"A Different World" (1987) TV series 1987-1993

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Creator:

Bill Cosby
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

24 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Big laughs on campus.

Plot:

A group of students at a historically Black university struggle to make it through college.

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom | Historically Black College | African American

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 16 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jasmine Guy	...	Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne / ... (136 episodes, 1987-1993)
Kadeem Hardison	...	Dwayne Cleophus Wayne (132 episodes, 1987-1993)
Darryl M. Bell	...	Ronald 'Ron' Johnson / ... (103 episodes, 1987-1993)
Charnele Brown	...	Kimberly 'Kim' Reese (90 episodes, 1988-1993)
Dawnn Lewis	...	Jaleesa Vinson Taylor / ... (89 episodes, 1987-1992)
Cree Summer	...	Winifred 'Freddie' Brooks (87 episodes, 1988-1993)
Lou Myers	...	Vernon Gaines (65 episodes, 1988-1993)

(more)

Series Directed by
Debbie Allen		(83 episodes, 1988-1993)
Ellen Falcon		(15 episodes, 1987-1988)
Neema Barnette		(7 episodes, 1990-1991)
Henry Chan		(5 episodes, 1991-1993)
Glynn Turman		(4 episodes, 1991-1993)
John Rago		(4 episodes, 1991-1992)
Kadeem Hardison		(4 episodes, 1992-1993)
David Blackwell		(3 episodes, 1992-1993)
Kim Friedman		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Tony Singletary		(2 episodes, 1988)
Art Dielhenn		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)
Michael Peters		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)
Bruce Kerner		(2 episodes, 1991-1993)
Peter Werner		(2 episodes, 1991-1992)

Series Writing credits
Bill Cosby		(146 episodes, 1987-1993)
Susan Fales-Hill		(23 episodes, 1987-1993)
Yvette Lee Bowser		(17 episodes, 1989-1992)
Thad Mumford		(11 episodes, 1987-1990)
Glenn Berenbeim		(11 episodes, 1990-1993)
Jeanette Collins		(11 episodes, 1990-1993)
Mimi Friedman		(11 episodes, 1990-1993)
Cheryl Gard		(10 episodes, 1987-1990)
Gary H. Miller		(7 episodes, 1990-1992)
Margie Peters		(5 episodes, 1988-1990)
Reggie Rock Bythewood		(5 episodes, 1992-1993)
Judi Ann Mason		(4 episodes, 1990-1991)
Gina Prince-Bythewood		(4 episodes, 1992-1993)
Scott Spencer Gordon		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jeffrey Duteil		(3 episodes, 1988-1989)
Rob Edwards		(3 episodes, 1988-1989)
Kevin Kelton		(3 episodes, 1989-1990)
Adriana Trigiani		(3 episodes, 1989-1990)
Jasmine Guy		(3 episodes, 1990-1992)
Dominic Hoffman		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
David Felton		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Daryl G. Nickens		(2 episodes, 1989)
Mike Scott		(2 episodes, 1989)
Orlando Jones		(2 episodes, 1991)
Kadeem Hardison		(2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Ron Moseley		(2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Scott Sanders		(2 episodes, 1992-1993)
James E. West II		(2 episodes, 1992)

Series Produced by
Yvette Lee Bowser	....	co-producer (2 episodes, 1991-1992)
Joanne Curley-Kerner	....	producer (1 episode, 1987-1993)
Susan Fales-Hill	....	supervising producer (1 episode, 1987-1993)
Thad Mumford	....	co-executive producer (1 episode, 1987-1990)
Debbie Allen	....	producer (1 episode, 1988-1993)
Brenda Hanes-Berg	....	associate producer (1 episode, 1989-1993)
Anne Beatts	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1987-1988)
Nancy Haas	....	associate producer (unknown episodes, 1987-1988)
Joe Gannon	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1987)
Caryn Mandabach	....	executive producer (unknown episodes, 1990-1993)
Gary H. Miller	....	supervising producer (unknown episodes, 1990-1992)
Glenn Berenbeim	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1992-1993)
Jeanette Collins	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1992-1993)
Mimi Friedman	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1992-1993)
Bruce Kerner	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1992)
Bill Cosby	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Stu Gardner		(1 episode, 1990)
Dawnn Lewis		(1 episode, 1990)

