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Gary Coleman is a Actor and Producer American born on 8 february 1968 at Zion (USA)

Gary Coleman

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Birth name Gary Wayne Coleman
Nationality USA
Birth 8 february 1968 at Zion (USA)
Death 28 may 2010 (at 42 years) at Provo (USA)

Gary Wayne Coleman (February 8, 1968 – May 28, 2010) was an American actor, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Arnold Jackson in Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986) and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman struggled financially later in life. In 1989, he successfully sued his parents and business adviser over misappropriation of his assets, only to declare bankruptcy a decade later.

On May 28, 2010, Coleman died of epidural hematoma at age 42.

Biography

In a 1993 television interview, Coleman said he had twice attempted suicide by overdosing on pills. Around the same time he was living in Denver, Colorado, where he hosted a Sunday night show on local radio station KHIH titled Gary Coleman's Colorado High, in which he played light jazz and new-age music. He gave his salary to the Colorado Kidney Foundation.

In 2005, Coleman moved from Los Angeles to Santaquin, a small town about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, where he lived for the remainder of his life. In early 2007 he met Shannon Price, 22, on the set of the film Church Ball, where she was working as an extra. Price and Coleman married several months later. On May 1 and 2, 2008, they made a well-publicized appearance on the show Divorce Court to air their differences in an attempt to save their marriage. Nevertheless, they divorced in August 2008, citing irreconcilable differences and Coleman was granted an ex parte restraining order against Price to prevent her from living in his home when he was hospitalized after their divorce. According to a court petition later filed by Price, she and Coleman continued to live together in a common law marriage until his death. However, a judge ultimately ruled against Price after hearing evidence that she carried on affairs with other men during the time she claimed to be with Coleman, and moreover "physically abused Coleman in public, led him around by the hand like a child [and] displayed no physical affection toward him in front of anyone."

Financial struggles
In August 1999, Coleman filed for bankruptcy protection. Multiple people, he said, were responsible for his insolvency, "...from me, to accountants, to my adoptive parents, to agents, to lawyers, and back to me again."

Ongoing medical expenses contributed significantly to Coleman's chronic financial problems, and compelled him, at times, to resort to unusual fundraising activities. In 2008, for example, he auctioned an autographed pair of his trousers on eBay to help pay his medical bills. The auction attracted considerable attention, including fake bids up to $400,000. The trousers were eventually bought for $500 by comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who famously hung them from the rafters of his television studio.

Legal troubles
In 1989, Coleman sued his adoptive parents and former business advisor for $3.8 million over misappropriation of his trust fund, and won a $1,280,000 judgment in 1993.

In 1998, Coleman was charged with assault while he was working as a security guard. Tracy Fields, a Los Angeles bus driver and fan of Coleman's work on Diff'rent Strokes, approached him and requested his autograph while he was shopping for a bulletproof vest in a California mall. Coleman refused to give her an autograph, an argument ensued, and Fields reportedly mocked Coleman's lackluster career as an actor. Coleman punched Fields in the face several times in front of witnesses. He was arrested and later testified in court that she threatened him and he defended himself. "She wouldn't leave me alone. I was getting scared, and she was getting ugly," he said. Coleman pleaded no contest to one count of assault, received a suspended jail sentence, and was ordered to pay Fields' $1,665 hospital bill, as well as take anger management classes.

In 2007, Coleman was cited for misdemeanor disorderly conduct in Provo, Utah after a "heated discussion" in public with his wife.

In 2008, Coleman was involved in an automobile accident after an altercation at a Payson, Utah bowling alley which began when Colt Rushton, age 24, photographed Coleman without his permission; the two men argued, according to witnesses. In the parking lot, Coleman allegedly backed his truck into Rushton, striking his knee and pulling him under the vehicle, before hitting another car. Rushton was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and released. Coleman later pleaded no contest to charges of disorderly conduct and reckless driving, and was fined $100. In 2010, he settled a civil suit related to the incident for an undisclosed amount.

In 2009, Coleman and Price were involved in a domestic dispute, after which his ex-wife was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, and both parties were cited for disorderly conduct.

In January 2010, he was arrested on an outstanding domestic assault warrant in Santaquin, booked into the Utah County Jail, and released the following day.