Maya Chen
La Toya Jackson is an American singer and television personality. She is the fifth child of the famous Jackson family and first gained recognition on her family's variety television series, The Jacksons, on CBS between 1976 and 1977. She went on to have a successful solo music career, releasing nine studio albums over fifteen years. Jackson has also posed for Playboy magazine and competed on The Celebrity Apprentice. While her sister Janet Jackson appeared on the popular sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, La Toya Jackson did not.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did LaToya Jackson have a role in Diff'rent Strokes? | No |
| LaToya Jackson's occupation | Singer, television personality, and author |
| LaToya Jackson's famous family members | Michael Jackson, Rebbie Jackson, Janet Jackson |
| Diff'rent Strokes cast | Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Conrad Bain, Dana Plato, Charlotte Rae, Nedra Volz, Mary Jo Catlett |
| LaToya Jackson's TV appearances | The Jacksons, Life with La Toya, The Celebrity Apprentice |
| LaToya Jackson's singing career | Solo artist with nine studio albums, including hits "If You Feel the Funk" and "Heart Don't Lie" |
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What You'll Learn
La Toya Jackson's career
La Toya Jackson is an American singer, television personality, producer, and author. She is the fifth child and middle daughter of the famous Jackson family. Jackson first gained recognition through her family's variety television series, *The Jacksons*, which aired on CBS from 1976 to 1977. She appeared alongside her sisters Rebbie and Janet, and her brothers Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Michael, and Randy, singing, dancing, and performing skits.
In 1979, Switch's hit "I Call Your Name" was inspired by Jackson. The following year, she released her self-titled debut album, *La Toya*, which featured the modest hit "If You Feel the Funk". She went on to release nine studio albums over 15 years under multiple record labels, including Polydor, Sony Music, and RCA. Her other popular songs include "Heart Don't Lie" (1984), "Bet'cha Gonna Need My Lovin'", "Hot Potato", "You're Gonna Get Rocked!", and "Sexbox". Jackson also composed the song "Just Say No" for the US first lady Nancy Reagan's anti-drug campaign.
In addition to her musical career, Jackson is a two-time New York Times best-selling author. She posed for Playboy magazine in 1989 and 1991 to promote her book, *La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family*. In 1992, she signed a contract with the Moulin Rouge to star in the successful Paris revue, *Formidable*. Jackson's recording career began to decline in the 1990s due to her controversial marriage to entertainment manager Jack Gordon, whom she later divorced. After a period of public seclusion, she returned to the music industry in 2004 with the successful singles "Just Wanna Dance", "Home", and "Free the World". In 2011, she appeared on *The Celebrity Apprentice* and released an extended play, *Starting Over*, alongside her autobiography. From 2013 to 2014, Jackson also starred in her own reality television series on the Oprah Winfrey Network, *Life with La Toya*.
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'Diff'rent Strokes' cast
The American television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes aired from 1978 to 1986 and boasted a multi-racial cast. The series starred Gary Coleman as Arnold Jackson, and Todd Bridges as his older brother Willis Jackson. Arnold's famous catchphrase was "Whatcha talking 'bout Willis?". The two characters were boys from Harlem who were taken in by a wealthy Park Avenue businessman, Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain), after their mother, who previously worked for him, died.
Phillip Drummond's daughter, Kimberly, was played by Dana Plato. The show also starred Charlotte Rae as Mrs Edna Garrett, the Drummonds' first housekeeper, who spun off into her own sitcom, The Facts of Life. The second housekeeper, Adelaide Brubaker, was played by Nedra Volz, and the third housekeeper, Pearl Gallagher, was played by Mary Jo Catlett.
Other recurring characters included Dudley Johnson (Shavar Ross), Arnold's best friend, Janet Jackson as Willis's girlfriend Charlene DuPrey, and Dudley's adoptive father, Ted Ramsey (Le Tari).