Series Cinematography by
Alan Walker		(1 episode, 1987)

Series Film Editing by
Henry Chan		(1 episode, 1990)

Series Casting by
Joyce Agu		(1 episode, 1990)
Penny Ellers		(1 episode, 1990)

Series Production Design by
Garvin Eddy		(1 episode, 1990)

Series Art Direction by
John Iacovelli		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Mel Grayson		(1 episode, 1990)

Series Makeup Department
Linda Cowan	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1990)
Aitch Peters	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1990)
Tara Posey	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1990)
Julie Prey	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1990)
Raffeal Weatherall	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1990)
Sheila Evers	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Laini Thompson	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Rita G. Katsotis	....	production supervisor (1 episode, 1990)
Christopher Kochoff	....	executive in charge of production (1 episode, 1990)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joann Kamay	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Ramsey Avery	....	assistant production designer (1 episode, 1990)
Al Eisenmann	....	property master (1 episode, 1990)
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	art department assistant (unknown episodes, 1990-1991)

Series Sound Department
Allen Patapoff	....	sound post-production (1 episode, 1990)
Craig Porter	....	sound post-production (1 episode, 1990)
Thom Wilson	....	audio (1 episode, 1990)
Paul Drenning	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Yasmin Muniz	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Michael Karp	....	motion control operator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Jon Purdy	....	camera operator (68 episodes, 1987-1990)
John O'Brien	....	video controller (10 episodes, 1987)
J. Wesley Tillman	....	electrician (unknown episodes, 1991-1992)
Bobby DaSilva	....	senior video controller (unknown episodes)
Michael Fastoso	....	grip (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Julie Hughes	....	original casting: New York (1 episode, 1990)
Barry Moss	....	original casting: New York (1 episode, 1990)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gary Marthaler	....	assistant costume designer / costumer (51 episodes, 1990-1993)
Kelly Zitrick	....	assistant costume designer (50 episodes, 1991-1993)

Series Editorial Department
Jane Garcia	....	post-production coordinator (1 episode, 1990)

Series Music Department
Bill Cosby	....	composer: theme music (146 episodes, 1987-1993)
Dawnn Lewis	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)
Stephen E. Smith	....	music supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Bill Cosby	....	executive consultant (146 episodes, 1987-1993)
Stefen Maekawa	....	production coordinator (50 episodes, 1991-1993)
Yvette Lee Bowser	....	program consultant (25 episodes, 1987-1990)
Orlando Jones	....	story editor (25 episodes, 1991-1992)
Bernard F. Basley	....	stage manager (unknown episodes, 1989)
M.J. Belknap	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Calvin Brown Jr.	....	intern (unknown episodes)
Christophe Smith	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Dianah Wynter	....	choreographer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Bill Cosby
• Carsey-Werner Company

Distributors

• Carsey-Werner Distribution
• Channel 4 Television Corporation (1988) (UK) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1987) (USA) (TV)
• Viacom

Other Companies

• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Runtime:

30 min (142 episodes) | 60 min (1 episode)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Bill Cosby

Trivia:

Originally, the character of Whitley was to only appear in just the pilot. However, she became so popular that not only did she become a regular, but it helped to make Jasmine Guy the star of the show.

Quotes:

Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne: [after sleeping with Dwayne the night before] Last night didn't mean anything. As far as Dwayne is concerned, that ship has sailed and sunk.
Kim Reese: Not if you can't tell Bryon about it.
Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne: Why? We're not even an official couple yet.
Kim Reese: Whitley, if you can't tell him, maybe last night meant more than you think.
Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne: Such pearls of wisdom from one who pines over that swine Ron Johnson.
Kim Reese: Well, at least I've got it numbered down to one.
Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne: But has he?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Entourage: Three's Company (#3.6)" (2006)

A great spin-off from "The Cosby Show".

"A, Different World" a spin-off from the smash hit "Cosby Show" which had Huxtable daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet) off to college to find out a different world laid ahead. Denise dropped out of the mostly black college only to have the series improve and become a hit with other cast members. The best characters had to be the uppity Whitley (Jasmine Guy), and the well liked and super-cool math major Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) along with his best friend Ron (Darryl M. Bell). The pit was the place the gang hung out for everything from meals to talk. The theme song sung by Phoebe Snow really is the truth once you leave home from your parents it really is a different world.