Favorite kid actor you saw grow up on TV?
*must have been on a single show for at least six seasons, starting at age 12 or younger, ending in teens or later
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- Actress
- Soundtrack
Taylor Atelian was born on 27 March 1995 in Santa Barbara, California, USA. She is an actress, known for According to Jim (2001), Reaper (2008) and Brad Paisley: Celebrity (2003).According to Jim (2001), age 6-14- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Tempestt Bledsoe was born on 1 August 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Cosby Show (1984), ParaNorman (2012) and N-Secure (2010).The Cosby Show (1984), 11-19- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Candace Helaine Cameron Bure was the youngest of four children, born in Panorama City, Los Angeles, California to Robert and Barbara Cameron. Following in the footsteps of her older brother Kirk Cameron, (who played Mike Seaver for 7 seasons on the hit show Growing Pains (1985)), Candace decided to pursue acting herself. She appeared in several commercials, and guest-starred on shows such as Punky Brewster (1984), St. Elsewhere (1982) and Who's the Boss? (1984).
In 1986, at age 10, she was cast as Donna Jo "D.J." Margaret Tanner-Fuller, the eldest daughter, on Full House (1987) and Fuller House (2016). The show's eight-year run ranks it among the most successful series of all time. Candace also appeared in the films Punchline (1988) (playing Sally Field's daughter), as well as numerous television movies.
After Full House (1987) ended its run, Candace married hockey player Valeri Bure at the age of 20. They have three children. Candace continues to make appearances on I Love the '80s (2002), and hosted 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up (2005) on the E! network.Full House (1987), 11-19- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Lacey Nicole Chabert was born in Purvis, Mississippi, to Julie (Johnson) and Tony Chabert, a representative for an oil company. She is of Cajun (French), Italian, English, and Scottish ancestry. Chabert started in drama and music performances in and around her hometown in Mississippi from an early age, and was a finalist on Star Search (1983) in 1991. She gained her break in a cough syrup commercial, before successfully auditioning for the Broadway production of Les Miserables, where she played young Cosette for two years. Since then, she has been on a few television series, notably Party of Five (1994), a number of telemovies like Gypsy (1993), and her big-screen debut, Lost in Space (1998). Known for her natural acting skills and charming personality, her cotton candy voice has seen her record many advertising jingles, plus play parts in animated films and TV shows like Nickelodeon's The Wild Thornberrys (1998). A more than capable violinist, she enjoys various activities, especially shoe shopping, and she is particularly fond of Cajun cooking. As a result of her promising career, her family, including two sisters and a brother, have moved from Mississippi to California.Party of Five (1994), 12-18- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lauren Ann Chapin (born May 23, 1945, Los Angeles, California) is an American former child actress, most remembered for her role as the youngest child "Kathy Anderson" (nicknamed "Kitten") in the television show Father Knows Best which was produced between 1954 and 1960. She appeared in 203 episodes in the series. Chapin was awarded five Junior Emmys for Best Child Actress. Two of her older brothers were also child stars, Billy and Michael Chapin. She is also known for roles in School Bus Diaries (2016), The 36th Prime Time Emmy Awards (1984), Scout's Honor (1980), The Adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza (1976), A Star is Born (1954), The Bob Hope Show (1954) and The Ed Sullivan Show (1958). In 1989 she wrote a NY Times Best Selling Autobiography, Father Does Know Best: The Lauren Chapin Story. She is well known as a licensed and ordained evangelist and advocate for Israel.Father Knows Best (1954), 9-15- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Without a doubt Gary Coleman was THE child TV star of the late 1970s and early 1980s. A refreshingly confident little tyke with sparkling dark, saucer-like eyes and an ingratiating, take-on-anyone burst of personality, the boy charmed the pants right off of TV viewers the minute he was glimpsed in national commercials. Amazed by how mature he came across, Gary was in truth older than he looked, which was brought upon by a congenital kidney condition. Sadly, the pint-sized phenomena outgrew his chubby-cheeked welcome and found the course of his grown-up Hollywood career brutally rough and patchy. The fragile condition of his health coupled with this lack of adult career acceptance, sparked an aggressively defensive behavior mechanism in his adult years and led to great personal unhappiness, chronic legal/financial hassles and early death.
He was born Gary Wayne Coleman on February 8, 1968, to a homeless woman, and was adopted by a fork-lift operator and his nurse practitioner wife from a Chicago hospital when he was just a few days old. Raised in Zion, Illinois, it was discovered that little Gary had severe health issues before the age of 2. Born with one atrophied kidney and an endangering weak second one, he had two kidney transplants by the time he reached age 16 and the effects of his dialysis medication permanently stunted his growth (to 4'8").
A highly precocious comedy cut-up on-camera, Gary proved a natural in local Chicago commercials. As his commercials spread nationwide, audiences began wondering just who this diminutive dynamo was. Norman Lear's talent scout spotted him in a Chicago bank commercial (he was 9 at the time) and decided to reveal to the world who the little guy was. Brought in to brighten up such Lear sitcoms as "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times" (the latter as a friend of little Janet Jackson's character), NBC quickly recognized the boy's comedy prowess and handed the 10-year-old his own prime-time sitcom playground to mug in.
While Diff'rent Strokes (1978)'s underlying approach was to preach racial and social tolerance (it revolved around two lower-class African-American brothers from Harlem who are taken in and adopted by a wealthy, debonair Park Avenue white man after their housekeeper mother dies), the show's powers-that-be smartly deduced that it was the wisecracking gifts of young Coleman, who played the youngest brother, Arnold Jackson, that gave the show its spark. Deemed "NBC's Littlest Big Man," Gary's sly, pouting-lipped delivery of, "What'chu talkin' about, Willis?" soon became a popular American catchphrase.
Legendary comics such as Bob Hope and Lucille Ball absolutely gushed about the little boy's comedy genius and Gary soon became a hit on the talk show circuit, trading clever banter with the likes of Johnny Carson among others. The boy was also outfitted with a series of lightweight TV-movie showcases which included The Kid from Left Field (1979), Scout's Honor (1980), The Kid with the Broken Halo (1982), The Kid with the 200 I.Q. (1983), The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984) and Playing with Fire (1985). All of them wisely centered around Gary's adorable persona. Modest film comedies also came his way with On the Right Track (1981) and Jimmy the Kid (1982). Topping it all off, the Hanna-Barbera-produced series The Gary Coleman Show (1982) produced an animated version of the child star. Little Gary would make close to $18 million during his nearly decade-long TV reign.
Like many others in his shoes, however, the aging Coleman felt trapped and pigeonholed by his stifling juvenile image and begged to get out from under it. The 18-year-old was truly thankful when the series ended in 1986. Coleman found, however, that a very fickle public was not as receptive to seeing him grow up. Like fellow TV star Emmanuel Lewis, Coleman began aging in appearance but remained trapped in the body of a young boy and the contrast proved too strange for audiences. As a result, Hollywood had little resources as to what to do with Gary Coleman the man. It wasn't long before Coleman was reduced to making weird guest appearances and small parts in even smaller films.
This crash course in reality triggered an increasingly erratic and aggressive behavior in Gary Coleman as he became increasingly angry and bitter about his lack of work when he was so used to be on top of everything. The subsequent tragedies suffered by all three young stars from the "Diff'rent Strokes" show, in fact, was sold out as a jinx package known as the "Diff'rent Strokes curse". While distaff co-star Dana Plato fell heavily into drug addiction, petty crime and pornography before taking her own life in 1999, Todd Bridges, who played Coleman's older brother, battled major cocaine abuse and was later charged (but acquitted of) attempted murder in the late 1980s.
In addition to his life-long health issues, Gary's adult problems came in the form of scattered financial and legal entanglements, as well as scrapes with the law. He was once arrested in 1999 for punching a persistent female autograph fan, in which he was fined and ordered to take anger-management classes. This became tabloid fodder for late night comics who joked that he must have landed "several good uppercuts." He also had many disorderly conduct and reckless driving charges brought up against him at various times. He would admit that the tally of his life problems led to more than a few feigned suicide attempts. In 1989, Coleman successfully sued his adopted parents and business manager after they allegedly pilfered his youthful fortune for their own self interest totaling $3.8 million in losses, and he won $1,280,000. Despite the large settlement, all of the money was soon spent on taxes, legal fees, as well as his increasingly high medical bills for his continuing dialysis treatments. As a result by 1999 (with no steady acting work) Coleman had to declare bankruptcy, finding work outside the Hollywood industry as a security guard. For self-preservation, he went the reality-show route and became the object of self-mocking cameos to help bring in some cash. As a gag, he ran for California's 2003 governorship during its recall election.
In 2007, he married the much younger actress Shannon Price, whom he met on the set of the low budget film Church Ball (2006), but the quickly marriage dissolved quickly into domestic squabbles that put him in front of the court system yet again on domestic abuse charges. He later moved and settled in Utah.
