Gary Coleman
What'chu talkin' 'bout, Willis?
He became a worldwide star as a child actor on the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, but faced legal, financial, and health problems in later life.[1][2] A congenital kidney disease limited his growth to 4 ft 8 in and kept his face childlike into adulthood.[1][2]
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Gary Wayne Coleman
- Born
- 8 February 1968
- Birthplace
- Zion, Illinois, U.S.
- Died
- 28 May 2010
- Place of death
- Provo, Utah, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Years active
- 1974–2010
- Partner
- Shannon Price (2008–2010)
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
In 1978 he was cast as Arnold Jackson in Diff'rent Strokes, which ran for eight seasons until 1986.[3] At the height of the show, he earned up to $100,000 per episode.[1][2] After Diff'rent Strokes ended, Coleman struggled to find acting roles and worked as a salesperson and security guard.[1][2] Bankruptcy protection was sought by Coleman in August 1999.[4]
Shannon Price and Coleman wed in 2007, and their marriage ended in divorce in August 2008.[5][6] At his Santaquin residence, a fall led to an epidural hematoma, and he died at 42 years of age.[7]
What the cited sources add
The Independent obituary notes that Coleman said of his childhood, "I would not give my first 15 years to my worst enemy".[1][2] The same source reports that Coleman briefly owned a video game arcade in Fisherman's Village near Santa Monica.[1][2] CNN reported that Coleman's 2005 will directed "that there be no funeral service, wake, or other ceremony memorializing my passing".[8] The same CNN article states that Coleman's ashes were kept locked up until a dispute over his estate was resolved.[8]
References
- Hayward, "Gary Coleman: Child star of the television sitcom 'Diff'rent Strokes' who faced legal and personal problems in later life – Obituaries – News", The Independent, June 1, 2010. facts only, no text reused. independent.co.uk
- "Gary Coleman: Child star of the television sitcom 'Diff'rent Strokes'", The Independent, June 1, 2010. facts only, no text reused. independent.co.uk
- Wikipedia, "Gary Coleman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Diff'rent Strokes actor Gary Coleman dies at 42." CNN May 28, 2010, article added May 28, 2010.; "10 things you never knew about 'Diff'rent Strokes'", Me-TV Network; "10 things you never knew about 'Diff'rent Strokes'", Me-TV Network; "10 things you never knew about 'Diff'rent Strokes'", Me-TV Network (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gary Coleman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Former Child Star Gary Coleman Files For Bankruptcy", Jet, September 6, 1999; "Gary Coleman: Bankrupt", eonline.com, August 18, 1999; "Out of Pocket", People, September 6, 1999; "Gary Coleman", happeningsmagazine.com, April 15, 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gary Coleman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Death & Celebrity: When Gary Met Shannon", Salt Lake Tribune, June 15, 2010; "Afternoon Fix: Celebrity Birthdays, the 'Jumper' Movie Minute, the latest news, and more", MTV News, February 14, 2008; Cohen, "Newlywed Gary Coleman brings marital woes to 'Divorce Court'", Daily News, April 25, 2008 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gary Coleman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Mayoras, "Court Rules Against Gary Coleman's Ex, Finds She Abused And Cheated On Him", Forbes, 2012; Horiuchi, "Gary Coleman wasn't married when he died", The Salt Lake Tribune, June 2, 2010; Mayoras, "Court Rules Against Gary Coleman's Ex, Finds She Abused And Cheated On Him", Forbes, 2012 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gary Coleman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Duke, "Gary Coleman in critical condition, Utah hospital says", CNN, May 28, 2010; "Gary Coleman critically hurt after falling and hitting his head", The Sydney Morning Herald, May 27, 2010; Tourtellotte, "Gary Coleman dies after brain hemorrhage", Reuters, May 28, 2010; Vena, "Gary Coleman Put On Life Support After being hospitalized on Wednesday following a fall, the actor is unconscious", MTV; Stanglin, "Actor Gary Coleman dies of brain hemorrhage", USA Today, May 28, 2010; Silverman, "Diff'rent Strokes Star Gary Coleman Dies at 42", Pe en.wikipedia.org
- "Coleman's Ashes Kept Locked Up During Battle of Wills", CNN, June 16, 2010. facts only, no text reused. cnn.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Gary Coleman (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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