Photo: Unknown author, courtesy of Michael Ochs Archives / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Dana Plato, born on November 7, 1964 in Maywood, California, United States, was a television actor, film actor and erotic photography model. Dana Plato died on May 8, 1999, aged 34. Education on record includes William Howard Taft Charter High School. The recorded active period was 1971 - 1999.
My Take
Dana Plato is one of those figures from 1980s TV who sticks with you long after the show ends, and not just because of the heartbreak her story became. She was genuinely charming as Kimberly Drummond on Diff'rent Strokes — the older sister who actually felt like a real teenager, not a cardboard prop — and at her peak she was a legitimate teen idol with real warmth on screen. What happened after the show wrapped is a cautionary tale about how Hollywood chews up young talent and spits them out with nothing to fall back on, and it makes me sad rather than judgmental. She was navigating addiction, financial collapse, and the cruelty of a public that preferred to mock rather than help, all before she turned 35. She died in 1999 at just 34. I think about the career she could have rebuilt given half a chance, and I hope she knew there were people rooting for her.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dana Plato
- Name (Japanese)
- ダナ・プラトー
- Reading
- だな・ぷらとー
- Born
- November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999
- Origin
- Maywood, California, United States
- Occupation
- television actor / film actor / erotic photography model
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Dragon
- Active years
- 1971 - 1999
2. Background
- High school
- William Howard Taft Charter High School
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana%20Plato
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%80%E3%83%8A%E3%83%BB%E3%83%97%E3%83%A9%E3%83%88%E3%83%BC
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q264199
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. Works and profile fields sourced from Wikipedia reflect content as of 2026-08-26. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Dana Plato born?
Dana Plato was born on November 7, 1964.
When did Dana Plato die?
Dana Plato died on May 8, 1999, aged 34.
Where was Dana Plato from?
Dana Plato was from Maywood, California, United States.
What did Dana Plato do?
Dana Plato worked as television actor, film actor, erotic photography model.
Which high school did Dana Plato attend?
Dana Plato attended William Howard Taft Charter High School.
When was Dana Plato active?
Dana Plato was active from 1971 to 1999.
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