Gary Coleman – Gone at 42.

Another part of my childhood is gone. Gary Coleman, best know for playing Arnold on Different Strokes is dead at 42. Gary Coleman, the child star of the smash 1970s TV sitcom "Diff’rent Strokes" whose later career was marred by medical and legal problems, has died after suffering an intercranial hemorrhage. He was 42.Utah Valley Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Frank said life support was terminated and Coleman died at 12:05 p.m. MDT.  One thing Coleman doesn’t get enough credit for is breaking the salary barrier for television stars. He’s the first one who demanded, at the time an astronomical new contract. After that, Larry Hagmen broke that and the floodgates were open. Stars of today wouldn’t get the big television salaries they get now if not for Coleman demanding what he was worth. It’s sad that his life turned out as bad as it did, but in the last few years he seemed to be at peace. The only two left from this show are Conrad Bain and Todd Bridges (who I saw last year at a Comic Book Convention). I never really watched Different Strokes, but I loved Coleman, especially the string of TV Movies he did.