Diff'rent Strokes Star Conrad Bain Dies At 89
Jan. 16 2013, Published 1:20 p.m. ET
Conrad Bain, who played Phillip Drummond on the 80s hit Diff'rent Strokes, has died at 89, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The venerable actor, who was born in Canada, died at his Livermore, California home Monday, according to reports.
Best known for his role as the rich father on Diff'rent Strokes, Bain's resume also included stints on Broadway (Uncle Vanya, The Owl and the Pussycat, On Golden Pond, The Dining Room); films (Woody Allen's Bananas, Gene Hackman's I Never Sang for My Father); and the TV show Maude.
Todd Bridges is the only surviving regular member of the cast, as Dana Plato died in 1999 after a drug overdose, and the star of the show, Gary Coleman, died in 2010. (Charlotte Rae who appeared as housekeeper Edna Garrett in the show’s first season and first half of the second season, before leaving for own successful spin-off show, The Facts of Life, also survives.)
Todd Bridges told us in a statement, "I am deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Conrad as we were looking forward to celebrating his 90th birthday next month.
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"In addition to being a positive and supportive father figure both on and off-screen, Conrad was well-loved and made going to work each day enjoyable for all of us. He will be missed, but never forgotten."
Bridges, calling Bain the "glue" of the cast, said he'd just talked with the actor last week and everything seemed fine.
The actor is survived by a twin brother named Bonar, three sons and one daughter.
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