Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: Cherie Johnson, punky brewster, Soleil Moon Frye

Punky Brewster Stars Frye & Johnson Pay Tribute to David Duclon

Original Punky Brewster stars Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson penned touching tributes to the show's creator, the late David W. Duclon.

Published Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:37:07 -0600

by Tom Chang

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Article Summary

Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson honor Punky Brewster creator David Duclon with heartfelt tributes.
Duclon, known for Punky Brewster, passed away, leaving a legacy of classic TV shows and memorable characters.
The tributes highlight Duclon's impact on Frye and Johnson's lives beyond their iconic roles on Punky Brewster.
Johnson shares Duclon's lasting influence on her career, shaping her journey from childhood to adulthood.

The world lost the creative icon behind Punky Brewster when David Duclon passed on January 15th. The writer has been active in Hollywood for over 50 years since writing for the sitcom The Odd Couple, which starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman in 1973. He went on to write for Happy Days, Busting Loose, Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons, and Diff'rent Strokes before creating Punky with star Soleil Moon Frye, winning audiences over as the charismatic young orphan and title character who develops a loving relationship with her foster father Harry Warnimont, played by the late George Gaynes. The series lasted four seasons from 1984-1988, spawning an animated series.

A Peacock legacy sequel of the same name premiered in 2021 and sadly only lasted one season with Jim and Steve Armogida joining Duclon creatively found Punky as a middle-aged woman adopting a young girl, Izzy (Quinn Copeland), with similar characteristics. Frye reunited with co-stars Cherie Johnson, who reprised her role as Cherie, and Ami Foster, who reprised her role as Margeaux, for the Peacock series. Frye and Johnson penned tributes to Duclon.

Punky Brewster Stars Frye & Johnson Pay Tribute to David Duclon — Cherie Johnson, Ami Foster, and Soleil Moon Frye in "Punky Brewster" (1986). Image courtesy of NBC

Punky Brewster Stars Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson Pay Tribute to Creator David W. Duclon

Sharing an old photo of her and Duclon during the original NBC series run, Moon wrote, "See you over the rainbow. 💔🌈 Rest in peace. #davidduclon." Johnson replied, "He loves you so much! ❤️". In Johnson's tribute, she also shared a personal photo with the creator, "You were a producer until the very end. You told me 'goodbye, Cherrific,' but I wasn't listening—I wasn't ready. You've been by my side for every major moment in my life. My uncle, my confidant, my mentor, my best friend, my labor mate and my boss!"

Johnson also thanked him for giving her confidence as an actress, "From the very beginning, you taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. You even made me audition over and over for a character you named after me. LOL you told me kiddo you got this because you can do this not because you are my niece! You believed in me when I didn't even know what that meant, and because of you, the world knows me—and so many others… You didn't just change my life; you changed lives," she continued. "You were the kind of person who quietly shaped the world in the most extraordinary ways. A real-life hero. Uncle David, I'm so proud to have known you, to have been loved by you, and to call myself your niece. I don't know if I'll ever be able to say goodbye back, but I'll carry you with me always. I love you endlessly and will miss you until I see you again. Love always, Cherrific #davidduclon"