Beaks here...

Actor Gary Coleman has died at the age of forty-two from a brain hemorrhage. For anyone who grew up in the 1980s, Coleman was briefly one of the biggest stars on the planet. DIFF'RENT STROKES, the sitcom in which he appeared for eight seasons, was a massive hit on NBC, and his character, Arnold Jackson, was its charismatic, wisecracking centerpiece. By the time the show moved to syndication (where it typically aired during that prime, too-early-for-dinner/fuck-doing-homework 5 - 6 PM slot), Coleman was ubiquitous; he was the star of feature films (ON THE RIGHT TRACK and JIMMY THE KID), TV movies (THE KID FROM LEFT FIELD and SCOUT'S HONOR), prime time specials, and his own Saturday morning cartoon (THE GARY COLEMAN SHOW). He was also a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, where he bantered easily with Johnny Carson, and cameo-ed on other NBC programs (BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY, THE FACTS OF LIFE* and SILVER SPOONS) to help boost ratings. But when DIFF'RENT STROKES' popularity waned, Coleman's career abruptly stalled out. Due to his boyish features and diminutive stature (his height was stunted due to a congenital kidney disorder), Coleman struggled to find work as an adult. Worse, his parents squandered much of the money he earned at the height of his popularity - and though he won a $1,280,000 ruling in 1993, he was bankrupt by 1999. His legal problems mounted as the years wore on, and Coleman's behavior grew more erratic. Meanwhile, when he appeared in a movie, it was often as himself and almost always as a walking punch line. Coleman's life followed the same sad trajectory of many former child stars, but I always felt a great deal of sympathy for him because he was forever stuck in a kid's body. He was a naturally gifted comedic actor; had he been able to mature physically, he would've at least had a shot at transitioning into a grown-up career. Instead, this was the lasting image - and now legacy - of Gary Coleman.

*A spinoff of DIFF'RENT STROKES.

Figured I'd add a few more clips: