Coleman, who suffered from a congenital kidney disease that halted his growth, was admitted to hospital after suffering a brain haemorrhage Wednesday night at his home in Santaquin, Utah.
The actor, who gained fame as the sharp-talking Arnold Jackson in sitcom ‘Diff’rent Strokes’, suffered the injury during a fall, according to reports.
Doctors had placed him on life support after suffering the intracranial haemorrhage. He was said to be conscious and lucid until midday Thursday, when his condition worsened and he slipped into unconsciousness.
The child actor also made guest appearances on several popular shows of the times, including “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times” and “Silver Spoons”
But Coleman was never able to recapture the stardom he enjoyed as a child and teenager. As an adult, he would appear on some TV shows, but much of his work went straight to video.
He sued his parents and former manager for mishandling his finances, and for a time, he worked as a security guard.
In 1998, he was charged with assault after hitting a woman who asked for his autograph in one of several instances of disorderly conduct that landed him in legal trouble. In January, he was arrested on a charge of domestic violence in Utah.
