Diff'rent Strokes Star Conrad Bain Dies at 89

Conrad Bain, the actor best known for playing Phillip Drummond on Diff'rent Strokes, has died. He was 89.

Bain died of natural causes Monday in Livermore, Calif, his daughter Jennifer told The Associated Press. Speaking of her father to TMZ, which first reported the news, she said, "He was an amazing person. He was a lot like Mr. Drummond, but much more interesting in real life."

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Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Bain served in the Canadian Army during World War II. Later, he studied at America Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1946 and graduating in 1948.

He started his acting career on Broadway, with credits including The Iceman Cometh and Uncle Vanya. Upon switching to television, Bain appeared on Dark Shadows and as Bea Arthur's nemesis on Maude.  But he is best known for his Diff'rent Strokes role of Mr. Drummond, the Park Avenue millionaire who adopts two African American boys from Harlem (Gary Coleman and Todd Bridge) after their mother, Drummond's former housekeeper, dies. Bain reprised the role on the series finale of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1996.

In addition to his daughter, Bain is survived by three sons and a twin brother. His wife, Monica Sloan, died in 2009.