Editing Gary Coleman (section)

=== 1979–1986: Subsequent success ===
Coleman received recognition and praise for his work on ''Diff'rent Strokes''; for his role he received five [[Young Artist Award]] nominations, of which he won two, and won the [[People's Choice Awards]] for Favorite Young TV Performer four years in a row, from 1980 to 1983.<ref name="CNN-2010" /> At the height of his fame on ''Diff'rent Strokes'', he earned $100,000 ($388,105.58 in 2025) per episode, and he became known by his character's [[catchphrase]] "What'chu talkin' 'bout, Willis?", uttered skeptically in response to statements by his brother Willis, who was portrayed by [[Todd Bridges]]. According to Bridges' autobiography ''Killing Willis'', Coleman was forced to work long hours on the set of ''Diff'rent Strokes'' despite his age and debilitating health problems, which contributed to him feeling depressed and withdrawn from the rest of the cast.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bridges|first=Todd|url=https://archive.org/details/killingwillisfro0000brid|title=Killing Willis|publisher=Atria Books|year=2010|isbn=978-1-4391-4898-3|url-access=registration}}</ref> A [[Biography Channel]] documentary estimated that Coleman was left with a quarter of the original amount of money he received from his years on ''Diff'rent Strokes'' after paying his parents, advisers, lawyers, and taxes.<ref>{{cite episode|title=''Gilligan's Island'' & ''Diff'rent Strokes''|series=The Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals|network=[[The Biography Channel]]|date=April 15, 2008|season=1|number=5}}</ref> In 1989, Coleman sued his adoptive parents and former business advisor for $3.8&nbsp;million for misappropriating his trust fund<ref>{{cite web|date=June 29, 1999|title=Former Child Star Central|url=http://members.tripod.com/~former_child_star/news_1999.html|access-date=May 28, 2010|website=Members.tripod.com}}</ref><ref name="TDG">{{cite news|date=February 25, 1993|title=Gary Coleman awarded $1.3M|work=[[The Daily Gazette]]|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-hYxAAAAIBAJ&pg=4011,5595796|access-date=May 28, 2010}}</ref> and won a $1.28 million (approximately $2,846,895 in 2025 adjusting for inflation) judgment in 1993.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 15, 1993|title=Actor Gary Coleman wins $1.3&nbsp;million in suit against his parents and ex-adviser|work=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xboDAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Actor+Gary+Coleman+wins+%241.3+million+in+suit+against+his+parents+and+ex-adviser%22&pg=PA35}}</ref>

In 1978, Coleman acted in one episode of ''[[The Jeffersons]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Jeffersons |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-jeffersons/episodes-season-4/1030002522/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> and two of ''[[Good Times]]''.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}  [[File:ColemanSpencerFields80.jpg|left|thumb|Coleman accepting an [[NAACP Image Awards|NAACP Image Award]] for [[The Kid from Left Field (1979 film)|''The Kid from Left Field'']] in 1980, pictured alongside [[Danielle Spencer (American actress)|Danielle Spencer]] and [[Kim Fields]]|200x200px]]In 1979, Coleman made his [[television film]] debut playing the lead in ''[[The Kid from Left Field (1979 film)|The Kid from Left Field]],'' a baseball comedy. The television film was made by NBC to enhance Coleman's name recognition and boost his commercial value.<ref name="SIone">Pearlman, Jeff (11 June 2010). [https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/06/11/coleman Remembering Gary Coleman as The Kid From Left Field], ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''</ref> It was the 15th highest-rated prime time show of the week, with a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] of 21.4.<ref name="ratings">Brown, Les. (3 October 1979). [https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/03/archives/nbc-a-close-2d-to-abc-in-tv-ratings-fight-carries-friday-night.html?_r=0 NBC a Close 2d to ABC in TV Ratings], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref>

In that same year, he acted in "Cosmic Whiz Kid" an episode of the first season of science-fiction show ''[[Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]'' as a time-displaced whiz kid; and appeared later in that season, in a 1980 episode named "A Blast for Buck".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buck Rogers in the 25th Century |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/buck-rogers-in-the-25th-century/episodes-season-1/1000004826/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1980, Coleman played the lead in the television film [[Scout's Honor (1980 film)|''Scout's Honor'']].<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 30, 1980 |title=Television |work=Fort Lauderdale News |pages=12}}</ref>

