Gary Coleman from Diff’rent Strokes has died

I just read some really sad news. THR reports that Gary Coleman of Diff’rent Strokes fame, has died after suffering an intercranial hemorrhage. He was 42 years old.

Utah Valley Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Frank says life support was terminated and Coleman died at 12:05 p.m. MDT.

Coleman, with his sparkling eyes and perfect comic timing, became a star after Diff’rent Strokes debuted in 1978. He played Arnold Jackson, the younger brother in a pair of African-American siblings (his brother was played by Todd Bridges) adopted by a wealthy white man (Conrad Bain).

Coleman’s popularity faded after Diff’rent Strokes ended 1986, after six seasons on NBC and two on ABC. He suffered continuing ill health from the kidney disease that stunted his growth and had a series of legal issues in recent years.

Dana Plato, who played Kimberly Drummond in the show, died tragically in 1999, after an overdose.