Child Actors

and jerry oconnel is an exception.

where would joe's apartment and kangaroo jack be without jerry oconnell???

 

I don't care much for jerry oconnell as an actor, although I was a huge fan of the series, Sliders.

 

Oh he's hot! Very!

 

well, many child actors cannot make the change from "child actor" to "adult" because they are type cast. especially those who became a household name and face when they were a kid. and of course as everyone knows, when you go through puberty, and into adulthood, you change alot...... your body changes, your voice changes.... and you arent the lovable little kid you once were. and of course, if you arent making the money like you were when you were a kid, you may resort to do something illegal, just to make ends meet. I mean, alot of those child actors didnt see any money after they were 18, as opposed to when they were younger (and most of that money usually went to their parents).

also, Im sure the fame they no longer have attributes alot to their demise (going into drugs, alcohol, and illegal activities)

 

Alyssa Milano. Gah, shows how much I read... lol. Didn't realize she was already posted.

 

dont forget ron howard. he was opie back in the 60s, and once he got older, he was richie cunningham in happy days. he went on to be a big movie director.

 

Now the puberty thing I understand completely, but what about somebody like Jalleel White(aka Steve Urkle). I mean, not to sound gay, but I think his appeal as an actor would've gone through the roof when he went from being a scrawny, dorky kid, to a well built handsom man. It just puzzles me overall why so few make it.

 

This is going to astound some of you, but Robert Blake was a child actor (Little Rascals, Our Gang) who went on to star as Baretta in the 70s, some crime solving Catholic priest in the 80s and of course, then shot his wife in the head recently...

And Jerry O'Connell is banging Rebecca Romyne, does he really NEED a career with that on is resume?

 

I didnt know robert blake was in the little rascals....... but if you think about it though, the rest of those kids never made it very far, and alot of em had problems through early adulthood, and died at an early age. alfalfa died at 25, I believe..... there was a curse on the little rascals for awhile.....

 

some of the more famous ones (and least famous ones, who died early, or unreasonable deaths)

Alfalfa (Carl Switzer) - (8/7/27 - 1/21/59) Always the clown on the set, Switzer continued to act up after he left the Gang. He had run-ins with the law and in 1959 was shot to death over money allegedly owed to him by his business partner. He was 31.

Brisbane (Kendal McComas) - (10/29/16 - 10/15/81) - Known as Breezy Brisbane. He became an electrical engineer at the U.S. Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California. Like many child actors he was small for his age and never grew taller that five feet. In 1981, two weeks before his 65th birthday and apparent forced retirement he committed suicide.

Buckwheat (William Thomas) - (3/12/31 - 10/10/80) - Thomas had a long run in the series. He had a few roles in movies outside the Rascals but dropped out of acting in 1945 and went to public school. Afterward, he led a stable, successful life as a film lab technician in Hollywood. He died of a heart attack in 1980 at age 49

Chubby (Norman Chaney) - (1/18/18 -5/30/36) As he grew into his teens, his weight expanded to over 300 pounds. In 1935, he had an operation for a glandular ailment, and his weight dropped to 136 pounds. Sadly, he never recovered and passed away at the age of 18.

Darla Hood - (11/8/31 - 6/13/79) - The Rascals' leading lady was a valuable behind-the-scenes entertainer after her screen success as a child. She sang background music for many 1940s films and was a regular on Merv Griffin's radio show. She even lent her vocal talents to such well-known ad campaigns as the Campbell Soup Kids and the Chicken-of-the-Sea mermaid jingle.She was 47

Froggy (William Robert Laughlin) - (1932 - 1948) Died in a motorscooter accident at the age of 16 in California.

Jay R. Smith - (8/29/15 - 10/5/2002) - After serving in WWII, he bought a paint store. Retired to Hawaii, and then moved to Las Vegas. He was stabbed to death by a homeless man he had befriended.

Mickey Daniels - (10/11/14 - 8/20/70) Died of cirrhosis of the liver. Records of his death did not surface until being researched 21 years after his body was found in a hotel. He died alone.

Mickey (Mickey Gubitossi/Robert Blake) - (9/18/33 - ) - Became a powerful adult performer of leading and character roles. Starred in the series Baretta in the 1970's. Consumed with anger over his treatment by his family and the studio as a child, he denigrated his early work, suffered bouts of difficulty with drugs, and became known as a difficult, perfectionistic person to work with. He quit his successful TV series "Hell Town" (1985) when his personal demons became overwhelming. After a self-imposed exile of nearly eight years, during which he struggled to right his life, he successfully returned to films and television work, appearing renewed and more confident in himself and his work. Currently lives in California.

Scotty Beckett - (10/4/29 - 5/10/68) - Scotty went on to star in other films after leaving Our Gang. As an adult he checked into a Hollywood nursing home on May 8, 1968, needing medical attention after suffering a serious beating. He died two days later. Although pills and a note were found, no conclusion was made by the coroner as to the exact cause of his death. He was just 38 years old.

Spanky (George McFarland) - (10/2/28 - 6/30/93) Having tried unsuccessfully to land acting jobs in Hollywood after his starring role in the Rascals, McFarland moved back to Texas, joined the Air Force and eventually found a career as a TV salesman/executive. He made an appearance on Cheers shortly before he died at age 64 of a heart attack.

Stymie (Matthew Beard) - (1/1/25 - 1/8/81) - Stymie had a troubled adult life with crime and drugs. In later life he finally cleaned up his act, and made appearances on Sanford & Son. Both he and his father, Matthew Sr., a minister in Los Angeles, were born on New Year's Day. Stymie's trademark bowler was actually one of comedian Stan Laurel's hats which accounts for it's oversize. In 1981 he suffered a stroke, contracted pneumonia, and died at USC Medical Center. His last words were: "Fun, fun, fun...Had a lot of fun."

Waldo (Darwood Kaye) - (9/8/29 - 5/12/2002) - Became a pastor. Was killed in a hit-and-run accident while walking on the sidwalk.

Wheezer (Robert Hutchins) - (3/29/25 - 3/17/45) - Died in a military airplane accident at the age of 19.

many of them died of cancer......

Johnny Downs - (10/10/13 - 6/6/94) Died of cancer.

Leonard Kibrick - (9/6/24 - 1/4/93) Died of Cancer

Mary Kornman - (12/27/15 - 6/1/73) Died of Cancer

Jackie Condon - (3/25/18 - 10/13/77) Died of cancer.

 

OK, how about Tatum O'Neal, Anna Paquin, Shirley Temple, Drew Barrymore, Kirsten Dunst, Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Wood, Jackie Cooper, Dean Stockwell, Rick Schroeder, Mickey Rooney, Ethan Hawke, Joaquin Phoenix and Dean Caine?

 

Whoops, forgot Melissa Gilbert.

 

Mellisa Gilbert. Rick Schroder(happy birthday by the way) Kim Fields Danny Bonaduche Ron Howard Larence Fishburne Rob Reiner and Kurt Russel. How do you like them apples?

 

shirley tempel (black) didnt have any film career, after she grew up.... she went into politics.

 

Looks like the average age at death was around 50. Not bad for depression era kids, even though they had means at one time...

 

You ass. You probably just googled this or something. I know you are not that knowledgeable about anything.

Good answer though.

 

You're a freaking genius, ass. Actually I Yahoo'd it.