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Gary Coleman

Gary Coleman

Highest Rated: 17% Church Ball (2006)

Lowest Rated: 0% Midgets vs. Mascots (2009)

Birthday: Feb 8, 1968

Birthplace: Zion, Illinois, USA

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.

Highest rated movies

17% 39% Church Ball
12% 48% An American Carol
0% 55% Midgets vs. Mascots

Filmography

Movies

Credit
0% 55% Midgets vs. Mascots Gary (Character) - 2009
12% 48% An American Carol Bacon Stains Malone (Character) $7.0M 2008
No Score Yet 14% A Christmas Too Many Pizza Guy (Character) - 2007
17% 39% Church Ball Charles (Character) $465.0K 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Diff'rent Strokes Self - 2006
No Score Yet 44% A Carol Christmas Ghost of Christmas Past (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 50% Shafted! Mister Gary Coleman (Character) - 2000
14% 66% Dirty Work Self $10.0M 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Like Father, Like Santa Ignatius (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fox Hunt Murray Lipschitz Jr. (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Playing With Fire David Phillips (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins D. C. Collins (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 60% The Kid With the 200 I.Q. Nick Newell (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Kid With the Broken Halo Andy LeBeau (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jimmy the Kid Jimmy (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet 31% On the Right Track Lester (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Scout's Honor Joey Seymour (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 42% The Kid From Left Field Jackie Robinson `'J.R.'` Cooper (Character) - 1979

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 85% Robot Chicken Unknown (Guest Voice) 2011
No Score Yet 91% Drake & Josh Gary Coleman (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Surreal Life Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Parkers Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Baby Bob Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hughleys Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet 73% My Wife and Kids Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Drew Carey Show Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jamie Foxx Show Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
85% 76% The Simpsons Himself (archive footage) (Guest Voice) 1999-2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Son of the Beach Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet MADtv Unknown (Guest Star) 1995 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Parent 'Hood Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
25% No Score Yet Homeboys in Outer Space Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 96% Married ... With Children Property Inspector (Guest Star) 1994 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Unhappily Ever After Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet 93% Martin Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wayans Bros. Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
91% 86% The Ben Stiller Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet 227 Unknown (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Simon & Simon Lewis Peoples (Guest Star) 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Diff'rent Strokes Arnold Jackson (Character) 1978-1986
No Score Yet 82% Amazing Stories Unknown (Character) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Gary Coleman Show Unknown (Voice) 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Facts of Life Arnold Jackson (Guest Star) 1979-1980
38% 54% Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Hieronymous Fox (Character) 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good Times Gary James (Guest Star) 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jeffersons Raymond Jefferson (Guest Star) 1978
64% No Score Yet The Naked Truth Unknown (Guest Star)