In early 2009, Coleman managed to star in his very last film, the crude independent comedy Midgets vs. Mascots (2009) filmed in Dallas, Texas before the end came. Following heart surgery complicated by pneumonia in the fall of 2009, he suffered a heart seizure in February 2010 while performing on a Hollywood set. The 42-year-old actor died of a brain hemorrhage on May 28, 2010, after suffering an epidural haematoma from a fall at home. A sad end to a very bright and talented, but very troubled and bitter, child star who, at his peak, brought such joy to TV audiences.Diff'rent Strokes (1978), 10-18- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kami Cotler was born on 17 June 1965 in Long Beach, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971), The Waltons (1972) and A Walton Easter (1997). She is married to Kim Howard. They have two children.The Waltons (1972), 7-16- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Kim Fields was born on 12 May 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Living Single (1993) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). She has been married to Christopher Morgan since 23 July 2007. They have two children. She was previously married to Johnathon Franklin Freeman.The Facts of Life (1979), 10-19- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Danielle Christine Fishel was born on May 5, 1981, in Mesa, Arizona. She began acting professionally at the age of ten, during which she made many TV guest appearances and commercials. She was originally a guest star on the show Boy Meets World (1993), but Danielle added a spark that the show needed and she became a regular cast member shortly afterward. She played Topanga Lawrence on the show, the girlfriend of Cory Matthews. The show brought Danielle much attention even landing her face on the cover of "Seventeen" magazine. She was voted as one of Teen People's magazine hottest stars under the age of 21. She graduated from high school in 1999.
In 2014, fourteen years after the conclusion of "Boy," she reprised her role as Topanga, now the wife of Cory Matthews, in the show Girl Meets World (2014).Boy Meets World (1993), 12-19- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Michael Fishman was born in Long Beach, California and grew up on the set of Roseanne (1988). While becoming known as an Actor for handling deep topics with great comedic timing Fishman immersed himself in all aspects of production. Michael has worked alongside and has learned from industry leaders for over three decades.
While being recognizable to the public for his Acting roles in Roseanne (1988), Seinfeld (1989), Walker, Texas Ranger (1993), and The Conners (2018). Fishman has become equally known amongst his colleagues for being adept behind the camera. As a television and film Director he has led multiple projects including five episodes of ABC's top comedy The Conners (2018). Michael has also produced Scripted and Unscripted content including a 2022 award winning feature titled A Place in the Field (2022).
As the son of an immigrant, Fishman is motivated by his multi-racial family, and strives to create projects as diverse and inclusive as his personal life. A former Athlete, Coach, Teacher, Bounty Hunter, and Rescue Diver, Michael incorporates his active lifestyle and extensive experience as a Dad to tell relatable stories that feature complex and varied characters that represent a multitude of backgrounds. Fishman believes in the power of community and telling visceral uplifting stories.Roseanne (1988), 7-16- Actor
- Producer
- Director
David Lee Gallagher was born on February 9, 1985 in College Point, New York, to Elena (Lopez) and Darren James Gallagher. His stepfather is Vincent Casey. David is of Irish (father) and Cuban (mother) descent. At not even two years old, he landed his first print ad job and he has since done commercials for corporations such as Walt Disney World, Burger King, Panasonic, Hanes, Betty Crocker and Tyson Foods. At the age of 8, David made his film debut with a lead role in the surprise hit Look Who's Talking Now (1993). Several television appearances and made-for-television movies followed until another big-screen success in Phenomenon (1996), with John Travolta. That same year he landed his most famous role to date, Simon Camden, in the WB hit 7th Heaven (1996).
Angels in the Endzone (1997) and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998) were barely enough to show off his talents and most of his acting depth is shown off on the television series, which covers such serious issues as drugs, abuse and suicide.
After achieving fan-magazine fame and teen-idol status, David co-starred in the film _Kart Racer (2003). He graduated from Chaminade High School in 2003. David enjoys swimming and basketball.7th Heaven (1996), 11-22- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Melissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, television director, producer, politician, and former president of the Screen Actors Guild. Gilbert began her career as a child actress in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous commercials and guest starring roles on television. From 1974 to 1983, she starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the second oldest daughter of Charles Ingalls (played by Michael Landon) on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie. During the run of Little House, Gilbert appeared in several television films, including The Diary of Anne Frank and The Miracle Worker.- Missy Gold was born on 14 July 1970 in Great Falls, Montana, USA. She is an actress, known for Benson (1979), Captains and the Kings (1976) and Trapper John, M.D. (1979). She has been married to Brian Herskowitz since 1996. They have two children.Benson (1979), 9-16
- Actor
- Soundtrack
A deadpan, freckle-faced, curly red-haired, highly talented child actor of the late 50s, Rusty Hamer entered films and TV at age 5 and became a precocious TV celebrity the very next year, trading clever quips with volatile top comedian Danny Thomas as his smart-alecky son, Rusty Williams, on the hit sitcom, The Danny Thomas Show (1953), in 1953. The popular sitcom co-starred Jean Hagen as Rusty's level-headed mother, and pretty, pig-tailed Sherry Jackson as his older sister.
