Child Star
Born in 1968, Coleman was raised by adoptive parents in Illinois. Because of a congenital kidney disease, his growth halted at an early age, so even as an adult, he never stood higher than 5 ft. He rose to fame when he was cast as Arnold Jackson on the television show Diff'rent Strokes.
|
|
Diff'rent Strokes
In this popular NBC comedy, Coleman, lower right, played a young boy who, along with his brother (Todd Bridges, left), is adopted by a wealthy white widower (Conrad Bain, center) who had once employed the boys' deceased mother. The two boys live with their adoptive father and his daughter (Dana Plato, top right) and a maid in a Manhattan penthouse.
Big Time
The show lasted for eight seasons, powered in large part by the popularity of Coleman's character, whose catchphrase "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" became a staple of American conversation during the 1980s. The show's sixth season kicked off with "Mr. T and mr. t," featuring the A-Team star Mr. T, above, as guest star.
Accolades
At the height of his fame, Coleman was said to be earning $100,000 per episode. In 1983 he was honored as the first Favorite Young Television Performer on the People's Choice Awards, with a presentation from Morgan Fairchild.
Film Roles
Coleman tried on numerous occasions to capitalize on his popularity. He was cast in several films, like the made-for-TV On the Right Track, which also starred Michael Lembeck and Lisa Eilbacher, but his career never grew beyond the fame he garnered for Diff'rent Strokes.
Animated
One of Coleman's film projects, The Kid with the Broken Halo, provided the basis for a cartoon series built around the young star, called The Gary Coleman Show. Launched in 1982 and lasting only one season, the show told the story of an apprentice angel who is returned to Earth to earn his wings by helping others.
Legal Problems
As Coleman aged, he endured a series of legal and financial difficulties. In the late 1980s, he successfully sued his parents and former manager over the misappropriation of his multimillion-dollar trust fund, but he later went bankrupt. He was charged with assault in 1998 (he arrives for a court appearance connected with that incident in the photo above), disorderly conduct in 2007 and reckless driving in 2008, among other troubles.
In Flight
In recent years, Coleman worked to reconstruct a career for himself. He enjoyed a brief moment of notoriety when he entered the gubernatorial race in California in 2003 as a way of poking fun at the state's recall vote. (That election was ultimately won by Arnold Schwarzenegger.) And as a former child star, he was often seen in shows and programs devoted to revivals, like the TV Land Awards, where he made a flying entrance in 2003.
Farewell, Gary
Coleman passed away after a fall that led to an intercranial hemmorrhage, on May 28, 2010. He was 42.
SOURCE: TIME Magazine
