography + Net Worth Dana Plato and actors Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges at the 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on January 27, 1980 | Photo: Getty Images. That's what I say to people. The 25-year-old Tyler was Plato's son with Lanny Lambert. She was raised in San Fernando Valley and was an accomplished figure skater before acting, having trained for the Olympic Games. And there are some who hit the ground running at 9 and never stopped. Her death was a tragic coda to what was unarguably a hard life, fleeting perks of fame aside. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. "He had all the opportunities in the world and we just can't understand it."