Donald Brown



Donald Brown is the main antagonist in the 2-part episode "Sam's Missing" of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.

He was portrayed by the late Royce D. Applegate.

Biography
While the Drummond family were re-decorating their penthouse apartment, the Brown family (father Donald, mother Mae, and son Bobby) were all mourning over the loss of the younger son Tommy. While Bobby was doing his math homework he asked his mom for help and she is still shooken up over the death of Tommy and she mentions that Tommy was great at math and how sad she is over the accident that killed him. Donald sees how devastated and depressed his wife is and suggests going on a vacation with the family. Mae is still in denial. Donald reminded Mae that there hundreds of homeless kids on the street (i.e., orphans or runaways) and Donald told his wife that they could give one of those kids a home. Bobby requested his father to adopt a kid instead but Donald thinks that would take a long time and both he and his wife and already in denial now with the death of Tommy. After Donald drops Bobby off at school he goes to a grocery store. Arnold sent Sam (as his photographer's assistant) to get film for his camera (since Arnold is doing photography for the apartment's renovation) and also sent Sam to go to the grocery store to get him some potato chips. When Sam was checking on potato chips freshness by crushing the potato chip bags at the grocery store (despite the clerks dismay and objection), Donald saw Sam and had thoughts about kidnapping him. Donald then dropped a box of dog food on the ground and Sam picked it up to give to Donald. Donald then asked Sam for recommendation on dog food and Sam reminded Donald that he can't talk to strangers. Donald lied and told Sam that his dog Rocky ran away and needs the dog food to find Rocky around the neighborhood and needs Sam's help. Sam refused and said he doesn't know Donald but Donald claimed that they will only check the neighborhood and that this is a good deed in the bible. Donald then made Sam feel guilty since Donald thinks he will never see Rocky again. Sam then agreed to help Donald and went in Donald's car. Back home Arnold and Mr. Drummond were wondering what is taking Sam so long so they went to the photography store and grocery store. Mr. Drummond and Arnold were told by the clerk at the photography store that Sam left over an hour ago and when they arrived at the grocery store they recognized Sam making a mess with the potato chips and the clerk described Sam with the mess. Mr. Drummond showed a picture to the clerk and she said that is him and that he left with his father which Mr. Drummond knows that his biological father is in Tennessee and that is when they realized Sam has been kidnapped so they call the police. Later on the Brown's house, Donald introduces Sam to his family and lies to them saying they found him in a cardboard box and he bought his new clothes and looks different now. Sam is shooken up now and Mae is telling him that he is now family and Bobby is excited to have a new replacement little brother. When Mae and Bobby go get dinner ready and Tommy's old stuff ready for Sam, Donald threatens Sam telling him that if he finds a way to escape he will kill Sam's parents. Back at the Drummond's house while Mr. Drummond is waiting for the police to arrive, Maggie is very shook up with the kidnapping of her son. After the police detectives arrive Mr. Drummond and Maggie are explaining that they need help to find Sam and Maggie is crying over Sam missing. Arnold helped the police with giving pictures he took of Sam and the police claimed that sometimes relatives and family members can be kidnappers and they thought that Wes (Sam's biological father and Maggie's ex-husband) might be a possible suspect but Maggie claimed that Wes isn't responsible and they had just spoke on the phone with Wes and he is as shook up as they are but the police need Wes' address as well. The police made plans to tap the Drummond's home phones as well and Mr. Drummond plans to give a $50,000 reward for any information regarding Sam. The police warned Mr. Drummond that it is risky and that he is inviting the world to get his money but Mr. Drummond is desparate to bring Sam home. Mr. Drummond came on the news reminding people that his son Sam has been kidnapped and he's offering a reward for $50,000 for any information regarding Sam. After Mr. Drummond talked on the news a police officer from Los Angeles was touring the country with his ventriliquist puppet and gave children advice on kidnapping. Donald was still hiding information from his family that he kidnapped Sam and his wife is wondering if Sam is fine since he's too quiet and Donald says that Sam is totally fine. Later on when Donald and Sam were talking alone while Mae and Bobby were preparing dinner, Sam asked Donald when he can go home and he misses his family. Donald told Sam that this is his family forever and to stay away from the phone and reminded Sam that he will kill his parents. When Sam left the room Donald found the article in the newspaper regarding Sam being kidnapped and Mr. Drummond offering a reward regarding information about Sam. Donald rips the article out of the newspaper and throws it away. Later on Kimberly, Willis, and Arnold pass out fliers of Sam missing to everyone and it is revealed that Sam's dentist was crying after learning about Sam's kidnapping. The contractor brings their new furniture in their house and the contractor tells the Drummonds that every night before going to sleep, he and his family pray that Sam comes home safe and sound. Then Mr. Drummond received a call that he knows where Sam is and will give him back for $100,000. When Mr. Drummond and the police go to the alley to drop off the money, the individual who called grabs the briefcase containing the money that Mr. Drummond put inside a trash can and the police arrive to arrest the perpetrator and Mr. Drummond is about to punch the individual but the police stop Mr. Drummond and he tells the perpetrator he wants his son back and it turns out he doesn't have Sam and he was an extortionist that was realized from jail the day before. The police claimed they know him and there's no way he could've kidnapped Sam. When Mr. Drummond arrives home Maggie is more shook up when she learns it was a hoax. Sam later on drew a picture of Arnold and Bobby sees his drawing and Sam later on confesses to Bobby about how much he misses his family and that he doesn't live in a box and that he lives in a house with 2 brothers, 1 sister, his mom, and step-father and tells Bobby that his father kidnapped Sam and Bobby was very angry. Sam then grabs the newspaper article about him and Bobby read the article and realized that his dad kidnapped Sam because he and his mom are too shook up over his brother's death and thinks it is still not right. The next day, while Pearl set up breakfast for the family she accidentally set a place for Sam causing Maggie to break down in tears and Mr. Drummond knew that she didn't do that on purpose and went to cheer up Maggie. Pearl then felt guilty and went to the kitchen to cry with Kimberly and Willis cheering her up. Then all of a sudden Arnold receives a phone call from Sam. Sam risked everything to tell Arnold quickly that he doesn't know where he is and he gave the number for the Brown's house. The police officer at the Drummond house decides to get his partner to track down that number. Mr. Drummond joins the police to track down the address for that number. When Sam and the Brown family are having lunch, Mae noticed that Sam is feeling better for telling Bobby what happened and Bobby believed him. Donald then noticed that Bobby is quiet now and that is because he is upset by his father kidnapping Sam. Then the police bang on the order and Mae asks who it is and says that they have a warrant to search their house and right when Donald tries to lock the door the police opened the door arresting Donald and Mae and Mr. Drummond and Sam reunited. Donald claims that his family had nothing to do with the kidnapping. Mae is upset with Sam going home to his family and Sam apologizes to her and says bye to Bobby with the police arresting Donald and sending him to jail. Sam then goes home and reunites with his family and Maggie is happy again to have Sam home and Arnold makes a comment that they are going to be roommates forever.