Lanny Lambert Was Dana Plato’s Ex-husband Who Got Custody of Their Son after the Divorce

Lanny Lambert was Dana Plato’s ex-husband. Their marriage was short-lived, with the two separating a year after tying the knot. When Dana Plato left “Diff’rent Strokes,” her career came crumbling down, which also took a toll on her life as a mom, and she couldn’t provide for her son.

Lanny Lambert and Dana Plato were married for a year. After their separation, the actress struggled to make ends meet, making it difficult for her to care for their son. Dana Plato’s ex-husband eventually took custody of their son after they finalized their divorce.

Lanny Lambert’s ex-wife met her untimely death following an accidental drug overdose. Nearly 11 years later, their son committed suicide after struggling with substance abuse for years.

Lanny went to New York University. He was a music producer, and one of his notable projects was the song “White Lies Blue Eyes,” which topped the Billboard chart for Hot 100. The song became number 86 on the list.

Lanny’s ex-wife, Dana Plato, was an actress. She began her acting career at the age of six, appearing in TV commercials. When she was 12, she received her breakout role in the sitcom, “Diff’rent Strokes,” where she earned thousands of dollars per episode.

However, her acting career crumbled after she became pregnant with her and Lanny’s son, prompting her to leave the show. The then-couple would tie the knot in 1984 but separated a year later.

Tyler committed suicide days before his mother’s 11th death anniversary.

Dana struggled following her exit from the show, as she could barely land any roles. She had a rough time raising their son, and after struggling to make ends meet for four years, she willingly handed over their son Tyler to Lanny so he could raise him. The exes finalized their divorce in 1990, and Lanny was given full custody of Tyler.

Lanny’s ex-wife died in May 1999 at 34 following an accidental drug overdose. She died while visiting the home of her fiance’s parents. Dana, who struggled with substance abuse, had also been arrested several times for different offenses, including theft.

Despite her troubled past, Dana’s friends fondly remembered her as someone who appreciated nature and enjoyed watching sunsets. At her funeral, her ex-husband Lanny paid a heartfelt tribute, expressing the belief that she had found peace in a better place.

In front of the 120 mourners, including her “Diff’rent Strokes” co-stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges, he shared his relief that Dana was no longer suffering.

Nearly 11 years after Dana’s death, their son Tyler committed suicide after struggling with substance abuse. Johnny Whitaker, who starred in “Family Affair” and was Dana’s former manager and friend, once tried to intervene in Tyler’s drug abuse, but to no avail.

Tyler committed suicide days before his mother’s 11th death anniversary. A few days before his death at 25, a family friend who alleged that Tyler always talked about being with his mom disclosed to Johnny that Tyler had become withdrawn and hadn’t spoken to anyone for about four days.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.