Did any child stars turn out normally?

[WatchingThemGrow]

We're watching Maureen McCormick (Today show) on TiVo talking about her "real" life when she was Marcia Brady. We enjoyed "My Fair Brady" about Christopher Knight and Adrienne Curry when DD was nursing during the night. He doesn't seem too normal.

And I had not heard Mr. Brady was gay. Where was I when this came out?

I'm really bad about knowing any stars' names, but can you please tell me there was some child star from the 70's or 80's who didn't have major problems?

[octmom]

We're watching Maureen McCormick (Today show) on TiVo talking about her "real" life when she was Marcia Brady. We enjoyed "My Fair Brady" about Christopher Knight and Adrienne Curry when DD was nursing during the night. He doesn't seem too normal.

And I had not heard Mr. Brady was gay. Where was I when this came out?

I'm really bad about knowing any stars' names, but can you please tell me there was some child star from the 70's or 80's who didn't have major problems?

I think Ricky Schroeder from Silver Spoons is supposed to be pretty normal, no? He was in People magazine last week with his family. ;)

[kedss]

jodie Foster?

[kijip]

That youngest girl from the Cosby Show? Rudy was the character's name, darned if I recall the actress' name.

[DrSally]

Yeah, didn't she go to Spelman and get some sort of advanced degree? She chose to focus on her education.

[caleymama]

Off the top of my head - Danica McKellar (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005211/bio), who played Winnie Cooper on "The Wonder Years." She is a math whiz who graduated from UCLA with honors and proved a new math theorem. I remember hearing about it when it happened. That's the only press on her that I can recall. No trashy tabloid stuff, I don't think.

[AngelaS]

Kirk Cameron? Are any of the ones from Growing Pains messed up?

[deenass]

Tracy Gold struggled with anorexia and was involved in a DUI a few years ago (injured her husband and kids). She has been on OPrah talking about dangers of driving under the influence.

Raven Simone (from Cosby Show - Olivia in last few seasons) seems normal.

Candace Cameron (sister of Kirk) from Full House seems to have her act together.

Jason and Justine Bateman (he from SIlver Spoons and she from Family Ties) and of course, Michael J Fox (Family Ties).

Lisa Welchel (Blair Facts of Life) married and minister and homeschools her kids.

I miss 80's TV!!!

[kcandz]

Blossom! She went to college and is a scientist or something now.

[Nooknookmom]

Okay, call me a dork, but I loved "Facts of Life!".

[kijip]

Kirk Cameron?

And his sister, from Full House? Candace Cameron. My brother flipping loves that show so much he owns the DVDs. I think she and her brother both turned out ok.

[Fairy]

The Full House kids are more messed up than normal. YOu have the twins, we all know what they're up to. Then there's Jodie Swetin, who was one big meth head, but recently got ehr act together.

Opie turned out pretty darned normal. Which is amazing.

The Little Rascals are/were a mess.

I believe all the Little House kids turned out just fine. Most likely, honestly, due to Michael Landon's influence.

It's pretty prolific info among the Brady kids that Florence & Robert Reed were very good to all six kids and that they all adored them. Growing up Brady was a great book. Can't wait to read Maureen's. I like Chris KNight. I also loe Adrienne Curry, tho I'm very likely one of the only ones ever. Eve was just on Days of our Lives for a day player stint, Susan Olson is really normal, wife/mother, Mike Lookinland had issues.

I agree, Jodie Foster does seem to be the poster child for getting it right.

[maestramommy]

Well, I think Jodie Foster turned out okay, Malim Balik of "Blossom" ended up going to Yale(?) and is now married with kids. Fred something from "the Wonder Years" and the girl who played Winnie are now grown up with their own careers. I read Winnie is now a mathematician.

As an interesting aside. Haley Joel Osmant went to a private school nearby the one I used to teach at. I had to chaperone a mixed middle school dance, and there he was! A bunch of girls from my school were "stalking" him (insert roll eyes). He was a cute kid. Shorter than average, and he was hanging with his own mixed (gender) little group. Seemed like an average kid too. Rather cool. I was watching him and trying to imagine the little boy that blew me away on "Sixth Sense."