Born Russell Craig Hamer on February 15, 1947, in Tenafly, New Jersey, he was the youngest of three sons born to shirt salesman Arthur Walter (who died when Rusty was 6) and former silent screen actress Dorothy Hamer (nee Chretin). Moving to Los Angeles in 1951, Rusty and his brothers, John and Walter, were prodded by the parents to perform in local theatre productions. Rusty learned to recited stories and perform skits at various community for service club and church functions.
Rusty's first on-camera role was a tiny part in the western Fort Ti (1953) as George Montgomery's young nephew and was given a role in an episode of the TV anthology "Fireside Theatre." While spotted in one of his theatre stage shows, Rusty was brought in to test for the Thomas series and won the role of "Rusty Williams." His mother and older brother John Hamer would appear briefly on Rusty's TV show.
Playing a 'second banana' scamp to the well-loved comedy star was no easy task, yet this boy showed an incredibly sharp comedy sense far beyond his years and the show ran a very healthy eleven seasons. During the long run, Rusty appeared only occasionally elsewhere. Seen in an episode of "Four Star Playhouse," he played, alongside the equally delightful young Gigi Perreau, orphan kids under the wing of mushy-hearted Lou Costello in Abbott & Costello's last film together Dance with Me, Henry (1956). Rusty also appeared on various variety shows ("The Red Skelton Show," "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show," "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show") usually in tandem with his beloved TV family.
A major cast change in the series erupted when Hagen asked to leave the show (her character dies) and Jackson grew up and left home for college. Rusty's stepmother and little stepsister, played by Marjorie Lord and Angela Cartwright, respectively, were a delightful addition to the show and contributed greatly to the show's enduring popularity. Performing in 300 plus episodes, Rusty was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his TV work in 1960.
In 1964, and with the end of the TV series, 17-year-old Rusty Hamer, at age 17, found himself out of work for the first time. The talented kid had become an awkward teen and offers dried up immediately. Hoping to branch out into dramatic roles, outside of an isolated appearance on "Green Acres" and appearances reprising his "Rusty Williams" persona, the only work he was able to find in later years were reunion specials and a new, updated sitcom revolving around his old TV family now playing Rusty as a married medical student. Make Room for Granddaddy (1970) not successful, however, and was canceled after the 1970-1971 season. Nothing else came his way although he continued to take acting classes and worked at a messenger service and as a carpenter's apprentice to support himself.
The aimless, embittered young man, left Hollywood for good for Louisiana in 1976 to help care for his Alzheimer's-stricken mother and his life quickly fell apart. Left with no job skills, Rusty had extreme difficulty finding direction, consequently living a wanderlust lifestyle, taking menial jobs that ranged from working on Exxon oil rigs to delivering newspapers to toiling as a short order cook in older brother John's cafe. His poverty-ridden status, so different from his youthful celebrity, caused him to spiral into deep depression and, eventually, alcohol abuse. Increasingly violent and delusional and suffering from chronic back pain, he shot himself to death in his trailer on January 18, 1990. He was only 42.
Chalking up another child star statistic who met a tragic, untimely end, Rusty had the true makings of a terrific comedy actor. Danny Thomas himself once said that Rusty was "the best boy actor I ever saw in my life. He had a great memory . . . great timing and you could change a line on him at the last minute and he came right back with it." It was Hamer's suicide, in fact, that prompted former child actor Paul Petersen to establish his support group A Minor Consideration. The group has been successful in assisting many former child actors with no other work skills to make a positive career transition.- Actor
- Soundtrack
David W. Harper was born on 4 October 1961 in Abilene, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Fletch (1985), The Waltons (1972) and The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971).The Waltons (1972), 11-20- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is one of this generation's most popular directors. From the critically acclaimed dramas A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Apollo 13 (1995) to the hit comedies Parenthood (1989) and Splash (1983), he has created some of Hollywood's most memorable films.
Howard made his directorial debut in 1978 with the comedy Grand Theft Auto (1977). He began his career in film as an actor. He first appeared in The Journey (1959) and The Music Man (1962), then as Opie on the long-running television series The Andy Griffith Show (1960). Howard later starred in the popular series Happy Days (1974) and drew favorable reviews for his performances in American Graffiti (1973) and The Shootist (1976).
