♪ Now, the world don't move
to the b*at of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you, may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got,
Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Everybody's got a
special kind of story ♪
♪ Everybody finds
a way to shine ♪
♪ It don't matter that
you got not a lot ♪
♪ So what ♪
♪ They'll have theirs
and you'll have yours ♪
♪ And I'll have mine ♪
♪ And together we'll be fine ♪
♪ 'Cause it takes Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Yes it does ♪
♪ It takes Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
- Thank you, thank
you very much.
Woo!
Thank you very much, thank you.
Yeah.
Now ladies and gentlemen,
if you would please
direct your attention
high above the center ring.
You are about to witness
the most stupendous
act you have ever seen.
- What are you gonna do?
Ride the subway at night?
- I said stupendous,
not death defying.
Now cool it, kiddo,
I work alone here.
- Karen, you asked
him to say that.
- Quiet, Red.
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
I will attempt to
walk the tightrope.
Ooh!
- Okay.
♪ La da da da da ♪
♪ La da da ♪
- Hey, you know that
tightrope you're walking on?
- Yeah?
- It's just make-believe.
- Oh no!
Thank you, thank you,
thank you very much!
Thank you.
Now I hope y'all enjoyed it.
Not more than six or seven
of you got your pockets picked.
Now if I made the streets
a little bit happier for you,
please keep one thing in mind.
Just like everything
else in New York, it costs!
So dig deep and dig often,
and remember, no
amount is too small.
Unless of course it's under $20.
- Hey, come on, folks.
She was really terrific.
Let's all dig in and
reach for our life savings.
Come on, over here, come on.
- Oh thank you.
Wow.
- Hey, how'd you do?
- Arnold, Sam, you
guys are gettin' better
and better every day.
Say, we did pretty good today.
Let's go celebrate!
- How about a soda?
- How about a movie?
- How about both?
- So let's do it.
- Great!
And I know what we can see!
Forget Pinocchio!
- Oh, come on, Pinocchio.
- Not a chance.
You've seen it 18 times.
- Boys, boys, boys,
boys, boys, boys, boys.
Let's talk about
this over a soda.
Walk this way.
And...
R.
D.
E.
- Wait, hold it,
hold it, hold it.
Mutarde isn't a word.
- It is in Paris.
- Okay, okay, sure.
Uh-huh, mademoiselle.
You take this.
There you go.
- Willis, bro isn't a word.
- It is in Harlem.
- Kimberly, a year of
study in Paris has taught
you to cheat in French.
- Oh, Daddy, stop.
- Well, I'm off to
the grocery store.
And Kimberly, I'm
really excited about your
fixing a French
lunch for us tomorrow.
Do you have the shopping list?
- Oh sure.
Right here.
- Thanks.
- Hmm, ooh.
Yummy.
This'll be a wonderful meal.
- What is it, Pearl?
- Who knows?
It's in French.
- Maybe Willis and I should
go shopping with you, Pearl.
- Hey, why do I have to go?
I can't read French.
- But you can carry the
grocery bags in French.
- Okay, now I get it.
Bye, Dad.
- Hey, where are you off to?
- Hi, guys, we're
goin' shoppin'.
- See ya.
Hi, Dad.
- Hi.
- Boy did we see a
great movie, Mr. D.
- Oh yeah, what was that, Sam?
- Pinocchio.
- Again, Arnold?
- Karen and I had no choice.
He threatened to handcuff
himself to the ticket booth.
- So you were with
your friend Karen again?
Sam, it doesn't sound like
you hangin' around with girls.
- I know, but Karen's cool.
She bought me this great hat.
- Well, obviously
your friend Karen has
a pretty large allowance
or she wouldn't be able
to buy all those things.
- Oh, no Dad.
Karen's a street
performer in Central Park.
She's always near
the path at 72nd Street.
- Yup, and she always
lets us help her with her act.
- Oh, I see.
How old is Karen?
- 23.
- How long have
you guys known her?
- Two weeks.
And she's real neat, Dad.
- You should see Karen, Mr. D.
She dresses just
like Charlie Chaplin.
You know, the
guy who stars in all
those computer commercials?
- Sam, you love to play
soccer with your friends, right?
- Right.
- How long is it since
you've played soccer?
- Two weeks ago.
- Arnold, when was the
last time you had a date?
- Mmm, about two weeks ago.
With Mary I don't kiss
on the first date Wilson.
- You get my point, guys?
You love soccer,
you love dating.
It's a wonderful
part of your life
and you're missing it
'cause you're hanging
around with older people.
