Actress Melanie Watson
Lifeless at 57 …
Performed Kathy on ‘Diff’lease Strokes’
Printed
Melanie Watson Bernhardt — an actress recognized for her position on the hit TV present “Diff’rent Strokes” — has died … TMZ has discovered.
Robert Watson — Melanie’s brother — tells us … Melanie handed away Friday in Colorado Springs.
We’re advised Melanie — who was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a illness the place an individual’s bones fracture simply — had been within the hospital after struggling some points with bleeding, the place she rapidly deteriorated.
Robert says the docs did their greatest to assist her … however, in actuality, she was lucky to dwell so long as she did along with her situation. he provides he’ll all the time consider his sister an awesome deal.
Followers of traditional sitcoms will bear in mind Melanie as Kathy Gordon on “Diff’rent Strokes” … an element she performed in 4 of the present’s 189 episodes.
A 1982 episode was memorably named after her character … wherein she and Gary Coleman‘s character, Arnold, argued when he tried to persuade her to stroll with out crutches.
Bernhardt retired from appearing after “Diff’rent Strokes” ended … later marrying a person named Roger Bernhardt from 1994 to 1996. She reportedly helped discovered the charity Practice Ceremony to assist correctly practice canines to work as service animals.
Melanie was 57.
RIP