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La Toya Jackson's family
La Toya Jackson is the fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family. Her parents are Joe and Katherine Jackson, and she has nine siblings: Rebbie, Janet, Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Michael, Randy, Jermaine, and another brother.
La Toya first gained recognition through her family's variety television series, The Jacksons, in which she appeared alongside her sisters Rebbie and Janet, and her brothers Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Michael, and Randy. She went on to have a successful solo music career, releasing nine studio albums over 15 years.
In 1989 and 1991, La Toya posed for Playboy magazine to promote her autobiography, La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family. In the book, she accused her father, Joseph, of child abuse and detailed the personal lives of her superstar siblings, including Michael, Janet, Jermaine, Randy, Tito, and Rebbie. La Toya's parents initially denied the allegations, but Michael later confirmed them in a 1993 interview.
La Toya's marriage to entertainment manager Jack Gordon caused a strain on her relationship with her family. Her public image became increasingly sexualized, and she was disfellowshipped by the Jehovah's Witnesses, a religion she had adopted alongside her mother and siblings in 1966. La Toya eventually left Gordon in 1997 due to his abusive behavior and reunited with her family in the late 1990s.
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The show's premise
Diff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that first aired on NBC in 1978. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two African-American boys from Harlem who are adopted by a wealthy Park Avenue businessman, Phillip Drummond, and his daughter, Kimberly.
Phillip Drummond is a widower whose deceased wife previously worked for him as a housekeeper. On her deathbed, she asked him to take care of her sons. Mrs. Garrett, the new housekeeper, played the maternal figure on the show. The show centred around the lives of the two young brothers, who navigate their new lives with the Drummond family.
The show also had a successful spin-off, The Facts of Life, which focused on Mrs. Garrett, the housekeeper, and her new role as a housemother at the fictional Eastland School. This spin-off further bolstered the popularity of Diff'rent Strokes, showcasing the impact and resonance of the show's premise with audiences.
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The show's legacy
Diff'rent Strokes is remembered for its comedic performances and for tackling serious social issues. The show's legacy is that of a successful sitcom that addressed topics such as racism, bulimia, class division, child molestation, and sexism. The show's stars, particularly Gary Coleman, also struggled with various issues after the show ended.
The show's title was inspired by the phrase "Different strokes for different folks", popularized by boxer Muhammad Ali, who made a guest appearance in the second season. The show's creator, Norman Lear, was keen to cast Conrad Bain, who had recently co-starred in the successful series Maude, and 10-year-old Gary Coleman, who had appeared in commercials and television guest roles. The pairing of Bain and Coleman was considered unusual but had great chemistry.
The show's premise revolves around a wealthy Park Avenue businessman, Phillip Drummond (played by Bain), who takes in two boys from Harlem, Arnold (Coleman) and Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges), whose mother previously worked for him. The show also featured Drummond's daughter, Kimberly (Dana Plato), and a series of housekeepers, the first of whom, Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae), spun off into her own sitcom, The Facts of Life.
The show featured a multi-racial cast and dealt with serious issues, making it progressive for its time. It also popularized the concept of "very special episodes", in which the usual laughs were tempered by serious topics. The show's young stars went on to face various struggles in their adult lives, including drug abuse and money problems.
Diff'rent Strokes is remembered fondly by fans, who consider it a beloved part of pop culture and a show that expanded the definition of "family". The show's impact is evident in the numerous condolences and messages received by Legacy.com following Bain's death, with fans recalling how the show brought them lots of laughs and touched their lives.
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Frequently asked questions
No, LaToya Jackson did not have a role in Different Strokes.
Different Strokes starred Gary Coleman as Arnold Jackson, and Todd Bridges as his older brother, Willis Jackson.
The series also featured Conrad Bain as Phillip Drummond, Dana Plato as Drummond's daughter, Kimberly, and Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Edna Garrett, the housekeeper.
Yes, Janet Jackson played Willis's girlfriend, Charlene DuPrey.