Growing up Brady was a great book!

[crayonblue]

Kirk Cameron. Married and has 6 kids, including 4 adopted. Plus, he just starred in a truly uplifting movie, Fireproof. Any actor who refuses to kiss any other actress other than his wife is pretty amazing.

[Snow mom]

Off the top of my head - Danica McKellar (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005211/bio), who played Winnie Cooper on "The Wonder Years." She is a math whiz who graduated from UCLA with honors and proved a new math theorem. I remember hearing about it when it happened. That's the only press on her that I can recall. No trashy tabloid stuff, I don't think.


I was also going to suggest Danica McKellar. Not only has she turned out smart and well balanced, but she's using her fame to try to encourage girls to get into math.


~L

[wendibird22]

I think the 80's kids turned out far better than the 70's kids...Different Strokes, Brady Bunch, One Day at a Time, Good Times. Lots of messed up kids there!

[linsei]

Fred Savage?

I'm not up on all the celeb gossip, but I don't recall hearing anything crazy about him.

eta He's the voice of Oswald now.

[caleymama]

Fred Savage?

I'm not up on all the celeb gossip, but I don't recall hearing anything crazy about him.

eta He's the voice of Oswald now.

Yup, I think he's okay. BTW, hearing him as Oswald totally wigs me out. He does a fine job, but it's just weird!!

[kcandz]

Any actor who refuses to kiss any other actress other than his wife is pretty amazing.

...and not really an actor.

[kcandz]

Susan Olson is really normal, wife/mother,

I think she came from having a drug addiction though. And another thing which I cannot mention here but would categorize as "troubled". I would put her in same category as Marcia, maybe went through a lot and came around the other side and is now happier.

[crayonblue]

...and not really an actor.

What do you mean?

[bubbaray]

Yup, Jodie Foster.

[Fairy]

I think she came from having a drug addiction though. And another thing which I cannot mention here but would categorize as "troubled". I would put her in same category as Marcia, maybe went through a lot and came around the other side and is now happier.

I forgot about that. You're right.

[Fairy]

What do you mean?

Being an actor, I can tell you that it's very difficult to put yourself out there as an actor if you will not kiss other actors. Not every single role requires that you kiss, and Bollywood has made a mint with compelling, wonderful movies that make you swoon without it. But it's just not the way most of Hollywood and New York write. It's not the way most of theatre writes.

I do alot of community theatre, and so far, I've never had to kiss anyone. Luckily (sort of), it would be casting me against type to give me many of the kissing roles out there. But I did have a few roles where I was romantic with someone. Didn't come to kissing, but that's cuz the director chose not to. He absolutely could have chosen that scene to have kissing, but he went a different direction. So, I've been lucky. It's just community theatre, not the Barrymore, but I've asked my husband, what would you do if I had a scene like that, and he said, well, I wouldn't like it, but I'd probably get over it. Me, I am a bit terrified for whever that day comes. I specifically have been very happy not to go there. But if it was a very good role, and a good opportunity, and no clothes came off, I'd do it.

Now, you can be a real actor without kissing someone. But it's dang hard to do in Hollywood and New York.

[crayonblue]

Being an actor, I can tell you that it's very difficult to put yourself out there as an actor if you will not kiss other actors. Not every single role requires that you kiss, and Bollywood has made a mint with compelling, wonderful movies that make you swoon without it. But it's just not the way most of Hollywood and New York write. It's not the way most of theatre writes.

I do alot of community theatre, and so far, I've never had to kiss anyone. Luckily (sort of), it would be casting me against type to give me many of the kissing roles out there. But I did have a few roles where I was romantic with someone. Didn't come to kissing, but that's cuz the director chose not to. He absolutely could have chosen that scene to have kissing, but he went a different direction. So, I've been lucky. It's just community theatre, not the Barrymore, but I've asked my husband, what would you do if I had a scene like that, and he said, well, I wouldn't like it, but I'd probably get over it. Me, I am a bit terrified for whever that day comes. I specifically have been very happy not to go there. But if it was a very good role, and a good opportunity, and no clothes came off, I'd do it.

Now, you can be a real actor without kissing someone. But it's dang hard to do in Hollywood and New York.

