It’s hard to pinpoint just when the whispers began - though it’s widely-accepted that they started well before Dana Plato’s 1999 suicide. It’s possible the theory of the Diff’rent Strokes curse started in 1988, when Todd Bridges was tried for the murder of an alleged drug dealer. Gary Coleman made headlines the following year when he sued his parents for misappropriation of funds—and made more when he allegedly assaulted a woman in 1998. Dana Plato, broke and with no acting prospects in sight, began working at a dry cleaner’s in 1991.

If you look at each of their stories, particularly hours after Gary Coleman’s death, it’s not too hard to believe in the Diff’rent Strokes curse.

When the show debuted on NBC in 1978, it was groundbreaking; nothing like it had ever been seen on television. Diff’rent Strokes was funny - replete with catch phrases and dimpled kids - but it was also extremely edgy. The series revolved around an interracial family and never shied away from tough issues. Episodes of Diff’rent Strokes explored gang activity, racial issues, pedophilia, sexual assault, drugs, eating disorders and teen pregnancy - to name a few.

Many of the sitcoms in the 80s - Cheers, Family Ties, Night Court - were lighthearted and funny. Diff’rent Strokes was funny, but in early seasons it was not lighthearted. Its serious stance and refusal to shy away from real-world problems helped to set it apart…but Gary Coleman was the reason it rose to fame.

The smallest star on the show, Coleman drew early attention for his chubby-cheeked adorableness and his funny catchphrase “Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?” Like fellow co-star Todd Bridges, Coleman appeared on every single season of the show.

Dana Plato did not. The actress who played clean-cut Kimberly Drummond became pregnant during the sixth season (1984). Allegedly, Plato abused drugs and alcohol white she was starring on Diff’rent Strokes. After being released from her duties on the show, Plato appeared in several B-films and pornographic movies. After holding up a video store in 1991 for $200, Plato appeared on newspaper and magazine covers across the United States. Headlines wondered over the fate of troubled child stars. She was arrested again in 1992, this time for forging a prescription. At the time of her 1999 overdose, which was ruled a suicide, Plato was living with her boyfriend in a recreational vehicle. In a tragic footnote to Plato’s story, her son, Tyler Lambert, also committed suicide earlier this month.

Todd Bridges also struggled with drug-related problems. The actor allegedly suffered from cocaine addition during his 20s, and was arrested in 1988 for the murder of a drug dealer. Bridges was represented by Johnnie Cochran, and eventually acquitted of all charges. In 1993, Bridges stabbed a man with a knife. The altercation was eventually determined to be a matter of self-defense. Bridges has often been candid with fans and the media regarding his troubled past, discussing the matter at length in his book Killing Willis. “The bottom line is, I’ve made stupid choices,” Bridges said in a 2000 interview. “But I got my life together and that’s the difference. I’m not the same idiot I used to be.”

Gary Coleman’s sad tale ended on Friday with his death, which was due to complications of a brain hemorrhage. Long after the 1993 ruling which decided his misappropriate case, Coleman filed for bankruptcy in 1999. Coleman made headlines in 1998 when he punched a female bus driver while working as a mall security guard. As a result of the altercation, he was sentenced to pay hospital bills. On two separate occasions, police responded to reports of domestic disturbance between Coleman and his wife (2007 and 2009). He died Friday, May 28, 2010 in Provo, Utah.

“I would not give my first 15 years to my worst enemy, and I don’t even have a worst enemy,” Gary Coleman said of his early life in a 2001 interview. Through his life, Gary Coleman suffered from serious kidney disease, which stunted his growth.

Diff’rent Strokes ran on NBC from 1978 to 1985. Nineteen episodes aired on ABC in 1986. Charlotte Rae, Janet Jackson, Nancy Reagan, Dixie Carter and Danny Cooksey all appeared on episodes of the series.