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Gary Coleman 620 × 480

By Janell Hazelwood | Published October 31, 2011 | Full size is 620 × 480 pixels

GARY COLEMAN: Before becoming a prominent child star, playing adoptee Arnold on the hit sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman knew a thing or two about it in real life, having grown up with adopted parents since birth. He would go on to appear in many hit TV series, from Martin to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and then on to reality TV fame as a cast member on The Surreal Life 2. He even ran for governor of California in 2003, and placed 8th in a field of 185 candidates during the infamous recall election. Though he suffered from an autoimmune kidney disease that stunted his growth, and would later die from complications of it, Coleman is one of the most well-known figures in pop culture, spanning generations.

GARY COLEMAN: Before becoming a prominent child star, playing adoptee Arnold on the hit sitcom…