‘Silver Spoons’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

For five seasons, “Silver Spoons” aired on NBC, and each week the stellar cast brought wacky antics and meaningful family bonding moments to viewers’ homes. The premise of a single dad raising his son wasn’t the first of its kind, nor the last, but on “Silver Spoons,” it was a perfect blend of entertaining and aspirational (who wouldn’t want a scale model train to ride throughout their mansion?!). (Click here to find even more funny sitcoms from the 1980s.)

Wealthy toy company owner Edward Stratton takes in his only son, Ricky (played by Ricky Schroder), and together they forge a lovely albeit unusual bond in which Ricky is more parent and Edward more child. Rounding out the cast are Edward’s personal assistant (and later wife) Kate (played by Erin Gray), his business manager Dexter Stuffins (played by the late Franklyn Seales), and a handful of recurring characters. Let’s find out where the “Silver Spoons” cast is today and what they’ve been up to since the show wrapped in 1987.

Ricky Schroder

Ricky Schroder’s role as Ricky Stratton on “Silver Spoons” firmly established him as a teen heartthrob. While he played the role of “the Ricker” for all five seasons, the hit sitcom wasn’t his first role or his last. Before “Silver Spoons,” Schroder did some commercials and modeling work before becoming the youngest Golden Globe winner for his role in 1979’s “The Champ.” After “Silver Spoons,” he enjoyed long-standing characters in “Lonesome Dove,” “Return to Lonesome Dove,” and “NYPD Blue.” He also tried his hand at both directing and producing film and TV as well. He is a staunch supporter of the U.S. Army, having embedded in Afghanistan to film recruiting commercials. He’s also been vocal about his conservative political and personal values, and in 2021, he stirred up controversy when he filmed himself confronting a Costco employer about the mask requirement to shop there. Ricky has four children and lives in Colorado.

Erin Gray

Erin Gray played Kate Summers on “Silver Spoons” for all five seasons the show aired. When the show wrapped, she continued her acting career playing bit parts in a variety of film and TV projects. She has since retired from acting and focuses her time on her advocacy work. She also practices and teaches tai chi, and she opened a casting agency called Heroes for Hire. She’s married with one child.

Joel Higgins

Joel Higgins (pictured above with “Silver Spoons” co-star Erin gray) had a military career long before his role as Edward Stratton on “Silver Spoons.” Indeed it was after his turn in the U.S. Army that he wrote a stage play, which he sold and acted in its touring production for several years before being discovered by a regional theater producer. After more than a decade doing stage shows, Higgins transitioned into small screen work, landing a variety of small roles on various shows. It was his role as Edward, though, that made him a mainstream celebrity. After “Silver Spoons,” Higgins performed in a handful of TV shows and films before returning his attention to the stage. In 2017, he released A World Away, an EP of his original music. He’s married with one child.

Franklyn Seales

Franklyn Seales played the aptly named Dexter Stuffins, Edward’s stuffy and uptight business manager, on “Silver Spoons.” After the show wrapped, Seales went on to play small roles in shows like “Amen” and “Growing Pains.” He also had some stage roles and was a painter as well. Seales died from complications from AIDS in 1990 at age 37.

Alfonso Ribeiro

Alfonso Ribeiro played Alfonso Spears, nephew of Dexter Stuffins, on “Silver Spoons.” He appeared in more than 70 episodes of the sitcom, playing best friend to Ricky Stratton. While “Silver Spoons” was one of his first big roles, he has since established himself as a household name in Hollywood. Subsequent to the hit sitcom, Ribeiro went on to play an impressive number of roles on a variety of shows, arguably his most well-known being Carlton Banks on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” He also won Season 19 of “Dancing With the Stars,” and he took over as host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” in 2015, a role he still holds today. Ribeiro is twice married with four children.

Corky Pigeon

Corky Pigeon played Ricky’s off-beat friend Freddy for four seasons of “Silver Spoons.” With a broad background in commercial acting, his time as Freddy gave him celeb status. After playing Winslow in 1987’s Party Camp, Corky shifted his attention from acting to music, playing drums in several bands including Reel Big Fish as well as his own, called Big in Japan. He lives in southern California with his wife and daughter.

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman played Ricky’s best friend Derek Taylor in a recurring role for the first two seasons of “Silver Spoons.” When it become concerned that his popularity may eclipse that of the show’s original young star, Ricky Schroder,” producers wrote him off and gave him his own show, “It’s Your Move,” a short-lived comedy that lasted just one season. Since then, Bateman has handily maintained his space in the spotlight, most notably in the role of Michael Bluth in the cult-favorite “Arrested Development.” During the pandemic, he and pals Will Arnett and Sean Hayes launched the “Smartless” podcast, which proved so successful that the show evolved into a full-blown company called Smartless Media, which produces a variety of podcasts by different hosts.

John Houseman

John Houseman played the recurring role of Edward Stratton Jr., Edward’s stodgy and stern father. Born in 1902, the actor was already in his 80s when he took the role, having already enjoyed a colorful career on screen and stage. The Romanian actor died in 1988 just one year after “Silver Spoons” wrapped. He was 86 years old.