Melanie Watson, who was best known for playing Kathy Gordon opposite Gary Coleman’s Arnold Jackson on “Diff’rent Strokes,” has died. She was 57.
Her brother, Robert Watson, confirmed to TMZ that Melanie had passed away on Friday in Colorado Springs, Colo. Per the outlet, Melanie had been hospitalized prior to her death due to some bleeding, but deteriorated soon after.
Melanie was born July 20, 1968 in Dana Point, Calif., where she was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (also known as brittle bone disease), which is a genetic disorder that causes bones to fracture easily.
She went on to pursue acting as she got older, gaining public recognition for her recurring role on “Diff’rent Strokes” between between 1981 and 1984. Fans will likely remember one pivotal episode involving her character, aptly titled “Kathy,” in which Coleman’s Arnold tries to convince Watson’s Kathy to not use her wheelchair.
However, she ultimately retired from acting after “Diff’rent Strokes” ended and pivoted her focus to advocacy and service work. Melanie was a founder of Train Rite, a nonprofit with a mission to train shelter dogs so that they may assist people with disabilities.
In 2020, Melanie praised Norman Lear for championing representation on “Diff’rent Strokes” and other TV shows.
“I’m proud of Norman for going against the norm and doing something,” she told IndieWire at the time. “I didn’t realize what a gift it was to be the first one out there. If I had to do it all over again I would have stayed in the business.”
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