Howard and long-time producing partner Brian Grazer first collaborated on the hit comedies "Night Shift" and "Splash." The pair co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 to create independently produced feature films.
Howard's portfolio includes some of the most popular films of the past 20 years. In 1991, Howard created the acclaimed drama "Backdraft", starring Robert De Niro, Kurt Russell and William Baldwin. He followed it with the historical epic Far and Away (1992), starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Howard directed Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise and Delroy Lindo in the 1996 suspense thriller Ransom (1996). Howard worked with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise and Kathleen Quinlan on "Apollo 13," which was re-released recently in the IMAX format.
Howard's skill as a director has long been recognized. In 1995, he received his first Best Director of the Year award from the DGA for "Apollo 13." The true-life drama also garnered nine Academy Award nominations, winning Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound. It also received Best Ensemble Cast and Best Supporting Actor awards from the Screen Actor's Guild. Many of Howard's past films have received nods from the Academy, including the popular hits Backdraft (1991), "Parenthood" and Cocoon (1985), the last of which took home two Oscars.
Howard directed and produced Cinderella Man (2005) starring Oscar winner Russell Crowe, with whom he previously collaborated on "A Beautiful Mind," for which Howard earned an Oscar for Best Director and which also won awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress. The film garnered four Golden Globes as well, including the award for Best Motion Picture Drama. Additionally, Howard won Best Director of the Year from the Directors Guild of America. Howard and producer Brian Grazer received the first annual Awareness Award from the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign for their work on the film.
Howard was honored by the Museum of Moving Images in December 2005, and by the American Cinema Editors in February 2006. Howard and his creative partner Brian Grazer, were honored by the Producers Guild of America with the Milestone Award in January 2009, NYU's Tisch School of Cinematic Arts with the Big Apple Award in November 2009 and by the Simon Wiesenthal Center with their Humanitarian Award in May 2010. In June 2010, Howard was honored by the Chicago Film Festival with their Gold Hugo - Career Achievement Award. In March 2013, Howard was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. In December 2015, Howard was honored with a star in the Motion Pictures category, making him one of the very few to have been recognized with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Howard also produced and directed the film adaptation of Peter Morgan's critically acclaimed play Frost/Nixon (2008). The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, and was also nominated for The Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures by the PGA.
Howard has also served as an executive producer on a number of award-winning films and television shows, such as the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon (1998), Fox's Emmy Award winner for Best Comedy, Arrested Development (2003), a series which he also narrated, Netflix's release of new episodes of "Arrested Development," and NBC's "Parenthood."
Howard's recent films include the critically acclaimed drama Rush (2013), staring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl, written by Peter Morgan; and Made in America (2013), a music documentary he directed staring Jay-Z for Showtime.
Howard's other films include In the Heart of the Sea (2015), based on the true story that inspired Moby Dick; his adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novels Angels & Demons (2009), and The Da Vinci Code (2006) staring Oscar winner Tom Hanks; the blockbuster holiday favorite "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)" starring Jim Carrey; "Parenthood" starring Steve Martin; the fantasy epic Willow (1988); Night Shift (1982) starring Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton and Shelley Long; and the suspenseful western, The Missing (2003), staring Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones.
Recently, Howard directed Inferno (2016), the third installment of Dan Brown 's Robert Langdon franchise and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016), a documentary about the rock legends The Beatles. He also produced the second season of Breakthrough (2015), Mars (2016), and directed the first episode of Genius (2017), based on the life of Albert Einstein, all for NatGeo.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Angus T. Jones is a former child actor from Austin, Texas. He is mainly remembered for playing co-protagonist Jake Harper in the first 10 seasons of the hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men". He played the role regularly for a decade, from 2003 to 2013. He won two Young Artist Awards for his role, and he was nominated for a third one.
He made his film debut in the crime film "Simpatico" (1999), which depicted a former con-man attempting to retaliate against two partners who had abandoned him. Jones played the dog-loving boy James McGuire in the comedy "See Spot Run" (2001), in what was his first significant film role. His character was able to teach a trained FBI dog to relax and play, like normal dogs.
In the sports drama "The Rookie" (2002), Jones portrayed Hunter Morris. His character was the son of professional baseball player Jim Morris (1964-), and looked up to his father. The character was based on Jim Morris' real-life son. Jones also had the small role of the protagonist's son in the romantic comedy "Bringing Down the House" (2003). His character had reading difficulties. He overcame them with the help of his nanny, Charlene Morton (played by Queen Latifah), who managed to gain the boy's trust.