In 1981, Coleman made his feature film debut with the comedy ''[[On the Right Track]]'', headlining as Lester, a young shoeshine orphan who lives in a locker in a train station, who achieves fame for having an uncanny talent for gambling on horses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFI{{!}}Catalog |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56670 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> Coleman's mother explained that "it was a script written some time ago for someone else, it was rewritten for Gary reconstructed for him. It was one of several ideas presented us for him. Gary has a very big love for trains, and we thought this might be a good one for him to do".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blank |first=Ed |date=June 18, 1981 |title=Gary Coleman: Making it in Hollywood's fast track |work=The Pittsburgh Press |pages=D-3}}</ref> Though it received a number of reviews concluding that it was sappy and capitalizing on Coleman's TV following, many found the film charming, well written, well acted, with Coleman being a solid actor in his first lead role in a motion picture.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Siskel |first=Gene |date=July 13, 1981 |title='On the Right Track' is just that a truly charming Chicago movie |work=Chicago Tribune |pages=Section 2–4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |title=On the Right Track movie review (1981) {{!}} Roger Ebert |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/on-the-right-track-1981 |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=www.rogerebert.com/ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |date=August 28, 1981 |title='On right track' is, generally |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=Part VI - 12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lawson |first=Terry |date=August 24, 1981 |title=Half-pint actor not half bad |work=The Journal Herald |pages=19}}</ref><ref name="newhouse">Freedman, Richard (9 October 1981). [https://archive.org/stream/The_Times_News_Idaho_Newspaper_1981_10_09#page/n15/mode/2up 'On the Right Track' derailed by thin plot that goes nowhere], ''Times-News'' (Idaho)(Newhouse News Service copy)</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Blowen |first=Michael |date=April 21, 1981 |title='Right Track,' wrong direction |work=The Boston Globe |pages=59}}</ref><ref name="maslin">[[Janet Maslin|Maslin, Janet]] (18 July 1981). [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C01E0DF153BF93BA25754C0A967948260 'Track', Vehicle for Middle-Aged Child Star], ''[[The New York Times]]'' ("''On the Right Track'' is a vehicle for Mr. Coleman that depends entirely on the premise that he is lovable. Only his most ardent television fans are likely to accept this.")</ref><ref name="ottreview">Labonté, Richard (11 July 1981). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rKMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4u4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002,165038 Young TV Favorite Stars in Real Movie], ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]''</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gerald |first=Zenobia Jonell |date=August 31, 1981 |title=Gary Coleman's Film Debut loaded With Appeal |work=The Sacramento Bee |pages=B7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Patrice |date=April 15, 1981 |title=Pace puts 'Track' on right one |work=The Evansville Courier |pages=21}}</ref> The film was a financial success, it grossed 13 million at the box office ranking it at 61 on highest grosses of that year. On home-video rentals that film added 10 to 15 millions to their revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Numbers - Top-Grossing Movies of 1981 |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/market/1981/top-grossing-movies |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=The Numbers}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Caulfield |first=Deborah |date=March 4, 1984 |title=New World retains old Corman tradition |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=Film: 28–29–30}}</ref>

In 1982, Coleman starred in ''[[Jimmy the Kid]].'' The film was financially successful,<ref>{{Cite book|isbn=978-1936168422|title=Mind Warp!: The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman's New World Pictures|last1=Koetting|first1=Christopher T.|date=November 25, 2013|publisher=Midnight Marquee Press, Incorporated }}</ref> but received resoundingly negative reviews,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1-IpAAAAIBAJ&pg=3081,2511491|title=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |via= Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=March 11, 2020}}</ref> with critic [[Roger Ebert]] writing "... movies like this don't really have room for brilliant performances. They're written by formula, cast by computer and directed by the book, and when a little spontaneity creeps in, it seems out of place."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=Jimmy the Kid movie review & film summary (1982) {{!}} Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jimmy-the-kid-1982|access-date=August 23, 2020|website=rogerebert.com/|language=en}}</ref>

On April 4 of that year, Coleman starred in the television film ''[[The Kid with the Broken Halo]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 4, 1982 |title=The Kid With The Broken Halo |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=TV Week: 15}}</ref> The film served as the basis for Saturday morning cartoon ''[[The Gary Coleman Show]],'' which started that year on September 11,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 10, 1982 |title=Help from an angel |work=The Newark Advocate |pages=Entertainer: 3}}</ref> where Coleman had the lead voice role as Andy LeBeau, an angel in training who comes to earth to help others and gain his wings.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 9, 1982 |title=Angel earns his wings |work=Florence Morning News |pages=TV Showtime: 4}}</ref>

Finally in 1982, Coleman played Arnold Jackson in a crossover episode of ''[[Silver Spoons]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 31, 1982 |title=Young star get together in a show |work=The State |pages=Tv weekly: 11}}</ref>

Moving forward, Coleman played the lead in the comedic television films ''[[The Kid with the 200 I.Q.]]'' (1983),<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 6, 1983 |title=Movies |work=The Times-Mail |pages=Section C: 2}}</ref> and ''The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins'' (1984).<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 10, 1984 |title=Friday's TV Program |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |pages=19}}</ref>

In 1985, Coleman played a teenage arsonist in the television film ''[[Playing with Fire (1985 film)|Playing with Fire]]'', it was his first dramatic project.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 10, 1985 |title=Sunday |work=The Chilliwack Progress |pages=12D}}</ref>

In 1986, Coleman hosted the made-for-home video educational film ''Gary Coleman: For Safety's Sake'', in it Coleman provides various safety advice around a home.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Deeb |first=Gary |date=August 12, 1986 |title='Vice' tactics fails for 'Hunter' |work=The Burlington Free Press |pages=4D}}</ref>