Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Gary Coleman, who used to play the role of Arnold Jackson on the NBC show, Diff’rent Strokes, was one of the most well-known child actors of the time. Being only 10, he had the amazing ability to make otherwise plain scenes entertaining, and fans would love it every time he showed up on their screens.
Born on February 8th, 1968, Gary had a hard life and lived with his adoptive parents in Illinois. He started his career sometime in 1974 and was soon granted a role on Diff’rent Strokes by Jeff Harris. He had already been in many commercials by then and was discovered by Norman Lear, who knew Gary had the potential to be a huge star one day.
After his role as Arnold, Coleman’s popularity increased tremendously, with him even being given the number one position on the “Top child actors” list by VH1. Despite a successful career of almost a decade, Gary’s life couldn’t improve over the years. Things worsened when he had to declare bankruptcy and move away to a small town named Santaquin, where he lived a turbulent life until his death.
Gary Coleman: The Highest Paid Child Actor from the 80s
The show Diff’rent Strokes catapulted Gary into stardom at a young age, and even if it was entertaining to see him on screen, things were much different behind the curtains. His co-star, Todd Bridges, who played his brother on the show, said in his autobiography that Gary was made to work hours on end, despite his young age and health problems.
At the age of 2, he had to undergo a kidney transplant, but it wasn’t successful, and another one was done at 14. Neither of the transplants worked out, and Coleman had to live on dialysis. The drugs that he was given for treatment left him underdeveloped, with a height of 4 feet and 8 inches. With all these problems, Coleman continued acting in various shows and won the Young Artist Award, People’s Choice Award, and many others.
He gathered over 80 television appearances throughout his life, and his legacy as the best child actor from the 80s lives on. Mike Hogan expressed his respect for Gary and his determination to keep acting despite his health struggles throughout his career.
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Gary Sues His Parents: Start of His Downfall
When Gary was old enough to realize the importance of saving his life earnings, it was way too late as most of his money was spent by his parents and others involved in his life. He was only left with a quarter of what he earned on Diff’rent Strokes. At the height of his career, Coleman was earning around 100,000 dollars for each episode he performed, and to have all that money go away left him with no choice but to sue his adoptive parents in 1989.
He started living in Santaquin, working in Hobby stores and as a security guard near railroads. In 1998, he ended up in a physical altercation with a fan when she started mocking his unsuccessful career. A year later, he had to file for bankruptcy protection and blamed his parents and himself for using the money without proper management. He had lost around $200,000 trying to build an unsuccessful Arcade.
The medical bills he collected each month added to his already increasing financial losses. Fundraising was done for Gary’s medical expenses in 1999. He met his wife, Shannon Price, in 2007, and their relationship soon became abusive and toxic. Shannon was seen treating Coleman like a child and would physically assault him at times. They ended up having a divorce in 2008 but continued to live together.
How Did Gary Coleman Die?
Coleman’s health started declining rapidly; in 2010, he started having seizures. These infrequent attacks led to him falling off the stairs at his home, resulting in him suffering from an epidural Hematoma. After he was taken to the hospital, Gary showed signs of consciousness, but despite being under supervision, he started to slip into a coma.
He had to be put under life support which was later discontinued. Gary Coleman passed away on May 28th, 2010, and his death was at first speculated to be murder by Shannon since she was the one who agreed to stop the Life support. The hospital later showed evidence that suggested Gary agreed to let Price be the decision maker.
All of the wealth he left behind, which was just a few houses, was granted to Gray, his former business associate. The Utah court declined Price’s attempts to inherit his earnings since the pair were not a couple, and Price was unfaithful the whole time she was with Gary. Avenue Q later dedicated a performance to Gary after he died in 2010.
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