A lot of you have wondered why Gary Coleman’s evil ex wife was so eager to get her greedy mitts on his estate, considering that he was broke. We may have the answer from Coleman’s former co-star, Todd Bridges. Bridges revealed to Radar Online that he will personally receive separate monthly pension from the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Unions that are worth $13,000 a month from when he’s 55 up until his death. It’s unclear what amount would go to Gary’s estate or survivors, but Bridges estimates that it would be substantially more than the $156,000 a year he’s entitled to as Gary made about twice as much as he did on Diff’rent Strokes. “[Gary] may have died with no money, but his pension is huge.” He added that “a pension never ends when a person dies. It goes to the next person… in the will” and explained that when a person passes away the estate can get the entire pension at once.
Bridges assures us that Gary’s money will go to charity, but that might not be his choice. His ex manager Dion Mia, who he named in 1999 as the executor, and his ex wife, Shannon Price, are currently battling over control of the late actor’s estate. Fortunately Gary had the sense to divorce Shannon in 2008 and she may have no legal rights despite being named in a 2007 addendum/codicil to the will as his new executor. According to Bridges, Dion is a trustworthy guy and will ensure that Gary’s money is donated as he wished.
Licensing for Gary’s image could be worth millions
E! Online has more on Gary’s worth, and they quote a lawyer who explains that the licensing rights to Gary’s image may be worth a mint. “There may be some value to the rights over his likeness going forward. And his estate will still own that as an asset. This is the entertainment business; that value could be in the millions.” Gary hated his “What’choo talkin’ bout” catchphrase, I remember him grumbling about it on The Surreal Life. If his ex Shannon Price gets hold of his estate, we may be looking at talking Arnold Jackson dolls and Gary’s diminutive avatar as an extra in video games. The rights to Gary’s image, as well as his pension, should provide plenty of motivation for Price to fight to be named the main beneficiary. It also sounds like she had enough reasons to pull the plug on the guy sooner rather than later.
Third will has been uncovered
After I wrote this story and was just about to publish it, Radar reported that a third will has been uncovered that’s more recent than the 1999 will and is not the handwritten codicil naming Price as Gary’s beneficiary. How much do you want to bet the new will just happened to be in Shannon’s possession until it was uncovered? Radar claims that it “was created by a lawyer and it’s substantially different from the 1999 will… [it] should be filed within a couple of weeks at the latest.” What took so long for this new will to come out? Did Shannon have to get help writing it?
Wow….$13,000 a month from 55-onwards? Wow. How could that never end go to the next person in the will yet still be payable in a lump sum to the estate? Is there and end-age?
I really hope his ex doesn’t get the rights to his likeness. I doubt her greed would have an end.
This is ridiculous. Of course this Shannon idiot is out for money, but the fact remains that Gary Coleman cared about her and stayed with her and obviously wanted her taken care of.
At this point, I don’t think anyone is interested in fulfilling Gary Coleman’s wishes; the focus has been keeping money out of Shannon Price’s grubby little hands.
oh dear
What a shame… the vultures are beginning their descent.
The only person who appears to be doing anything in Gary’s best interest is Todd… I take my hat off to him.
I am too angry to comment but all I can say is Shannon can rot!
@krissy_kitty — you’re so right about Todd. I was reading this thinking that he is the person who deserves to be the beneficiary. He is showing a lot of class and seems to have really cared about his old friend.
Somebody hire Todd now! Let’s get this guy a feature film role.
I am thinking we need to get Geraldo Rivera in to uncover the real will.
Thank God someone is being honest and upfront. (Todd Bridges)
God, this is just so disturbing. Here you have a guy who probably lived out the past portion of his life feeling as though no one really gave two squirts of piss about him aside from a handful of people, and now its like rabid dogs are feasting on exploiting a man who could have easily been set in money for life if he was willing to do something he despised. Which he obviously was not.
I guess we can now see why GC seemed to have such a big chip on his shoulder. All the greed and nastiness that surrounded him takes a toll.
I’m so glad to see Todd has come out of his problems a better man and I hope he gets to have a nice comfortable life!
At least Gary has Todd on his side.
This whole situation is disgusting.
Maybe some good will come out of it, at least for Todd. Id like to see his money go to him, or anyone other than that thing.
If this third will names this turd as his beneficiary, maybe someone can make a case that he wasn’t of sound mind to make that will. It sounds like he was battling a lot of medical issues and if she was as evil and nasty as it sounds, she could very well have manipulated him into believing that she was the only one who loved him and was taking care of him.
Todd is such a wonderful guy; apparently he thinks this Mial (I think it’s Mial?) is the right person to be in charge of things, and out of everyone, I think he’d be the one to trust. Everyone else seems to have some kind of agenda or wants to take a side other than Gary’s.
Is Tood Bridges related to Donald Faison???
I don’t think Gary trusted Shannon. I think he saw through her shortly after they were married.
I’m glad Todd is fighting for Gary. Todd has always been a favorite of mine.
After all the crap people put GC through in his life, I think it would be really wonderful if whatever money there is went to the charities he wanted it for. Todd sounds like he’s become a good man and was a good friend, and he seems intent on making sure Gary’s wishes are carried out.
That’s a pretty sweet pension, it’s a shame Gary never got the chance to finally enjoy some rewards of all his earlier work.
But Gary wasn’t 55 yet. Then how long do the rights to his image last and who owns the estate? And then why did Shannon insist there was no money to pay for his funeral? If he wasn’t insolvent, his estate would pay the funeral expenses.
Also, we don’t really know if Todd is actually on the up and up. It’s pure assumption that he’s not in it for something as well, or in cahoots with Dion, since Shannon is all kinds of crazy and they think they could win the estate. Just saying, look at everyone with suspicion because everything is fishy about his death and estate here.
That sounds like no pension I’ve ever heard of. You usually have to have a lot of years in and be a certain age to be eligible. And you can’t collect if you’re dead.
I am so glad one of the “DS” kids got their sh*t together… watch out for your bro, bud, he MADE you! Best wishes to TB!