  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | Look, If you love your sister and you don't want to see her hurt then you'll shut up! You hear me?! | „ |
| ~ Bill threatening Arnold |
Bill, is a serial-kidnapper-rapist and the main antagonist in the two-part episode "The Hitchhikers" of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.
He was portrayed by the late Woody Eney.
Biography
Kimberly and Arnold went downtown to pick up a birthday present for their father. They ran out of money and it was hard to get a cab on a cold day in New York, so they ignored their father's request of never hitchhiking and decide to hitchhike for a ride. When a car stopped, Bill offered to give them a ride home. When Bill saw Arnold's model rocket he purchased, he tells them that he is a commercial artist and does designs for an aerospace company. Bill invites Kimberly and Arnold to his apartment to watch a video of a rocket launching.
While Arnold was watching the video in the bedroom, Bill locked the door and decided to have his way with Kimberly. He wanted to draw a sketch of her so that she can take it home to their father as a present. When Kimberly was refusing and saying it wasn't necessary Bill got angry and demanded her to sit down so he can force her to stay and he can finish the drawing. When the video was over, Arnold realized the door was locked and constantly pounded on the door demanding Bill to open the door and at that point he realized Kimberly was in trouble. To stop Arnold, Bill told Kimberly to say that everything is all right. Kimberly tried to talk Bill into letting them go, but he began to come onto her. When Kimberly said that the cops would soon be there, Bill said they won't as nobody knows about him or where she is. Kimberly then attempts to hit him with a small pyramid but he stops her.
In order to quiet Arnold down, Bill locks Kimberly in the closet and Arnold tries to escape from the window which was "stuck". Bill Then tells Arnold to be quite or he'll hurt Kimberly, then he ties tape around his arms and legs. Arnold told Bill he will call the police when they get out of there, so Bill tapes Arnold's mouth shut. Bill then had Kimberly see how Arnold is doing and says that he tied him up in order to keep him quiet. Bill continues to force Kimberly to have a "date" with him, dancing and eat the food he provided. He holds Kimberly too close while dancing and won't let her call her father. When Kimberly was being nice to Bill after he talks about how people at his work hate him, he pushes Kimberly thinking that she's trying to trick him again.
Arnold eventually gets all of the tape off of him and breaks the window with a dumbbell. Fortunately, the glass breaking doesn't alert Bill. However, as Arnold climbs onto the fire escape, the dumbbell hits a crate of books which Bill does hear. When He sees what happened, they realize that Arnold escaped and Kimberly tells Bill that it's only a matter of time before the police come after him, and Bill says maybe, but they will be too late.
After Arnold escapes, he finds a cop to try to rescue his sister but is too disoriented that he forgot where Bill's apartment was. Then Arnold arrives home with Detective Carlson of the NYPD, and they tell Mr. Drummond about Kimberly's situation. Detective Carlson uses hypnosis to get Arnold to remember the license plate number on Bill's car in order to rescue Kimberly.
Mr. Drummond, Arnold, and the police arrive at Bill's apartment and his landlady tells them that Bill does photography and uses an old storage room as a dark room. That room is where Bill had Kimberly and with a bed in that room, he tries to make his move. Eventually the police and Mr. Drummond attempt to open the door distracting Bill from his move and Kimberly grabs a bottle of chemicals, pouring it into Bill's eyes, Presumably blinding him permanently and opening the door with the police arresting Bill and Kimberly crying in her father's arms.
Kimberly is asked to press charges at the police station the next day, but she never wants to see Bill again. Then Maggie tells Kimberly that she would be doing the right thing and that Bill has kidnapped and raped other women before. Willis tells Kimberly that if she goes and presses charges against Bill then she can stop him from ever doing it again. Mr. Drummond says that if she doesn't then the police will release Bill, So Arnold decides to press charges against him.
Trivia
- At the beginning of both episodes, Conrad Bain (the actor who played Mr. Drummond), delivers a message about the episode of being the dangers of hitchhiking for parents and children and to have children watch it with a parent since some of the material presented may be disturbing for them. At the end of the final episode, Conrad Bain makes a PSA saying, "If you know of a case of sexual assault or an attempted sexual assault, please contact your local law enforcement agency or emergency medical facility." He previously did the same with "The Bicycle Man", which featured a pedophile.
- A deleted scene from the 2-parter would've revealed that Bill was in love with Lydia Drummond, Phillip's late wife and Kimberly's mother twenty years ago. Bill's warped fascination with Kimberly would become more intense upon discovering her parents were the man he has hated for 20 years and the woman who rejected him.