In the comedy film "George of the Jungle 2" (2003), Jones portrayed George Jr., the Prince of the Jungle. His character was depicted as the son of "king" George of the Jungle (played by Christopher Showerman) and "queen" Ursula Stanhope (played by Julie Benz). The film was loosely based on the short-lived animated series "George of the Jungle" (1967) by Jay Ward and Bill Scott. The film was released direct-to-video, unlike the first live-action adaptation of the series.
Jones gained his first major television role in 2003, when cast as Jake Harper in "Two and a Half Men". His character was the young son of divorced parents. Jake was jointly raised by his financially-struggling father Alan Harper (played by Jon Cryer), and his hedonistic uncle Charlie Harper (played by Charlie Sheen). Jake was initially portrayed as a relatively bright boy, but rather naive and absent-minded. As the character grew older, Jake was increasingly depicted as dimwitted, lazy, and gluttonous. The sitcom enjoyed high ratings, and Jones became a household name.
By 2010, "Two and a Half Men". had become the most popular sitcom in the United States. That year, Jones signed a new contract. He was guaranteed payment of 7.8 million dollars over the next two seasons, amounting to 300,000 dollars for each of the 26 episodes. At the time, he was the highest paid child star in television.
During the sitcom's 9th season (2011-2012), Jake's character was revised. The adolescent was depicted as a habitual user of marijuana. He was also depicted as promiscuous, and involved in sexual relationships with older women. In March 2012, Jones stated in a public appearance that he was uncomfortable with these changes in the portrayal of his character.
By the autumn of 2012, Jones had converted to Christianity. He also joined a Seventh-day Adventist church, though it was not affiliated with the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (the official representative of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists). Jones publicly criticized the sitcom as "filth" which contradicted his moral values, and expressed his frustration with having to continue appearing in it. At the time, filming for most of his appearances in the 10th season had been completed.
Jones left the sitcom at the end of the 2012-2013 season. Initially there were plans for him to make guest appearances in the 11th season of the sitcom, but he did not participate in any of its episodes. In March 2014, Jones officially confirmed the end of his involvement in the series. In 2015, Jones agreed to participate in a few scenes for the series finale. In the episode, Jake informs his father that he has married a Japanese dancer, and that he has two stepchildren of his own.
Following his departure from "Two and a Half Men", Jones started attending classes at the University of Colorado Boulder. It is a public research university, active since 1876. It has offered mixed-sex education since the 1870s. In 2016, Jones accepted a management position in the production company Tonite. The company had recently been established. It had been co-founded by Justin Combs, a son of the record producer Sean Combs. Jones and the younger Combs had been friends for several years, before agreeing to work together.
By 2022, Jones was 29-years-old. He has mostly retired from acting, and he has pursued a business career. Jones has stayed away from the spotlight for several years. His fame persists due to the enduring popularity of his long-running sitcom. He has kept his private life out of the public eye.Two and a Half Men (2003), 10-20- Director
- Actress
- Choreographer
Christine Helen Lakin was born on January 25th, 1979 in Dallas, Texas. After moving several times as a child, her family finally settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where Christine started her acting career. There, she attended the Atlanta workshop players - a theater group which plays in schools in the Atlanta metro area. Her first audition was for a TV-commercial - "Got Milk?!", and after not getting that job, she didn't have to wait long for her next opportunity, which was the part as the young Rose in the civil-war flick The Rose and the Jackal (1990), which also starred Christopher Reeve. In 1991, she took her first step towards big fame and landed the role as the tomboyish Al on the Friday night hit Step by Step (1991).
