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Gary Coleman

Gary Coleman is most famous for the role of Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, a United States sitcom which ran on NBC from 1978 to 1985 and then switched to ABC.

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Gary Coleman Biography

Gary Coleman is most famous for the role of Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, a United States sitcom which ran on NBC from 1978 to 1985 and then switched to ABC. He was particularly famous for his catch phrase, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?", delivered to his character's older brother Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges).

Coleman was born with a congenital kidney disease causing nephritis (an autoimmune destruction of the kidney), which halted his growth at an early age, leading to a notably small stature (4' 8") which became his most distinguishing feature. Coleman has had two kidney transplants, one in 1973 and one in 1984, and requires constant dialysis.

During the run of the show Coleman was 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 Kid With the Broken Halo eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show from 1982.

At the height of his fame on Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman earned $70,000 per episode. As he grew older, however, he fell from public favor. After the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes, his acting career declined sharply. He did play a building code inspector in a Married With Children episode: S08E16, entitled "How Green Was My Apple," where Bundy had called him to report an illegal driveway.

In 1997, Gary did voice work for the The Curse of Monkey Island the third installment in the Monkey Island series of comedy adventure games developed by LucasArts. In 2004, Coleman played a supporting role in the controversial computer game Postal by Running With Scissors, Inc.

He has been featured in one of the seasons of The Surreal Life and was the manager of the Surreal Life characters at the restaurant they worked at. He felt that he was used by the people who made Diff'rent Strokes.

In 2001, he was employed as a shopping mall security guard in the Los Angeles area. A video of him trying to stop a vehicle from entering a compound while the driver (obviously a member of the paparazzi) ridiculed him made the rounds on various late night talk shows. He also cameoed on The Simpsons as himself (in security guard mode).

Coleman occasionally is able to cash in on his camp value to members of Generation X, by appearing in cameo roles in film and TV. As with Day-Glo, Rubik's Cube, Valley girls, Care Bears, Mr. T, the Smurfs and other artifacts from the early 1980s, Coleman's popularity coincided with the childhood of a particularly productive demographic of internet users, and he is, as of 2005, a minor cult figure.

He has also appeared in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar John Cena's music video for "Bad Bad Man" in which he appeared as himself, as well as in Kid Rock's video for "Cowboy". In this video he appeared, appropriately garbed, taking on Rock's diminutive sidekick, Joe C. Additionally, Coleman's one-time Surreal Life co-star, Ron Jeremy also has a cameo, as a piano player.

Gary Coleman made an appearance on E's short lived celebrity dating show where washed up celebrities went on blind dates with regular people.

In late 2005 Coleman opened an ice cream shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming called Short Stuff's frozen treats. He is already making plans to expand his business and hopes that he will be taken seriously in the business world.

Gary also appeared in a Nickelodeon sitcom called Drake & Josh. The two main characters were selling a product called the Gary Coleman Grill(a parody of the George Foreman Grill). At the end of the show Gary appears as himself.

In June 2005, VH-1 named Gary Coleman No. 1 on its list of the Top 100 Child Stars Ever.

Gary Coleman is also a character (not an actor) in the hit 2003 Broadway musical, Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award. In the musical, Coleman is portrayed by actress Natalie Venetia Belcon. The character is loosely based on Coleman himself, or more specifically, on the public perception of him as a child star who lost everything. The character works as the superintendent of the apartment complex where the musical takes place. In the introductory song, "It Sucks to be Me", he states: "I'm Gary Coleman from TV's Diff'rent Strokes. I made a lot of money that got stolen by my folks. Now I'm broke and I'm the butt of everyone's jokes but I'm here, the superintendent, of Avenue Q!" At various times when the Gary Coleman character speaks, theme music reminiscent of an 80s sitcom interrupts the usual Broadway-style music.

FAQs
  • How do I book Gary Coleman to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gary Coleman for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gary Coleman, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gary Coleman or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Gary Coleman

    Speaking fees for Gary Coleman, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gary Coleman are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gary Coleman, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Gary Coleman speak about?

    Gary Coleman is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Actors, Reality TV Stars, Television Personalities.
  • Where does Gary Coleman travel from?

    Gary Coleman generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Gary Coleman’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Gary Coleman for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gary Coleman for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gary Coleman or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Gary Coleman is most famous for the role of Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, a United States sitcom which ran on NBC from 1978 to 1985 and then switched to ABC.