I am impressed that Kirk would take a stand and say no, he isn't comfortable kissing someone other than his wife. That is SO not typical or acceptable in Hollywood- you are right about that! Seems most in Hollywood think nothing of sex scenes with anyone and everyone. I am just impressed because I have never heard of anyone saying no. No, I can't see him ever winning an Oscar but that has nothing to do with kissing or not kissing!

I don't consider him less of an actor because of his stance. Just someone with very high morals.

[elektra]

Haley Joel Osmant went to a private school nearby the one I used to teach at. I had to chaperone a mixed middle school dance, and there he was! A bunch of girls from my school were "stalking" him (insert roll eyes). He was a cute kid. Shorter than average, and he was hanging with his own mixed (gender) little group. Seemed like an average kid too. Rather cool. I was watching him and trying to imagine the little boy that blew me away on "Sixth Sense."


Didn't he wreck his car while smoking pot and drinking not too long ago though?
For some reason I remember that because I still pictured him as a 12-year old when I read it, but he's probably like 20 or something by now.

[Fairy]

Didn't he wreck his car while smoking pot and drinking not too long ago though?
For some reason I remember that because I still pictured him as a 12-year old when I read it, but he's probably like 20 or something by now.

Yes, he did. However, I haven't heard of any issues since then.

[kcandz]

I mean that actors act, which is to pretend they are someone else. That is the job description. Kirk Cameron may be upstanding and moral and loyal to his marriage vows and all that, but if he is confusing his personal values with a part to play, he should just give up acting as a job because clearly he will be more and more uncomfortable.

[Fairy]

Ya know, I appreciate the point you're making there, but I'm not sure I completely agree with this. It's very easy for an actor to simply not go after roles that make them uncomfortable or that they simply don't believe in. It doesn't mean they're not good actors, they're just choosing not to play certain roles. I was in a dramedy about a loony bin in the '50's. Luckily, I got the role I wanted, but if I were asked to play the role of the woman who carried around a doll that she believed was her living, breathing but now dead little boy, talked to it, played with it, sang to it, I would have said no thank you. It's too tragic, and I don't want to put myself in that emotional place. It's just a personal choice. It doesn't mean that I was not good at playing the simple-minded little wingnut role that I was given. Plus, some people are trained in method, and if that's the case, it can really mess with your head. Or even worse, you're not a method actor, but your scene partner IS. No thank you.

Under every actor is still a human being, and in their job, they might have ethical problems with what they're doing, so they leave that job or choose a role that doesn't put them in an ethical pickle. Same with acting. You don't wanna kiss people? It can be done.

Ya wanna know who else insisted on roles where they didn't have to kiss another woman than their wife? Neil McDonnough, who now plays Edie's husband, Mr. Creepy Pants, on Desperate Housewives. He was in Star Trek: First Contact, the Borg movie. At a convention, he talked about how he felt it was important not to put himself in a moral dillema, because he took his vows seriously, and just cuz he's an actor, doesn't mean he should be allowed to kiss other women. Not my approach, but a very respectable one.

For the record, I've seen him in roles where he kisses women. Not sure if he's divorced or if he just changed his approach.

-- Hil

[ast96]

Not sure if someone mentioned him already, but Fred Savage and Danica McKellar, both from The Wonder Years, are both normal and successful. I have met Savage and he's a good guy.

[maestramommy]

Didn't he wreck his car while smoking pot and drinking not too long ago though?
For some reason I remember that because I still pictured him as a 12-year old when I read it, but he's probably like 20 or something by now.

I think he did, but I'm not sure about the pot smoking. I would put him at 20 right now at the oldest, he was an 8th grader when I saw him. I remember thinking WTF why do parents give their kids cars when they're not ready, and it's too bad he's a brilliant actor but did something rather stupid.

[mdb78]

Fred Savage's brother, I think his name was Ben. Oh and and the other kids from that show that he was on, Boy meets world, came out pretty normal too. The one that played Topanga is hosting something similar to "The soup" on the Style channel.

Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster), Melissa Joann Hart, Ashley from Fresh Prince of Bell Aire, Alfonso Rebeiro (sp?), Sean Aston and his brother, so many...