During the sitcom's long run, Christine gracefully grew up, graduated from high school in 1997 and made various appearances on other television shows. When Step by Step (1991) was cancelled in 1998, Christine, while attending UCLA and majoring in film, looked for other film roles. She landed jobs in independent films such as Boltneck (2000) and Finding Kelly (2000). Whatever It Takes (2000) was Christine's first wide theatrical film release. Since then, she has had a slew of independent coming-of-age films along with guest appearances on such hit shows as Boston Public (2000), and Opposite Sex (2000). Still attending UCLA and handling a film career, Christine is managing to do what few child actors tend to do, which is continue.Step by Step (1991), 12-19- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Jerry Mathers was born on 2 June 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor and director, known for The Trouble with Harry (1955), Leave It to Beaver (1957) and The Love Boat (1977). He has been married to Teresa Modnick since 30 January 2011. He was previously married to Diana Platt and Rhonda Gehring.- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Mary Beth McDonough was born on 4 May 1961 in Van Nuys, California, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for The Waltons (1972), Mortuary (1982) and The West Wing (1999). She has been married to Don since 4 June 2011. She was previously married to Rob Wickstrom.The Waltons (1972), 10-19- Actor
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Philip McKeon was born on 11 November 1964 in Westbury, New York, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for The Jacket (2005), Murder in the First (1995) and Alice (1976). He died on 10 December 2019 in Wimberly, Texas, USA.Alice (1976), 12-21- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Alyssa Milano comes from an Italian-American family; her mother Lin Milano is a fashion designer and father Thomas Milano is a film music editor. Alyssa was born in a working-class neighborhood in Brooklyn and grew up in a modest house on Staten Island. One day her babysitter, who was an aspiring dancer, dragged Alyssa along to an open audition for the first national tour of "Annie". However, it was Alyssa and not the sitter who was chosen from 1500 other girls for the role. So at the tender age of seven, with her mother in tow, Alyssa joined the tour as July, one of the orphans. After 18 months on the road Alyssa, who had begun to garner a reputation as an energetic and charismatic young actress, left Annie to be featured in off-Broadway productions and television commercials. Then in 1983, at age 10, she landed her breakthrough role on the sitcom Who's the Boss? (1984) as Tony Danza's saccharine sweet daughter, "Samantha Micelli", a kid whose native Brooklyn accent rivaled her TV dad's. In order for Alyssa to accept the gig, the Milano family had to uproot and move 3,000 miles to Hollywood.Who's the Boss? (1984), 12-20- Actor
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Jeremy James Miller is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Ben Seaver on Growing Pains and its two reunion movies. He also was the voice of Linus in Happy New Year, Charlie Brown and Snoopy the Musical.
Miller was first cast in a McDonald's commercial and then began to land multiple guest roles in Charles in Charge, Different Strokes, Punky Brewster, and Pryor's Place. He was cast in the NBC mini series Deceptions with Barry Bostwick, Stephanie Powers, and Fairuza Balk before landing the role of Ben Seaver, the youngest son on Growing Pains. Miller was supposed to be a part of the cast of the PBS show Ghostwriter. The creator wanted to make him a mentor to the younger Ghostwriter members, but the producers decided it wasn't a good idea for the show to have an older ghostwriter team member and Miller was not invited back after shooting the pilot. As an actor, probably his most recognizable trademark is the "Ben Seaver Scream", which can be heard and seen in any number of Growing Pains episodes and during the closing credits of the movie Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.
After Growing Pains, Jeremy co starred as "Jake" in the TV movie Based on an Untrue Story with Morgan Fairchild, Robert Goulet, Rikki Lake, Dan Hedeya, Victoria Jackson, and Harvey Korman.
He then decided to take a break from acting and attended the University of Southern California for a year where he studied drama. Soon after he began to pursue his passion for cooking and enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Le Cordon Bleu which he left just short of graduating. Jeremy started his own catering company called "No Small Affair" as well as freelanced as a chef for multiple LA based catering companies. He also teaches private cooking classes and group cooking parties. Jeremy continues to pursue acting and went to Shanghai (where he enjoys a huge popularity and following) to co star in the film Milk and Fashion, He starred in a commercial for McDonald's "Dollar Menunaires" promotion shot as a parody of the VH1 series Best Week Ever. He has also been spotted in Boys and Girls Guide To Getting Down. He can be seen in four movies in 2009: Ditching Party, Never Have I Ever, The Fish and Tar Beach. He will also be co-starring in the upcoming horror film Awakening as well as two new shows; One a recurring role in the comedy - The Comeback Kids and one as the lead in the Paranormal Suspense Drama - 3rd Eye.Growing Pains (1985), 9-16- Actor
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Ricky Nelson was born on May 8, 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA as Eric Hilliard Nelson. He was an actor, known for The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (1952) and Rio Bravo (1959). He was married to Kristin Harmon. He died on December 31, 1985 in De Kalb, Texas, USA.- Actress
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Keshia Knight Pulliam was born on 9 April 1979 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Cosby Show (1984), House of Payne (2006) and Madea Goes to Jail (2009). She has been married to Brad James since 25 September 2021. They have one child. She was previously married to Ed Hartwell.The Cosby Show (1984), 5-13- Actress
