i must confess that before this week I knew nothing of Dana and
nothing of Diff'rent Strokes. I was roughly three years old when the
series was broadcast in england and this year is the first time it
has been repeated. Having seen a couple of the reruns I found Dana to
be a beautiful person and a wonderful actress, I have devoted the
last week of my life researching Dana devouring every little snippet
I have because her life fascinates me and it is tragic that her life
has ended in such a way. As fans of Dana, I feel I should gather you
views on this dream I have before persuing anything. I want to write
a screenplay roughly based on dana's life, although it wouldn't be
completely about Dana as I don't feel it would be fair on her family,
her fans or herself to base my debut screenplay on such a wonderful
woman. In short I don't think I know enough or am talented enough to
tell the story properly. However, the shock and the sadness that hit
me when i discovered this woman who I have only ever seen as a child
was no more was so overwhelming that I feel it is better for people
to see Dana as the victim that I believe she is rather than this girl
who as someone on one message board put it "got too big for her boots
and held up a video store". If this is the opinion of Joe Public
regarding Dana, I feel this is criminal and should be addressed.
Anyway, I would be more than interested in your opinions of this idea
and I will take on board anyhting you have to offer.
Basically, i am asking your permission to base a screenplay on a
character not too dissimilar to Dana.
Thank you
Stephen