Handsome, athletic character lead of TV first gained prominence in 1984 in the popular Broadway musical "Tap Dance Kid" wherein he created the lead role of Willie. Ribeiro danced into pop culture history with Michael Jackson in a memorable Pepsi commercial. On TV he succeeded the departing Jason Bateman as the designated sidekick of poor little rich boy Ricky Schroder for the last few years of the long-running sitcom "Silver Spoons" (NBC, 1984-87). Ribeiro also appeared in several specials and TV-movies throughout the 1980s, evincing a special fondness for the annual "Circus of the Stars"
