Phillip Drummond (character)

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Phillip Drummond
First appearance	Movin' In
Last appearance	The Front Page
Portrayed by	Conrad Bain
Information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Date of birth	Manhattan, New York, United States, USA , December 3, 1931
Occupation	Investor
Family	Kimberly Drummond (daughter) Willis Jackson (adopted son) Arnold Jackson (adopted son) Sam McKinney (stepson)
Spouse(s)	1 wife (died) Maggie McKinney Drummond (1984-1986)
Nationality	Caucasian

Philip Drummond was a fictional character on the hit television program, Diff'rent Strokes, he was portrayed by Emmy Award nominee and Golden Globe winning television actor, Conrad Bain, who previously worked on Maude.

[edit] Character Background

Philip Drummond is a wealthy Caucasian widower, who runs Trans Aillen Co. Housing Development, and was born December 3, 1931 in Manhattan, New York.

Philip has a daughter, named Kimberly, and two adopted African-American brothers, 13-year- old Willis, and 8-year-old Arnold Jackson. Arnold and Willis's mother worked for Philip Drummond many years ago, but her death-bed wish was that Mr. Drummond would take care of her two sons. In the first episode of the series, Philip welcomes Arnold and Willis into his home. Arnold quickly becomes attached to his new environment, but Willis nearly ruins it for him by hastily deciding that he and Arnold will move back to Harlem.

Philip starts planning some "quality time" with the family by telling both Arnold and Willis that the whole family will be going on fun trips together. Arnold wants to agree, but Willis destroys his fun, and bosses him around.

The next night, after taking advice from Mrs. Garrett, Phillip decides to create "Family Fun Time" with magic tricks (that never worked) and dancing, but when Willis informs that it was time for him and Arnold to leave for Harlem, Phillip surprises them with a truckload of toys. Arnold becomes very happy, and Willis becomes selfish by deciding that it is time to move back to Harlem with his little brother. Phillip had confronted Willis for the first time, implying that he is turning out to be selfish, but when Willis and Philip fall on good terms, they decide to start a new relationship together.

Philip Drummond had dated some women, such as Arnold's teacher, Ms. Osbourne (Mary Ann Mobley), and later got re-married to Maggie McKinney, a television aerobics instructor (Dixie Carter/Mary Ann Mobley). Maggie subsequently introduced her son by her ex-husband, Sam McKinney (Danny Cooksey), to the family.

Dixie Carter had portrayed Philip Drummond's new love interest and soon-to-be wife, Maggie McKinney Drummond in the middle of the 1983-1984 season, and 1984-1985 season, then Carter had started having problems with fellow co-star, Gary Coleman, and she left the show, she was later replaced in the eighth and final season (1985-1986), by Mary Ann Mobley.