History Characters / DiffrentStrokes

* FakeGuestStar: She appears in almost all the episodes in season 5, but is listed as a guest star and and doesn't appear in the opening until the following season.

[[folder:Maggie [=McKinney=]]]
--> '''Played by''' Creator/DixieCarter (Season 6-7), Creator/MaryAnnMobley (Season 8)

Phillip Drummond's eventual wife in later seasons.

* AndStarring: Both her actresses get this, "and Dixie Carter as Maggie" in season 7, and later "and Mary Ann Mobley as Maggie" in season 8.
* HappilyMarried: She is married to Mr. Drummond in the last two seasons, and they are in a happy marriage.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: Introduced in season 6, added to the opening in season 7.

[[folder:Sam [=McKinney=]]]
--> '''Played by''' Creator/DannyCooksey

Maggie's son, a little kid who becomes close to Arnold.

* TheBabyOfTheBunch: The new cute litte kid in the family, after Arnold gets older. Arnold, who was originally this trope, becomes a CoolBigBro to Sam.
* CousinOliver: The new younger brother from Phillip Drummond's second marriage. The series went from focusing on Willis playing older brother to Arnold to Arnold playing older brother to Sam. [[DemotedToExtra There wasn't much room for Willis afterwards]].
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: Introduced in season 6, added to the opening in season 7.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: The last two seasons focus on the Arnold/Sam brother duo nearly all the time, while Arnold's older brother Willis is DemotedToExtra.

[[folder:Edna Garrett]]
--> '''Played by''' Creator/CharlotteRae

The family's first housekeeper in the first two seasons.

* AndStarring: "and Charlotte Rae"
* LastNameBasis: Of the three housekeepers, Mrs. Garrett was the only one who wasn't regularly addressed by her first name (even by Mr. Drummond).
* PutOnABus: She leaves the show midway through the second season, to star in the spinoff ''Series/TheFactsOfLife''.

The snarky younger of the two black boys adopted by Phillip Drummond. He's the BreakoutCharacter and the face of the show.

* {{Deuteragonist}}: While Arnold is the main protagonist throughout the show, Mr. Drummond the only one besides Arnold who remains a prominent character in all 8 seasons, since Willis and Kimberly are OutOfFocus later on.

* LastNameBasis: Throughout the first season and for most of the second, Arnold and Willis refer to him as either "Mr. Drummond" or “Mr. D”. Once their adoption is official in the middle of season 2, they address him as “Dad” for the rest of the series. Years later, an adult Arnold is shown to still call him “Dad” during their cameo in the series finale of ''The Fresh of Bel-Air''. His stepson Sam, however, only addressed him as "Mr. D".

A white, whealthy widower who adopts two black kids.

* {{Deuteragonist}}: While Arnold is the main protagonist throughout the show, he's the only one besides Arnold who remains a prominent character in all 8 seasons, since Willis and Kimberly are OutOfFocus later on.

* BrutalHonesty: A common traits of his MouthyKid characterizion, he has no problem in speaking out truths to other people, especially his older brother.

* AdvertisedExtra: Throughout all of season 8. She is featured in two clips of the opening credits (though Dana Plato is not credited as a cast member in the opening), despite only appearing in three episode as a guest star.

[[folder:Edna Garrett ]]

! Phillip Drummond

! Arnold Jackson

! Willis Jackson

! Kimberly Drummond

!Maggie [=McKinney=]

! Sam [=McKinney=]

! Edna Garrett

* PutOnABus: She leaves the show midway through the second season, to star in the spinoff ''Series/TheFactsOfLife''.

--> '''Played by''' Creator/DixieCarter (Season 6-7), Mary Ann Mobley (Season 8)

--> '''Played by''' Todd Bridges

--> '''Played by''' Dana Plato

* AdvertisedExtra: Throughout all of season 8. She’s featured in the opening credits of each episode, despite only appearing in three as a guest star.

* AdvertisedExtra: In season 8, she is featured in the opening credits, despite only appearing in 3 episodes, as a guest star.

* CoolBigSis: She is very nice to both her brothers.

--> '''Played by''' Conrad Bain

--> '''Played by''' Gary Coleman

--> '''Played by''' Charlotte Rae

* LastNameBasis: Throughout the first season and for most of the second, Arnold and Willis refer to him as either "Mr. Drummond" or “Mr. D”. Once their adoption is official in the middle of season 2, they address him as “Dad” for the rest of the series. Years later, Arnold is shown to still call him “Dad” during their cameo in the series finale of ''The Fresh of Bel-Air''. His stepson Sam, however, only addressed him as "Mr. D".

* LastNameBasis: Throughout the first season and for most of the second, Arnold and Willis refer to him as either "Mr. Drummond" or “Mr. D”. Once their adoption is official in the middle of season 2, they address him as “Dad” for the rest of the series. His stepson Sam, however, only addressed him as "Mr. D".

* LastNameBasis: In the early years, Arnold and Willis refer to him as "Mr. Drummond". Sam always addressed him "Mr. D", even two years after he became his stepfather.

* SpoiledSweet: For years, she has been the DaddysGirl and only child of a wealthy widower, but she's not bratty. She's very caring, and and accepts her two adopted brothers enthusiastically since the beginning.

* SpoiledSweet: For years, she has been the DaddysGirl and only child of a wealthy widower, but she's nothing but bratty. She's very caring, and and accepts her two adopted brothers enthusiastically since the beginning.

* BigBrotherInstinct: He stands up to Arnold when he gets bullied.

* CatchPhrase: "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

* PutOnABus: She leaves the show midway through the second season, to star in the spinoff ''Series/TheFactsOfLife''

* LastNameBasis: Of the three housekeepers, Mrs. Garrett was the only one who wasn't regularly addressed by her first name (even by Mr. Drummond).

* MouthyKid: Possibly the TropeCodifier.He is a smartass kid who always says what he thinks, even with people older than him.