Wissenswertes

He sued his adoptive parents, Willie and Sue Coleman, over misappropriation and the pilfering of his trust fund in 1989. At the peak of his career in the early 1980s, in addition to movie and TV appearances, he made $70,000 per episode of "Diff'rent Strokes", a total of around $18 million in earnings! Coleman's parents set up a trust fund for his money, yet they carefully structured the arrangement to name themselves as paid employees of Coleman's production company so they could live off Coleman's salary. When the court finally dissolved the trust fund in 1986 upon Coleman turning 18, his parents' share was worth $770,000, while Coleman himself had only $220,000. Coleman then successfully sued both his parents and managers for $3.8 million in losses and won a $1,280,000 settlement. Afterward, Coleman (feeling used and betrayed) never saw or spoke to his foster parents or former accountants and managers ever again.

Filed for bankruptcy in 1999. In order to earn money, he worked as a security guard.

Appeared on Geraldo (1987) in early 1993 and announced he had tried to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills twice.

The brain hemorrhage that eventually led to his death, was a result of a fall at his home in Utah (on May 26th) that put him into a coma. His ex-wife Shannon Price, who was with him at his home at the time of the fall, made the 911 call. It was also Price who eventually made the decision to take Coleman off life support.

Had his first kidney transplant in 1973. His second in 1984.

He became an actor when spotted in Zion, Illinois by a scout for television producer Norman Lear, who casted him in 1970s sitcoms such as Good Times (1974) and Die Jeffersons (1975).

He played the same character (Arnold Jackson) on seven different series: Noch Fragen Arnold? (1978), Hello, Larry (1979), The Facts of Life (1979), Silver Spoons (1982), Unglaubliche Geschichten (1985), Der Prinz von Bel-Air (1990) and Robot Chicken (2005).

Ranked #1 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars"

Submitted papers to run in California's gubernatorial recall election. Election took place on October 7, 2003. (August 2003)

Appeared on Court TV on November 2, 2000 in front of Mills Lane where Coleman was charged with assault and battery in 1999, while he was working as a security guard. Tracy Fields, a 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 Hawthorne California mall. Coleman refused to give her an autograph, and an argument ensued where Fields reportedly mocked Coleman's lackluster career as an actor after being turned off by his rude and defensive behavior. Coleman responded by punching Fields in her face several times in front of several witnesses. Coleman was arrested and later testified that he felt threatened by Fields tone and posture, and claimed that he was defending himself saying: "She wouldn't leave me alone. I was getting scared, and she was getting ugly." Coleman pleaded no contest to assault and battery, received a suspended jail sentence, and was ordered to take anger management classes as well as pay Fields' $1,665 hospital bill for her broken nose and bruised face.

Briefly owned a video game arcade in Fisherman's Village near Santa Monica, California.

Discovered by a talent scout for Norman Lear, who signed him for a role in a TV revival of "The Little Rascals", which never got produced.

A cartoon version of Coleman appears in an episode of Family Guy (1999), where he is pretending to be "Stewie".

Announced that he is going to run for the United States Senate seat from California against incumbent Dianne Feinstein on the HECK (Homelessness, Education, Crime and Killers) platform. (Mai 2000)

Finished eighth among the replacement candidates in the election to recall California Governor Gray Davis. He received more votes than fellow celebrity candidates Mary Carey, Gallagher and Angelyne.

Political analyst for All Comedy Radio, currently working as a commentator covering the Michael Jackson trial. (März 2005)

Hospitalized in a Los Angeles hospital after suffering a seizure on the set of The Insider (2004) on February 26, 2010.

As of August 2003, he was a candidate for governor of California in the recall election scheduled for October 2003. Has proposed a universal health insurance system based on a $30 flat monthly fee. The required $3,500 filing fee was paid by an alternative newspaper in the San Francisco Bay area.

On May 26, 2010, Coleman was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, in critical condition after falling down the stairs at his home in Santaquin and hitting his head, possibly after another seizure, and suffering an epidural hematoma.

2007: Being portrayed as a character in the new Broadway musical "Avenue Q". The role is being played by on Broadway actress/singer Haneefah Wood and in London's West End by actor/singer Giles Terera.

2005: Ranked #10 in E's cutest child stars all grown-up.

Has been portrayed by Dave Chappelle.

Son of W.G. Coleman, and Edmonia Sue Coleman.

He really hated when people would stop him on the street and ask him to say "What you talkin' about, Willis!". However in contrast, Todd Bridges stated that he has no problem with people stopping him on the street and reciting the famous catchphrase to him.