- Oh, but older people
are nice sometimes.
- Now Arnold, you know
this happened to Willis
when he was your age.
- Aw, to Willis, Dad.
- Now listen, you don't
know anything about Karen.
I'm sure she's a
very nice person,
but she's a street person
and she's much too old for you.
Discussion ended.
- Oh, Dad, wait a minute.
Can we see Karen one
more time and tell her
we won't be helping her
with her act anymore?
- I guess so.
- I'm really gonna miss
her Pinocchio, Mr. D.
We always cry in
the same places.
- Ooh!
And voila!
The ball is gone!
Yay!
Fantastic, fantastic!
- Hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey.
What's that in your pocket?
- Now go away, kid.
You bother me.
Thank you, thank you,
thank you very much.
Hope y'all enjoyed it,
but as y'all well know,
along with pleasure comes pain.
So dig way down
and grab your kneecap
and help this poor
impoverished waif
eek out a fortune.
Woo!
Feed the duck!
Feed the duck!
Feed the duck!
Feed the duck!
- Yeah, it's de-duck-tible.
He made me say it.
- Feed the duck.
Quack, quack!
Feed that duck!
- Whoa.
Hey, you guys were late.
No matter.
We're a great act, aren't we?
- Right.
- Well, where should
we go celebrate today?
- Well, Karen, uh...
- Hey, guys.
Why the long faces?
- Well, our father said
that we couldn't go with...
Karen?
Karen?
- Officer!
Over here!
- Karen!
- What's happening?
- It's Karen!
She's dying!
- No, no, she isn't.
I think this is a seizure.
Someone help me
turn her on her side.
Thanks, it helps
with her breathing.
19 Adam to central.
This is Officer Torres.
Please have an ambulance
respond to 72nd Street
and 5th Avenue.
We appear to have someone
with an epileptic seizure.
- Bon appetit, Papa.
Mwah.
- You know, it's amazing.
Kimberly, when you
left for Paris all you
could do is burn hamburgers.
- Now I bet she knows
how to burn souffles.
- I guess you guys
are starved too, huh?
- Not really.
- Nah.
- Good, then all the more
for me 'cause I am starvin'.
- Well, bon appetit, Willis.
- And a Charles de
Gaulle to you, too.
Mmm, mmm, Kimberly.
Great appetizer, mmm.
Where's the main course?
- Surprise et vous, Willis.
That was the main course.
- Where's the beef?
- Willis, that's the
size that portions are
in New Bell cuisine.
- Really?
Dad, that's awful.
I felt like I just
ate a Small Mac.
- Why aren't you eating, Arnold?
- I don't think he can see it.
- Come on, Arnold.
Give it a try.
- Okay, Dad.
- Hey, let's go out for pizza.
- Pizza?
That's gratitude.
I've been chopping and
steaming and pureeing all morning
and I'm, talkin'
double cheese here?
- My treat.
- Let's go.
- Hey!
Count me in.
I'll take this as
an hors d'oeuvre.
You comin', Dad?
- No, no, I have
work to do here.
- Come on, Sam.
Let's go upstairs.
- Hold it, boys.
Listen, you two have both
been very quiet this afternoon
and now you've just
turned down pizza.
What is wrong?
- Eh, Karen, uh,
she freaked out on us.
- Yeah, her body
just went crazy.
She fell down and
flopped all over the ground.
- It was creepy.
- Creepy.
- Well, it sounds to me as
if your friend had a seizure.
- That's what the
police called it.
An epileptic seizure.
- Well, that's not creepy.
Epilepsy is a
neurological disorder.
It's kind of like a short
circuit in the brain,
as if you grabbed hold
of a high voltage wire.
- Whatever it was, I
don't want to be around it.
- You can't blame him, Dad.
It was awful.
- I really think you
boys should be
a little more understanding.
- I'm sorry, Dad,
but you didn't see it.
- Creepy.
- Come on, Sam.
- Okay, now, ladies
and gentlemen.
Please, please,
step back for this one
because I am about to juggle
three surgically sharp knives.
Ooh hoo.
Whoa.
And woo!
One!
Two!
Oh, sorry, ma'am.
Don't worry, it's only an eye.
It'll grow back.
Thank you, thank you,
thank you very much!
Thank you!
Woo, thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, ooh.
- Excuse me?
My name's Philip Drummond.
The reason I stopped
by is that I believe
you know my boys.
Arnold and Sam?
- Oh, right.
They don't come
around much anymore.
- No, I know they don't.
They told me that
you'd had a seizure.
- Yeah.
And they had a
front row seat for it.
