Professional Motion Picture Production and Distribution NEWS

Statement on the Passing of Gary Coleman From the Producers of 'Midgets vs. Mascots'

By Staff
posted May 28, 2010, 20:25


(Dallas) The producers of "Midgets vs. Mascots," the last film that Gary Coleman appeared in, have set up a website, www.midgetsvsmascots.com, in order to donate all net proceeds for the next month to the National Kidney Foundation, and to give his grieving fans a place to remember Gary and offer condolences to his loved ones.

Gary spent his life fighting kidney disease, and we can think of no better way to honor his memory than to donate to an organization helping others with a similar ailment.

During this difficult time, we are thinking about Gary's loved ones, and reflecting on the years of wonderful entertainment he provided to all of us.

Gary Wayne Coleman (February 8, 1968 – May 28, 2010) was an American actor, best known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986). He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars."

Coleman died May 28, 2010 after a fall in his Utah home from which he suffered a intercranial hemorrhage and slipped into a coma. Life support was terminated at the request of his wife, Shannon Price-Coleman, when it became apparent that he was not going to recover.

While best known for his role on Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman had appeared earlier on The Jeffersons and on Good Times as Penny's friend Gary. He also appeared in a 1978 pilot for a revival of The Little Rascals as Stymie.

Coleman was cast in the role of Arnold Jackson on the television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, portraying one of two young African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy Caucasian widower in Manhattan. The successful show was broadcast from 1978 to 1986.

Coleman became the most popular fixture of the show, enhanced by his character's catchphrase "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" At the height of his fame on Diff'rent Strokes, he earned as much as $100,000 per episode.

Coleman became a popular figure, starring in a number of feature films and made-for-TV movies including On the Right Track and The Kid with the Broken Halo. The latter eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera-produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show in 1982.

Coleman was a candidate for governor in the 2003 California recall election. This campaign was sponsored by the free newsweekly East Bay Express as a satirical comment on the recall. After Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy, Coleman stated that he would be voting for Schwarzenegger. Coleman placed 8th in a field of 135 candidates, receiving 14,242 votes.