He spent 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics where he had an amazing career, then coached the Indiana Pacers’ for 3 seasons and still serves as their President of Basketball Operations. He owns a hotel and restaurant and a car dealership in Indiana and works with Heinz and Boston Market to generate donations for the Boys and Girls clubs of America.

Larry Bird in 1985

Larry Bird in 2009

Best known for his role as Arnold Jackson on the television show “Diff’rent Strokes,” actor Gary Coleman is 42 years old today. He has continued to act over the years playing various characters and also appearing as himself. He will be spending his birthday in court for failing to appear at an earlier court date on a domestic violence charge stemming from an April 18 incident.

Gary Coleman during his "Diff'rent Strokes" years

Gary Coleman's mugshot from 1-24-10

Jon Provost may not be a household name, but you certainly know who he is. He played Timmy in the Lassie TV series from 1957 – 1964. Since then, he has been in some movies and TV shows, including The New Lassie in the late 80’s. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that provides service dogs to the handicapped.

He lives in Sonoma County with his wife, Hollywood writer, Laurie Jacobson and has two adult children. The checked shirt and jeans he wore for seven years on Lassie hangs in The Smithsonian.

Jon Provost with Lassie and his TV Fanily, June Lockhart and Hugh Reilly

Jon Provost today

Actress Phoebe Cates, best known for her role as Linda Barrett in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” continued acting into the 1990’s. She is married to actor Kevin Kline and they live in NYC with their 2 children. She co-owns and runs a boutique in Manhattan.

Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

Phoebe Cates and husband Kevin Kline in 2009

Quarterback Jim Kelly was a household name in the early 90’s when he led the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls, even though they lost all four of them. In 2002, in his first year of eligibility, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Since retiring from football, he and his wife founded Hunter’s Hope. This non-profit organization was established after their infant son Hunter, who passed way in 2005, was diagnosed with Krabbe Leukodystrophy, an inherited fatal nervous system disease.

Jim Kelly as a Bill

Jim Kelly in 2005

Remember “The Facts of Life?” You know, Mrs. Garrett, Blair, Jo, Natalie and Tootie? Ok, so maybe I watched too many dumb sitcoms back in the day. The actress who played well-to-do Blair, Lisa Whelchel, got married and started a family soon after the show ended. She is now a stay-at-home mother of 3 and Christian author.

Lisa Whelchel in 1983

Lisa Whelchel today

Yesterday, I started a new contest on The Fox called “Where Are They Now?” I’ll highlight a different former celebrity each morning and ask you to guess what they are up to these days. I’ll post it on my blog each day and post a current picture (as long as I can find one).

Karen Allen
Best known for her role as Marion Ravenwood in the Indiana Jones films, she now owns her own hand knitting studio in Massachusetts called Karen Allen Fiberarts.

Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, 1981

Karen Allen Today