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Today's video is on how Hollywood screwed with Gary Coleman. Gary played Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes alongside Todd Bridges and Dano Plato.


0:00 intro and viewer discretion
0:27 who was Gary Coleman
1:31 gary's time on diff'rent strokes
2:48 after diff'rent strokes (finances and lawsuits)
4:18 security guard incident
7:40 1999 bankruptcy filing
9:38 digging into gary's adoptive parents
15:26 gary's later years
16:09 Shannon Price (Gary Coleman's ex wife)
21:38 Gary's blowup on "The Insider"
23:40 details about gary coleman's death
25:54 did Shannon sell photos of Gary Coleman on his deathbed?
28:09 911 Call (Did Shannon push Gary?)
33:55 Shannon tried to have access to his estate but failed
34:50 final remarks

Why did talented Gary Coleman find it hard to find full-time acting jobs after Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled? (https://www.quora.com/Why-did-talented-Gary-Coleman-find-it-hard-to-find-full-time-acting-jobs-after-Diffrent-Strokes-was-cancelled/answer/Jon-Mixon-1)

Q: Why did talented Gary Coleman find it hard to find full-time acting jobs after Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled?

Multiple reasons, including:


Coleman has serious issues with his mental health - If you read about his life following the series, and especially the time period leading up to his untimely demise, you quickly realize how deeply troubled the man was. Whether or not he could have been assisted by longterm psychiatric care is unknown; however he certainly needed it desperately.

Coleman had health issues - Coleman’s height and appearance were due to his various health problems, and they plagued him his entire life. It’s difficult to imagine that most productions would have taken him onboard (if they could even get him insured) due to the fact that he might not have been able to complete a project if they had.

Coleman was (charitably) a difficult performer - Although it seems to have been removed, there was a Tonight Show interview when Bill Cosby hosted and had Coleman as a guest was on YouTube for many years. Coleman was extremely obnoxious during the episode, complained most of the time, and even had Cosby correcting his behavior. Network executives afterward apparently called in Coleman’s parents (See also #4) and read them the “riot act” about his actions. However Coleman continued to be difficult, and when his most prominent project, the NBC sitcom Diff’rent Strokes, ended, Coleman had few takers as far as work.

Coleman’s parents/guardians - It’s pathetic to read about now but basically the people who Coleman trusted the most stole from him and misused his earnings to fund a lavish lifestyle of their own. When Coleman reached adulthood, he discovered that he was nearly broke and so he didn’t have a “cushion” to support him while he looked for new opportunities. Even worse, Coleman was forced to sue his parents and while he won, they didn’t have the money to satisfy the judgment and as such he was still broke, and also alone due to the litigation ending their relationship. This was all going on while Coleman was looking for work.

Coleman’s management was always subpar - Coleman was an extremely popular star for many years, yet his managers allowed commercials, endorsements, and feature film opportunities to slip away during that time. Frankly, Coleman should have been financially set for the remainder of his life following Diff’rent Strokes, and even had enough money to supplement what his parents stole from him. Instead, Coleman fell by the wayside, the public lost interest (until his downward spiral in life, that is) and ultimately Coleman was reduced to working as a security guard and living in Utah…both twin indignities. That his management couldn’t have made him a fortune even after his sitcom days is a testament to how sorry that collective lot was.


OPINION: Diff’rent Strokes was a disaster for nearly all of its child performers, with Coleman’s tale arguably being the LEAST terrible.

Dana Plato was arrested for robbery in Las Vegas and later died of a drug overdose.

Todd Bridges was arrested, tried, and acquitted for murder and attempted murder. He’s apparently turned his life around. However he’s now in his 60s and yet looks at least a decade older.

Coleman’s death at 42 was almost a “relief” for him as had he lived longer, it’s likely that he would have become a pathetic parody of himself. He left the party early before the real humiliation could begin.