- I gathered as much.
That kind of created
a problem for them.
- Well now that's funny.
My seizures have kind of
created a problem for me, too.
- Yes, I can imagine
that they have.
- Can you, Mr. Drummond?
Do you know the whole
world thinks that I'm a freak
because I have epilepsy?
Well, I don't, I...
- Just listen.
Nobody wants to
hire somebody like me.
Oh, please, don't me misled
by my glamorous appearance.
I don't earn my living on
the streets because I like it.
I tried living a normal life.
I used to be a
kindergarten teacher.
- Bravo!
Bravo!
Oh, wasn't that wonderful?
- Yes, I just love
street theater!
- Oh here, my dear.
- Your both so real!
- Wonderful!
Here, one's for her.
Oh, I just love!
- Thanks.
Look, I'm sorry, Mr. Drummond.
This isn't really your problem.
- Tell me.
What happened to
your teaching career?
- I had a seizure in
front of my class once.
It was suggested I
not come back because
it scared the children.
And you know what?
It made sense to me.
So I quit.
- Well, was that when
you started doing this?
- Oh, no.
I looked for a job
for over a year.
But every time my
employers got my references
and found out I had epilepsy,
well, here I am.
I've been under a
lot of stress lately.
And I guess that's
what set it off.
Funny thing is is,
I take medication.
Now I know it's not
a 100% effective,
but that seizure I
had the other day,
well, it's the first one I've
had in over six months.
- It seems like
you're doing very well.
- Oh, yeah, why don't you
tell Arnold and Sam that.
First seizure I have
in front of my friends,
I might as well rip up
my Christmas card list
and start from scratch.
- Look, Karen, why don't I
bring the boys back here.
It would really help
if they could see
that you're all right.
And if you wouldn't mind
telling them what happened,
I'm sure they could
understand and then
they wouldn't be so frightened.
- Sorry, Mr. Drummond.
Talking won't help,
because no matter
what I say to those boys,
the only thing they're
gonna remember about me
is that seizure.
It's kind of a
tough act to follow.
- Yoo hoo!
- Our friends love
street theater, too.
- How long are you two
going to be appearing here?
- Oh, two more days.
Then we open in the subway.
Oh!
- Watch a little TV.
- Now I feel like you catch it.
- I think the
championship game is on.
Let's check it out.
- Oh boy, I just
love this cartoon!
- Cartoons?
No way!
I want to watch the Mets
championship game here.
- The Mets?
I want to watch Donahue.
- Donahue?
- I want my MTV!
- MTV?
- Come on!
- Come on, guys!
- Hey guys, it's so
nice to be home.
Mwah, mwah.
- All right, we're
watching the Mets.
- Okay, it's time for
championship wrestling.
- All right, I'll buy it.
- Me, too.
- I'm gone.
- Out of here.
- Oh, can't wait
for the third match.
I've got a crush on The Crusher.
I love when he ties Mikey
the Midget in a square knot.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm dusting.
- Guess what, guys.
I met your friend
Karen in Central Park.
- Uh-oh.
- Now listen, Arnold.
I think you can make
her feel a lot better
if you would just go
over there and say hello.
- Why, Mr. D?
First you tell us
not to see Karen.
Now you tell us to see her.
I don't understand.
- See, I think you
could learn something
that would be good
for you to know.
- Are you telling us we
have to go see Karen?
- No, Sam.
I am not gonna force you.
- Good, thanks
for not forcing us.
- Hold it, you guys.
- He's forcing us.
- I just want you to know
that I think you're wrong.
But I respect your feelings.
Okay?
Pearl?
How'd you like to talk to them?
- I don't think so.
- Boy, I sure hope Dad
doesn't bring up Karen again.
- Me, too.
Hmm.
- What's so funny, Arnold?
- Excuse me, miss?
Are you a break
dancer or an epileptic?
- Hey, Arnold.
Karen could be a
ride at Coney Island.
- Stop that, come here,
come here, come here.
Listen, listen, listen
to this, listen to this.
Excuse me, ah, Karen.
Could you hold my milk?
I'm in the mood for a milkshake.
- Stop that!
Stop it right now.
- Eh, what's the matter, Pearl?
- Arnold, there's something.
I have epilepsy.
- Really?
- What?
- Pearl, if we had known,
we wouldn't of done that.
- You shouldn't
have done it anyway.
It was cruel and demeaning.
- I guess you're right.
I'm sorry.
- I'm even sorrier than Arnold.
- No you're not, Sam.
- I am, too.
- You can't be sorrier than me.
