Todd Bridges

Todd Bridges was the first African-American child actor to star in a popular TV series. Ronald Rayton, a well-connected musician and gospel singer, became Todd’s publicist. He sexually abused the eleven-year-old while they were driving back from an autograph signing at a record store in the San Fernando Valley. Rayton bought Todd’s silence through friendship, gifts and lies. When he bought Todd a present he said: ‘Your mum wouldn’t buy you that bike.’ When he talked about sex, he show more said: ‘I’m telling you, it can be the same with boys as it is with girls. If you just try it, you’ll like it.’ Todd gave in:

I didn't want to lose everything he had given me. [. . .] And obviously I really liked Ronald and wanted to make him happy. Even more than that, I didn’t want to disappoint him. He had done so much for me. I didn’t want him to go away, like he had said he might.

Todd has said that the abuse ruined his life and it must have been an important factor to explain his struggles with drug addiction and violence. He spent years trying to cover up how he felt. He also harboured resentment towards his father. He accused the boy of lying when Todd told him Rayton had abused him:

But when he didn’t believe me and instead sided with the man who had molested me, it was the worst possible betrayal. I was already so full of shame and self-hatred, and so worried that I had something to deserve being molested. show less

"Whatchu talkin' about Willis?" (In my Gary Coleman voice), is the first thing I said when I heard that Todd Bridges had written a book about his life. Like so many others, I loved Bridges' character, Willis Jackson on the television series, Diff'rent Strokes. It was on Diff'rent Strokes that people around the country would fall in love with Bridges and his co-star Gary Coleman as Arnold Jackson. In spite of becoming the first African-American child actor to have a recurring role on a show more successful television show, Bridges would face many obstacles and become the focus of many negative media campaigns.

In Bridges' book, Killing Willis, he opens up about his life pre- and post Diff'rent Strokes. After proclaiming at the age of four that he wanted to be an actor like Redd Foxx, Bridges' mom made sure he was on the right path to success. He shares his early days as his mother went over scripts for television and commercials with him serving as mom, coach and agent. Throughout the book, he shares many stories about his mother and her drive to ensure her children were successful. Bridges also shares the abuse that his family endured at the hands of his father, the racial profiling he received from the LAPD and his account of being molested by a trusted adult. .

Bridges, uses this book as an avenue to kill all myths about his life and shares his story with the world. He leaves no question unanswered as he tells the real deal about Todd Bridges while painting a vivid picture into his life as a drug dealer and drug user. As hard as it must be, he shares with readers his accounts of not only being molested but then having his father call him a liar.

This book is a real winner with me. I appreciate Bridges being open about his life and telling the truth. It takes heart and guts to talk about the good, bad and the ugly, but he did. He answered so many questions that people wanted to know the answer to and he even corrected some of those that people thought they had the answer to. I love this book not because of its redemption qualities but because Bridges is unapologetic when it comes to calling Hollywood for its racism. He even goes a step further and calls out the African-American stars that live in this bubble thinking that things are equal because they get well paying roles. These actors are aware that many of their fellow deserving actors don't get the same treatment or deserving pay. He also went on to explain that in spite of him being sober for 17 years with a wife and two beautiful kids (he included pics), the media won't report that story. They continue to feed upon his past trouble and joke about his past when stars with similar stories like Drew Barrymore and Robert Downey, Jr. have been supported in their comebacks. I agree Todd, until we stand together nothing will be done about these injustices and blatant acts of racism in Hellywood.

**This book was provided by the publisher and it did not influence this review.** show less

Killing Willis is the autobiography of Todd Bridges, former child star most famous for his role as Willis Jackson on the show Diff’rent Strokes. This book read like a very dark and dismal after school special. Todd Bridges started his acting career at a very young age and compared his fame to the likes of Michael Jackson. I was pretty young when Diff’rent Strokes was on the air, so I’m not sure if he was quite as famous as he thinks he was.

Towards the end of Diff’rent Strokes, Todd show more started to get heavy into drugs. He went from addict to dealer to pimp and inevitably to jail. I believe that his ultimate goal in writing this book was to provide hope by sharing many intimate details of his life. That it is possible to turn your life around even after you hit rock bottom. However, I often felt that while Todd was proclaiming how terrible his life as a drug addict was, he was almost proud of how high he could get and how many sexual partners he was able to acquire during his time as a junkie. Can’t say that I recommend this one. show less

Another spoiled child star with a rotten life. I am not sure why I continue to read books about these folks.

If you watched the news in the 90's, you already have the info you need.