On The Set Of Diff’rent Strokes- Review

By Chris Doyle

Are you fed up with all the bad publicity and negative stories surrounding Diff’rent Strokes? Do you want to hear some stories from a positive point of view and hear what fun the cast really did get up to? This is the tape for you!

Shavar Ross played Arnold’s best friend Dudley Ramsey on Diff’rent Strokes from 1980 right through until the end in 1986. Now for the first time, Shavar tells the stories from the set of Diff’rent Strokes from his own point of view.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I got this tape. I did know that I was fed up with seeing a lot of negative publicity about the show and its cast, so I thought it would definitely be interesting to listen to a different point of view from someone who knows what they are talking about.

I was definitely not disappointed.

Shavar introduces himself and talks about how the tape is styled and laid out, it is set in 5 different sections. He talks about what it is he does and about how there are still many fans of Diff’rent Strokes all over the world- even in countries like Israel.

Then, we are asked to forget that it is a cassette that we are listening to. Instead, to imagine Shavar Ross is in the room with us, telling us his story and talking to you as an individual person.

Shavar talks about his early years, how he grew up and how he didn’t have a lot of money. How he went to meet his dad (already an actor) in California for a Christmas holiday, and it would end up being the trip of a lifetime!

It was whilst on that vacation with his Dad in California that he first attended an acting class, then was discovered at a play starring Kim Fields. He was seen by a talent scout from a leading children’s acting agency who saw instantly that he possessed talent and then before he knew it he was a working actor in various commercials and landing small parts in the sitcoms Alice and Benson.

Shavar talks about how he first saw Diff’rent Strokes on television and was inspired by seeing young African-American actors on television as it was very unusual in those days, and how he saw Gary Coleman as being something of a role model.

Then comes the audition for Diff’rent Strokes. No fewer than 250 boys went for the part of Dudley, and Shavar was lucky enough to be cast. He then talks about being on the set for the first day, meeting the cast for the first time, how he first saw Gary, Todd and Dana and how he prepared for his first episode “Teachers Pet.”

At the end of that episode, Shavar did some more commercials but did not expect to ever return to the Diff’rent Strokes cast after doing just the one episode. However, he did! Not only that, but he landed a contract to appear in the show regularly. He talks about his favorite episode of the show “Room For One More” and how he soon became a member of the Strokes family.

Shavar talks about all the different aspects of working on the show, including the education that he attended with Gary, Todd and Dana and the field trip they went on. Also, what it would be like when he was spotted in the street with Gary who was one of his real life best friends and who once gave him a giant train set for Christmas!

Shavar was delighted to have a central role in the last ever Strokes episode “The Front Page” in 1986.

Unfortunately, just 2 years after the show finished, Shavar’s father died of a heart attack. He turned to God and now runs Tri-Seven Entertainment which is a fast growing entertainment company providing acting services to all kinds of people.

This cassette was really a joy from start to finish and was excellent in every way. The story itself was really good, but the way it was told was also highly entertaining. As I was intended to, I forgot I was listening to a tape and I really did feel like Shavar was in the room telling his story, other than being thousands of miles away!

The gentle background music used quietly and gently adds something to the style and presentation to perfect it.

So not only is this tape great from a Diff’rent Strokes fan point of view, but also excellent for all you wanna be actors out there! You will hear some interesting acting techniques that you can practice, interview advice and some good positive messages.

Money very well spent. Need I say more except buy!