PaleyArchive ColorBars TopBanner2

DIFF'RENT STROKES {DIFFERENT STROKES}: THE PREP SCHOOL (TV)

Summary

One in this series of comedies about the family life of wealthy white industrialist Philip Drummond and his adopted African-American sons, Arnold and Willis. In this episode, Mr. Drummond tells the boys all about his old prep school, Digby, hoping that they might like to attend as well starting in the fall. Willis is immediately skeptical that they will fit in at an upper-crust private school, but Mr. Drummond assures them that the school has been integrated and that they will enjoy themselves, should they choose to go. The brothers are surprised to find that he has already contacted the headmaster about them, but Arnold convinces Willis to at least give the place a try. Later, they try on the traditional Digby uniforms, though the new headmaster, Miles Bordinay, assures them that they are now considered "archaic." They head off to visit the school, though Bordinay privately notes that they have no chance of passing the entrance exam.

Arnold and Willis soon return home and report that they greatly enjoyed Digby and are now eager to attend, much to Mr. Drummond's delight. However, he then receives a call stating that they both failed the test, and they are disappointed to receive the bad news. But when the boys describe the challenges on the exam, Mr. Drummond realizes that they simply could not personally relate to the questions, and he summons the headmaster back to the house to prove a point. Arnold and Willis give Bordinay a test of their own, and he quickly finds that he knows as little about their "street environment" as they do about his world. He defends the test, however, stating that it is fair and seeks to keep "the wrong people out," and Mr. Drummond kicks him out of the house. He tells the boys that he should have kept a closer eye on his alma mater and its antiquated policies, and they all agree that they would be happier at another, more down-to-earth school. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:25:25
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:61212
  • GENRE: Comedy
  • SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; Comedy
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1978-1985; ABC - 1985-1986
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Budd Grossman … Executive Producer
  • Howard Leeds … Producer
  • Herbert Kenwith … Producer, Director
  • John Maxwell Anderson … Associate Producer
  • Bernie Kukoff … Created by
  • Jeff Harris … Created by
  • Alan Rosen … Writer
  • Fred Rubin … Writer
  • Michael Russnow … Writer
  • Gloria Loring … Theme Music by
  • Alan Thicke … Theme Music by
  • Al Burton … Theme Music by
  • Conrad Bain … Cast, Philip Drummond
  • Gary Coleman … Cast, Arnold Jackson
  • Todd Bridges … Cast, Willis Jackson
  • Dana Plato … Cast, Kimberly Drummond
  • Charlotte Rae … Cast, Edna Garrett
  • Howard Morton … Cast, Miles Bordinay