I weigh more.
- It does not matter...
- It does matter...
- Okay, boys, it's over.
- Pearl, if you really
do have epilepsy,
how come you
never had a seizure?
- Oh, I have, Arnold.
But not since I got it under
control with medication.
It wasn't always like that.
When I was your
friend Karen's age,
I had plenty of them.
- Really?
- Really.
See, I love being a housekeeper.
But actually I studied
to be a legal secretary.
And well, there wasn't anybody
to take a chance on me.
Unfortunately, there aren't
enough understanding
people in the world
like your father.
- Really?
That's pretty crummy.
- I think so, too, Sam.
But you know, I
consider myself lucky.
I've gotten to meet
interesting people
and be a part of nice families.
- Yeah, we are
pretty nice, aren't we?
- Mmm.
Come here.
I love you.
Mwah.
- Back, Leo, back!
Sit Leo, sit!
Now stay, Leo.
Good boy, Leo.
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
I will attempt to put my head in
this ferocious lion's mouth.
Now he said it's safe,
but I don't know
if I can trust him
because he's always lion!
Okay, Leo, open
up those choppers.
- Arnold, I'm scared
it might happen again.
Are you?
- Of course not.
But you know, Pearl
knows more about this.
Maybe she should talk to Karen.
Come on, let's go.
- Arnold, Sam.
- Uh-oh.
- Couldn't of said
it better myself.
- Uh, sorry folks.
The show's over.
I saw you two sneakin' off.
What, I bore you that fast?
- No, no, of course not.
- We just had to get home
before, uh, uh, dinner.
- At three o'clock?
- You'll never make
a good liar, Sam.
- I'm sorry, Arnold.
- I guess your father forced
you to come down here
and you got down
here and chickened out.
- No one forced us to come.
We wanted to.
- But we were chickening out.
- Now why would I
expect any different?
Why don't you guys
just go buzz off?
- Maybe we don't
want to buzz off.
- Sure we do, Arnold.
Buzz, buzz.
- Get back here, Sam.
Karen, we apologize for
the bad way we acted and all,
but what you're
doing is wrong, too.
- Now what is that
supposed to mean?
- It means you've given up.
- Arnold, please
don't make her angry.
Please?
- I have not given up.
- Really?
You told us you went to college.
Is this what you
went to college for?
- Well, it's the only
thing that I can do.
- You don't know that.
- Look, Arnold.
People don't hire
people like me.
They make jokes instead.
Haven't you heard the one,
hold my milk, I
want a milkshake?
- Uh, no, no, of course not.
Never heard of it.
Karen, there are
organizations for people
who have epilepsy.
- I know that, but
they're not for me.
I'm not that sick.
- It has nothin' to
do with being sick.
Our housekeeper has epilepsy
and she told us that
these organizations
offer counseling
and job placement.
They could probably
find you a really neat job
that you enjoy doing.
- Thanks.
But fat chance.
- Ah, nice try, Arnold.
See ya, Karen.
- Get back here, Sam.
Karen, you never
know unless you try.
And if you're not gonna try,
you've lost me
and Sam as friends.
Come on, Sam.
- It's about time, Arnold.
- Arnold, Sam.
- Rats.
- You think maybe
we could find out
where that placement service is?
- You bet.
- Thanks, Arnold.
- Your mustache tickles.
- Listen, Sam.
I have a feeling you've got
a big question on your mind.
- Right.
How do I get out of here?
- Wouldn't you like to
know if epilepsy is catchy?
- Yeah, like the mumps?
- No.
You can't catch it from
me or anybody else.
So there's no reason
to be afraid of me.
- Phew.
- Hey, I'm still the
same gal who took you
to see Pinocchio four times.
- You're right.
I'm sorry, Karen.
Aw.
- Well, I guess if
I'm gonna be getting
a nifty new job, I won't
be needing these anymore.
- All right.
- Let's celebrate, my treat.
- Ah, my treat this time.
But let's not make it a habit.
- I've got an idea!
Can we see...
No Pinocchio!
♪ Now, the world don't move
to the b*at of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you, may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got,
Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Yes it does ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Mmm ♪
07x24 - A Special Friend
Watch/Buy Amazon Merchandise
Series follows Arnold and Willis Jackson, two African-American boys from Harlem taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman and widower, Phillip Drummond, for whom their deceased mother previously worked, and his daughter, Kimberly.
Series follows Arnold and Willis Jackson, two African-American boys from Harlem taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman and widower, Phillip Drummond, for whom their deceased mother previously worked, and his daughter, Kimberly.