Quintessential child star, Gary Coleman was born on February 8, 1968, in Zion, Illinois. Coleman was born with a congenital kidney disease, which caused his growth to cease at four feet, eight inches. His personality, however, was prodigious; and he showed a natural flair for acting at a young age. After appearing in various television commercials in Chicago, ten-year-old Coleman was cast in the role of pint-sized orphan, Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, alongside Dana Plato, Todd Bridges, Conrad Bain, and Charlotte Rae.
Starring on one of the most revered shows of the 80s, Coleman was loved by audiences for his pint-sized precociousness, and his most famous catch-phrase, "Whatchu talkin’ about, Willis?" However, Coleman was only two years into his new-found fame on the show when the plague of every child actor’s career hit: puberty. Although Coleman continued acting on the show well into his teens, his stunted growth caused him to remain forever child-like in the eyes of the audience, which the show’s producers took full advantage of. It was not uncommon for scenes to include a now-teenage Coleman sitting on other adult’s laps, or reciting lines typical of an eight-year-old.
While acting on Diff’rent Strokes, Coleman also appeared in the films On the Right Track in 1981, Scout's Honor in 1980, and The Kid With the Broken Halo in 1982. He also had his own Saturday morning cartoon series in 1983, The Gary Coleman Show. Along with his hectic work schedule, Coleman also had to endure two kidney transplants and undergo constant dialysis.
In 1989, Coleman was at the center of a highly publicized lawsuit, in which he sued his parents and his business manager for misappropriation of his earnings, totaling roughly $18 million. Coleman's parents had set up a trust fund with themselves written into the agreement as paid employees of Coleman’s. Coleman reportedly saw only $220,000 of his earnings, and settled for a reported $1.8-$3.8 million.
After the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes in 1986, Coleman had a difficult time securing steady acting roles, and began working as a security guard in Colorado and then Arizona. In July 1998, while shopping for a bulletproof vest in Los Angeles, Coleman was accosted by a female fan seeking an autograph. After signing his name, the fan pressed for a longer, more personal message, and an argument ensued, resulting in the fan insulting Coleman’s lack of acting prospects and Coleman ripping up the autograph. eighty-six-pound Coleman allegedly struck the five-foot six-inch tall, 200 pound woman, claiming self-defense. Coleman plead no contest to a charge of disturbing the peace. He received a 90-day suspended sentence, a $1,580 fine, and was ordered to take anger management classes.
Two years later, Coleman bounced back by announcing his intention to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Running on the H.E.C.K. (Homelessness, Education, Crime, and Killers) platform, Coleman placed eighth in a field of 135 candidates. He was ultimately beat out by another actor-turned-politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In 2004, Coleman appeared on the first celeb-reality show to feature the forgotten famous, The Surreal Life. Coleman starred in an episode alongside Traci Bingham, Trishelle Cannatella, Erik Estrada, Tammy Faye Messner, Ron Jeremy, and Vanilla Ice; in which his task was to mange a diner. When Coleman’s former Diff’rent Strokes cast-mate, Todd Bridges paid a visit to the diner, Coleman became angry at being pressured to say "the line" from the show. Unable to speed off due to his lack of a vehicle, Coleman brooded while waiting for his cab to arrive.
YUDDY
