Diff'rent Strokes (TV Series)

Sam's Missing (1985)

Danny Cooksey: Sam McKinney

Photos 

Quotes 

• Don Brown : Loosen up, boy, now you remember what I told you I'd do if you tried to run away? Or if you talked to anybody, huh? Remember that? I'll kill your parents, Sam.

  Sam McKinney : No you wouldn't.

  Don Brown : No? I kidnapped you, didn't I?

• Arnold Jackson : Sam, giving up bunk beds is part of growing up.

  Sam McKinney : They have them in the army.

  Arnold Jackson : So go enlist, they could use a redheaded target!

• Sam McKinney : [on the phone]  Hi Arnold, it's me, Sam!

  Arnold Jackson : Sam! Where are you?

  Sam McKinney : I don't know.

  Arnold Jackson : Uh, well are you okay?

  Sam McKinney : I'm scared, Arnold, I can't stay on the phone very long.

  Arnold Jackson : Alright Sam, just stay calm. Dad! Dad! Sam, listen, what's the number on the phone?

  Sam McKinney : Area code 914-555-6411, Arnold I've gotta go!

  [hangs up] 

• May Brown : [knock on the door]  Who is it?

  Officer Fernandez : Police, open up we have a warrant to search the premise.

  Don Brown : Get away from that door, May.

  Officer Fernandez : [busts in]  You're all under arrest for the kidnapping of Sam McKinney!

  May Brown : [shocked]  What? Kidnapping?

  Philip Drummond : [Comes in behind them]  Sam!

  Sam McKinney : [Excited]  MR. D! Oh, Mr. D!

  [Runs up and hugs him] 

  Sam McKinney : I knew you'd come and get me! I knew you'd come and get me! I knew you would!

  Philip Drummond : We weren't going to give up until we found you.

  May Brown : [Freaking out]  Donald? Donald, what's happening?

  Don Brown : [Yelling at the officer]  Leave her alone!

  [Calms down] 

  Don Brown : She had nothing to do with it. My wife and my son had nothing to do with this.

  Sam McKinney : It's true.

  Detective Harris : We'll have to figure this out later.

  May Brown : [Reaches out but is held back]  Sam?

  Sam McKinney : Sorry, Mrs. Brown

  [Waves tearfully] 

  Sam McKinney : Bye Bobby.

• Sam McKinney : Arnold! Arnold! There's still time to save the bunk beds!

  Arnold Jackson : Now Sam, don't start that again. You know Maggie has to redecorate our room too!

  Sam McKinney : I know, Arnold, but with your mouth you can talk her into keeping the bunk beds. They're easy, you can jump out of them like paratrooper or climb up them like a fireman, and...

  Arnold Jackson : Or when you get out of them, you could step all over my face.

• Sam McKinney : Where are we? We've been driving for over two hours.

  Don Brown : It's not important. Now you remember what I told you I'd do to your parents? Don't you forget it.

• Sam McKinney : Bobby, I want to go home!

  Bobby Brown : What're you talking about, Sam? You mean you want to go back and live by yourself in a cardboard box?

  Sam McKinney : I don't live by myself! I've got Mama and Mr. D, and two brothers and a sister!

  Bobby Brown : Must be a pretty big box.

  Sam McKinney : We don't live in a box! We live in a huge apartment two stories high, and Mama and Mr. D love me a whole bunch!

  Bobby Brown : What're you talking about, Sam? My dad saved you from rotting in a gutter.

  Sam McKinney : No he didn't, he just told you that so you wouldn't know he stole me!

• Sam McKinney : He told you that so you wouldn't know he stole me.

  Bobby Brown : You're lying, my dad wouldn't do nothing like that, you little punk.

  Sam McKinney : Oh yeah? I found this crumpled up in the garbage, your dad didn't want anyone to see it.

  [Bobby reads the newspaper article] 

  Bobby Brown : It's you, isn't it? Dad must've done it because Mom's been so shook up since Tommy died.

• Sam McKinney : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE: The police sweep into the Brown residence, grabbing Don and his family. Sam charges Drummond, who enters behind the cops, and they hug]  Hey, Mr. D...! Did you have any trouble finding this place?

  Philip Drummond : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE]  Not after you gave us their number... I hope you didn't think we were gonna give up looking.

  Sam McKinney : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE]  Boy, I'm really glad you could come get me in person; sorry the others couldn't. I'm sure it wasn't for lack of trying...

  [They exchange another hug; then, abruptly, Sam looks very unhappy] 

  Sam McKinney : ... Well, I guess this is where you ask me what we've learned, if nothing else.

  Philip Drummond : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE]  All right, Sam, let's get that out of the way. What *have* we learned, if nothing else?

  Sam McKinney : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE]  That anybody who *really* had a dog missing wouldn't be talking to ME about finding them. They'd be talking to the police - which is what *I* wanna do, instead of going somewhere I've never been with someone I never met before. Heck, I'm better off playing in traffic than doing THAT.

  Philip Drummond : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE: Drummond chuckles, getting the point]  ... That's good enough for me, Sam.

  [They hug each other again] 

• Sam McKinney : [CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR-LINE: As Sam is brought home by Drummond, he beamingly greets his siblings and Pearl]  ... Guys, who's for dinner and a movie? I'm buying!

  [Arnold, Willis, Pearl and Kimberly take turns hugging Sam - while Drummond calls Maggie in from the kitchen]