Phillip Drummond is the central protagonist of Diff'rent Strokes.
He was portrayed by the late Conrad Bain.
A friendly and wealthy widower, Philip runs Trans-Allied, Incorporated. He was born December 3, 1931 in Manhattan, New York. (This made him Conrad Bain's junior by eight years.)
Phillip has a daughter, Kimberly Drummond (played by Dana Plato), and two adopted African American sons, Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges) and his younger brother Arnold Jackson (Gary Coleman). He also has an eccentric elder sister named Sophia (played by Dody Goodman). Arnold and Willis's mother, Lucy Jackson (portrayed by Betty Bridges, Todd Bridges' real-life mother), worked as a housekeeper for the Drummonds years ago; her death-bed wish was that Phillip would take care of her two sons. In the series pilot, Phillip welcomes Arnold and Willis into his home.
Phillip had dated several women, and would later get remarried to Maggie McKinney, a television aerobics instructor (played by Dixie Carter from 1983 to 1985 and Mary Ann Mobley from 1985 to 1986). Maggie subsequently introduced Sam McKinney (Danny Cooksey), her son from a previous marriage, to the family.
Phillip Drummond is very responsible and has a lot of respect for good people.
Phillip Drummond is the only character to appear in every episode of the series.
Phillip, along with Arnold Jackson, made a cameo in the series finale of the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Relations[]
Lydia Drummond (first wife; deceased)
Maggie McKinney (second wife)
Kimberly Drummond (daughter)
Willis Drummond (adoptive son)
Arnold Drummond (adoptive son)
Sam McKinney (stepson)
Sophia Drummond (sister)
An unnamed mother
An unnamed father
Heinrich Van Drummond (distant granduncle)
Martha Van Drummond (disant grandaunt)
Hans (distant cousin)
| Spoiler warning! This article contains plot details about an upcoming episode. |