Gary Coleman

Gary Coleman Headshot

Actor • Comedian

Birth Date: February 8, 1968

Death Date: May 28, 2010

Birth Place: Zion, Illinois

Born on Feb. 8, 1968 in Zion, IL, a small city on the shores of Lake Michigan, 40 miles south of Chicago, Coleman was raised by his adoptive parents, Willie, who worked for a pharmaceutical company, and Sue, a nurse. By the time he was five years old, Coleman suffered from Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, a congenital kidney defect that resulted in three operations and permanently stunting his growth, leaving him standing at 4'8" for the rest of his life. But his short stature worked to his advantage when he began appearing in Chicago-area commercials - at nine years old, Coleman could pass for five. In 1978, he auditioned for a television revival of "The Little Rascals." Though the project never made it off the ground, network executives were impressed with his talent and cast him in "Diff'rent Strokes" (NBC/ABC, 1978-1986). Coleman played Arnold Jackson, a precocious eight-year-old who, along with his trouble-making brother, Willis (Todd Bridges), is adopted by a wealthy employer (Conrad Bain) and brought in to live in Manhattan with him and his teenage daughter (Dana Plato). With Coleman's pudgy cheeks, ability to pout on cue, and his oft-repeated catchphrase, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?," the show was an immediate hit. The series first aired on NBC in November 1978 and ran for six seasons, making its final appearance in August 1986 on rival network ABC. Throughout the show's run, Coleman capitalized on his image with several television movies, three of which co-starred distinguished actor Robert Guillaume. First was "The Kid from Left Field" (NBC, 1979), a remake of the 1953 movie with Dan Dailey and Anne Bancroft. Coleman played the son of a former baseball player-turned-refreshments vendor who leads the San Diego Padres from worst in the league to the World Series. After playing a homeless sh shine boy living in a train station locker in his feature film debut, "On the Right Track" (1981), he teamed up with Guillaume once again in "The Kid with the Broken Halo" (NBC, 1982), a children's fantasy about a child angel (Coleman) who returns to Earth to save three souls. Rounding out their creative partnership between Coleman and Guillaume was "The Kid with the 200 I.Q." (1983), a melodrama about a precocious kid with a large IQ, but no confidence or maturity. Following ht end of the show, Coleman would struggle both personally and professionally, facing numerous health problems over the years. In 2010, Coleman was rushed to the hospital for a fall he had taken at his Utah home. It was determined by doctors that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage. Only two days after the incident, the decision was made to remove the actor from life support. He was 42 years old.

Credits

Midgets vs. Mascots

Actor
Gary
Movie
2009

An American Carol

Actor
Bacon Stains Malone
Movie
2008

A Christmas Too Many

Actor
Pizza Guy
Movie
2007

Church Ball

Actor
Charles
Movie
2006

Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Diff'rent Strokes

Self
Movie
2006

The Tyra Show

Guest
Talk
2005

Robot ChickenStream

Guest Voice
Series
2005

The Insider

Guest
Show
2004

Drake & JoshStream

Guest Star
Gary Coleman
Series
2004

The Surreal Life

Guest Star
Show
2003

A Carol Christmas

Actor
Ghost of Christmas Past
Movie
2003

Baby Bob

Guest Star
Series
2002

My Wife and KidsStream

Guest Star
Series
2001

Son of the Beach

Guest Star
Series
2000

Shafted!

Actor
Mister Gary Coleman
Movie
2000

The ParkersStream

Guest Star
Series
1999

Divorce Court

Guest
Reality
1999

The Hughleys

Guest Star
Series
1998

Una Navidad En Aprietos

Actor
Ignatius
Movie
1998

Dirty WorkStream

Self
Movie
1998
14%

Like Father, Like Santa

Actor
Ignatius
Movie
1998

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

The Jamie Foxx ShowStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Homeboys in Outer Space

Guest Star
Series
1996
25%

Fox Hunt

Actor
Murray Lipschitz Jr.
Movie
1996

MADtvStream

Guest Star
Series
1995
43%

The Naked Truth

Guest Star
Series
1995
64%

The Drew Carey ShowStream

Guest Star
Series
1995

The Parent 'HoodStream

Guest Star
Series
1995

Unhappily Ever After

Guest Star
Series
1995

The Wayans Bros.Stream

Guest Star
Series
1995

The Ben Stiller ShowStream

Guest Star
Series
1992
91%

MartinStream

Guest Star
Series
1992

The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

The SimpsonsStream

Guest Voice
Himself
Series
1989
85%

The Joan Rivers ShowStream

Guest
Talk
1989

Married ... With ChildrenStream

Guest Star
Property Inspector
Series
1987

Amazing StoriesStream

Actor
Series
1985

227Stream

Guest Star
Series
1985

Playing With Fire

Actor
David Phillips
Movie
1985

The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins

Actor
D. C. Collins
Movie
1984

The Kid With the 200 I.Q.

Actor
Nick Newell
Movie
1983

The Gary Coleman Show

Voice
Show
1982

The Kid With the Broken Halo

Actor
Andy LeBeau
Movie
1982

Jimmy the Kid

Actor
Jimmy
Movie
1982

Simon & Simon

Guest Star
Lewis Peoples
Series
1981

On the Right Track

Actor
Lester
Movie
1981

Scout's Honor

Actor
Joey Seymour
Movie
1980

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Actor
Hieronymous Fox
Series
1979
38%

The Facts of LifeStream

Guest Star
Arnold Jackson
Series
1979

The Kid From Left Field

Actor
Jackie Robinson `'J.R.'` Cooper
Movie
1979

Diff'rent Strokes

Actor
Arnold Jackson
Series
1978

The JeffersonsStream

Guest Star
Raymond Jefferson
Series
1975

Good TimesStream

Guest Star
Gary Daniels
Series
1974

Today

Guest
News
1952