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Gary Coleman Biography

Gary Coleman is most famous for the role of Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, a United States sitcom which ran on NBC from 1978 to 1985 and then switched to ABC. He was particularly famous for his catch phrase, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?", delivered to his character's older brother Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges).

Coleman was born with a congenital kidney disease causing nephritis (an autoimmune destruction of the kidney), which halted his growth at an early age, leading to a notably small stature (4' 8") which became his most distinguishing feature. Coleman has had two kidney transplants, one in 1973 and one in 1984, and requires constant dialysis.

During the run of the show Coleman was 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 Kid With the Broken Halo eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show from 1982.

At the height of his fame on Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman earned $70,000 per episode. As he grew older, however, he fell from public favor. After the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes, his acting career declined sharply. He did play a building code inspector in a Married With Children episode: S08E16, entitled "How Green Was My Apple," where Bundy had called him to report an illegal driveway.

In 1997, Gary did voice work for the The Curse of Monkey Island the third installment in the Monkey Island series of comedy adventure games developed by LucasArts. In 2004, Coleman played a supporting role in the controversial computer game Postal by Running With Scissors, Inc.

He has been featured in one of the seasons of The Surreal Life and was the manager of the Surreal Life characters at the restaurant they worked at. He felt that he was used by the people who made Diff'rent Strokes.

In 2001, he was employed as a shopping mall security guard in the Los Angeles area. A video of him trying to stop a vehicle from entering a compound while the driver (obviously a member of the paparazzi) ridiculed him made the rounds on various late night talk shows. He also cameoed on The Simpsons as himself (in security guard mode).

Coleman occasionally is able to cash in on his camp value to members of Generation X, by appearing in cameo roles in film and TV. As with Day-Glo, Rubik's Cube, Valley girls, Care Bears, Mr. T, the Smurfs and other artifacts from the early 1980s, Coleman's popularity coincided with the childhood of a particularly productive demographic of internet users, and he is, as of 2005, a minor cult figure.

He has also appeared in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar John Cena's music video for "Bad Bad Man" in which he appeared as himself, as well as in Kid Rock's video for "Cowboy". In this video he appeared, appropriately garbed, taking on Rock's diminutive sidekick, Joe C. Additionally, Coleman's one-time Surreal Life co-star, Ron Jeremy also has a cameo, as a piano player.

Gary Coleman made an appearance on E's short lived celebrity dating show where washed up celebrities went on blind dates with regular people.

In late 2005 Coleman opened an ice cream shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming called Short Stuff's frozen treats. He is already making plans to expand his business and hopes that he will be taken seriously in the business world.

Gary also appeared in a Nickelodeon sitcom called Drake & Josh. The two main characters were selling a product called the Gary Coleman Grill(a parody of the George Foreman Grill). At the end of the show Gary appears as himself.

In June 2005, VH-1 named Gary Coleman No. 1 on its list of the Top 100 Child Stars Ever.

Gary Coleman is also a character (not an actor) in the hit 2003 Broadway musical, Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award. In the musical, Coleman is portrayed by actress Natalie Venetia Belcon. The character is loosely based on Coleman himself, or more specifically, on the public perception of him as a child star who lost everything. The character works as the superintendent of the apartment complex where the musical takes place. In the introductory song, "It Sucks to be Me", he states: "I'm Gary Coleman from TV's Diff'rent Strokes. I made a lot of money that got stolen by my folks. Now I'm broke and I'm the butt of everyone's jokes but I'm here, the superintendent, of Avenue Q!" At various times when the Gary Coleman character speaks, theme music reminiscent of an 80s sitcom interrupts the usual Broadway-style music.

FAQs on booking Gary Coleman

  • How do I book Gary Coleman to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gary Coleman for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gary Coleman, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gary Coleman or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Gary Coleman

    Speaking fees for Gary Coleman, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gary Coleman are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gary Coleman, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Gary Coleman speak about?

    Gary Coleman is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Actors, Reality TV Stars, Television Personalities.
  • Where does Gary Coleman travel from?

    Gary Coleman generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Gary Coleman’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Gary Coleman for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gary Coleman for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gary Coleman or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Gary Coleman is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Gary Coleman for your event is available upon request. Gary Coleman generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jonathan Van Ness, Ashton Kutcher, MC Hammer, Ryan Seacrest and Nicole Richie. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Gary Coleman for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Gary Coleman

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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