Dana Plato, once the beloved star of the 1970s sitcom Diff’rent Strokes, tragically passed away at the young age of 34 on May 8, 1999, following, shortly after an appearance on the Howard Stern show.
Plato tragically died from a drug overdose, with her death coming as the devastating culmination of years of struggle with addiction, personal loss, and the pressures of fame.
Though the circumstances surrounding her death initially seemed accidental, a medical examiner later ruled it a suicide, citing the combination of drugs in her system and her history of mental health struggles.
Born on November 7, 1964, in Maywood, California, Dana Plato’s early life was marked by both hardship and opportunity.
Adopted by Dean and Kay Plato, Dana experienced the turmoil of her parents' divorce at a young age.
Raised primarily by her mother, Dana’s journey into the world of acting began when she was a child.
At just 13 years old, she was cast as Kimberly Drummond on the hugely popular NBC sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. Her portrayal of the wholesome daughter of the wealthy Drummond family made her a household name.
The success of Diff’rent Strokes catapulted Plato into stardom alongside her co-stars, Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges.
But with fame came the pressures of Hollywood, and by her early teens, Plato had begun experimenting with drugs and alcohol, alongside her co-stars. As her career continued, the burden of growing up in the spotlight took its toll.
By 1983, Plato had moved in with her future husband, guitarist Lanny Lambert, and had a child by the age of 19.
Shortly after her pregnancy, Plato was written out of Diff’rent Strokes, with the producers concerned that her personal life was compromising the show’s wholesome image.
Though she returned to the series in a guest role, her career trajectory soon took a downward turn.
In the years that followed, Plato struggled to find steady acting work, often appearing in low-budget films and adult movies.
Meanwhile, her battle with addiction deepened. Her personal life was further destabilized by the breakdown of her marriage, the death of her mother in the late 1980s, and the loss of custody of her son to her ex-husband due to her substance abuse.
Plato’s financial troubles also worsened when her accountant embezzled much of her savings, and her efforts to revive her career in Las Vegas proved unsuccessful.
In 1991, Plato made headlines when she was arrested for robbing a video store in Las Vegas, an incident that seemed to symbolize her decline.
A year later, she was arrested again for forging prescriptions for Valium. Though she completed rehab and publicly claimed to be clean, those close to her remained deeply concerned about her ongoing struggles.
The day before her death, Dana Plato made an emotional appearance on The Howard Stern Show, where she claimed to be sober, per the New York Post.
Despite her insistence, many listeners felt that Plato sounded “stoned,” and several callers questioned her sobriety.
Plato, visibly distressed, offered to submit to a drug test to prove she was clean. Stern's producer, Gary Dell’Abate, cut a few locks of her hair, and Plato expressed confidence that the results would vindicate her.
But according to Stern, a tug-of-war over the hair ensued after the show. “She gave us the hair – then she said, ‘No, I want it back.’ And Gary wouldn’t give it back and it was a whole big mess,” Stern later recalled.
Plato briefly grabbed the hair back but then relented, once again claiming her sobriety. Stern later said: “That’s when I knew she must have been on drugs.”
Tragically, just one day later, Plato’s life came to a sudden and heartbreaking end.
On May 8, 1999, Dana Plato died of a drug overdose in Moore, Oklahoma, while visiting family.
Police initially believed her death was accidental, but a medical examiner later determined it to be a suicide due to the combination of drugs found in her system, including Valium, the painkiller Loritab, and a muscle relaxant.
Despite her tragic passing, there was no suicide note found, leaving many to wonder about her state of mind in her final days.
In the aftermath of her death, her son, Tyler Lambert, who had been 14 years old at the time, was devastated by the loss.
Tragically, Tyler’s life would also be marked by tragedy, and on May 6, 2010 — just two days before the 11th anniversary of his mother’s death — Tyler Lambert took his own life.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.If you or someone you know is battling addiction, please reach out for help and contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) or go to https://findtreatment.gov/