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Kiernan Brennan Shipka is an American actress. She is known for playing Sally Draper on the AMC series Mad Men (2007), B. D. Hyman in the FX anthology series Feud (2017), and voicing Jinora in the Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) spin-off, The Legend of Korra (2012). She stars as Sabrina Spellman on Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018) series based on the comic series of the same name. Kiernan Shipka was born in Chicago, Illinois. As part of Mad Men (2007)'s ensemble cast, she won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2008 and 2009. As part of Mad Men's ensemble cast, she won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2008 and 2009. Shipka has received praise for her performance on Mad Men (2007). In naming her as his dream nominee for the "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series" Emmy Award, Austin American-Statesman critic Dale Roe remarked, "This 10-year-old actress was so affecting as troubled Sally Draper last season that it seems odd that she's only just been upgraded to series regular. If Shipka's upcoming Mad Men (2007) work-struggling with the broken marriage of her parents and entering preteendom in the tumultuous 1960s-remains as amazing as it was in season three, this is a ballot wish that could come true next year." Initially a recurring guest star, Shipka was upgraded to a series regular with the start of season four. She got the part after two auditions. Shipka's credits after Mad Men (2007) include Flowers in the Attic (2014) and a dual role in the Oz Perkins horror film, The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) (2015). In 2014, Shipka was named one of "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014" by Time magazine. In the same year, IndieWire included her in their list of "20 Actors To Watch That Are Under 20". In 2017, she portrayed B.D. Hyman, daughter of Bette Davis, in the FX television series Feud (2017). In January 2018, it was announced that Shipka would be starring as Sabrina Spellman in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018) series based on the comic series of the same name. The first season was released by Netflix on October 26, 2018.Mad Men (2007), 7-14- Actor
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Erik Per Sullivan was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. He has a first-degree black belt in tae kwon do, loves to ski, boogie board, build obstacle courses, play games of paintball, and travel. His debut was an uncredited role in Armageddon (1998). His breakthrough, however, was the role of Fuzzy in The Cider House Rules (1999) and Dewey in Malcolm in the Middle (2000). Erik's mother is from Sweden, and he is fluent in Swedish and English. Erik has always been an honor student and enjoys time with his classmates.- Actress
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Jodie Sweetin was born on 19 January 1982 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Full House (1987), Fuller House (2016) and Just Swipe (2021). She has been married to Mescal Wasilewski since 30 July 2022. She was previously married to Morty Coyle, Cody Herpin and Shaun Holguin.Full House (1987), 5-13- Actor
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Jonathan Taylor Thomas was born Jonathan Taylor Weiss on September 8, 1981 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to Claudine (Gonsalves) and Stephen Weiss. He has an older brother, Joel, and has Pennsylvania Dutch (German) and Portuguese ancestry. Growing up, he liked the music group Boyz II Men, and his favorite TV shows were Roseanne (1988) and Grace Under Fire (1993), but he also liked watching CNN news, to keep up to date with current events. One thing that Jonathan does not like is meat. He has been a vegetarian since he was four years old, and he doesn't use products that are tested on animals because he believes that it is wrong to hurt them.
When Jonathan was four years old, his family moved from Bethlehem to Sacramento, California. At the age of seven, Jonathan was working as a model for print advertisements in Sacramento, and over the next few years, he appeared in TV commercials for Kelloggs cereal, Mattel toys and for many other products. By this time, Jonathan was ready for bigger roles, and in 1989, he landed the part of Greg Brady's son Kevin in the TV special The Bradys (1990). In 1990, he landed his biggest role yet, as Randy Taylor on Home Improvement (1991). Jonathan's audition went well, but what really gave him an edge over the other boys was that the casting directors thought that he looked a lot like his TV dad-to-be, Tim Allen.
In 1991, Jonathan's parents divorced. He lived with his mother and his brother. He began work in feature length movies, as the voice of young Simba in Disney's The Lion King (1994), and as Ben Archer in Man of the House (1995) opposite Chevy Chase. Among his other movies are Tom and Huck (1995), The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996), Wild America (1997), and I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998).Home Improvement (1991), 10-17- Actress
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Green-eyed Tina Yothers began doing commercials when she was just three years old. The daughter of TV film producer Robert Yothers, she was born on May 5, 1973 in Whittier, California. Her three brothers (Jeff, Randy Poindexter Yothers and Cory 'Bumper' Yothers) had all acted in commercials. She also has a foster sister whose name is also Tina.
After doing spots for McDonald's, Bell Telephone and Doritos, Tina auditioned for a role in the movie Shoot the Moon (1982) and won the part. After the movie, she won the part of "Jennifer Keaton" on the series, Family Ties (1982).
She wrote the book, "Being Your Best: Tina Yothers's Guide for Girls" and appeared in the TV movie, Crash Course (1988). Her hobbies are swimming and playing hockey.Family Ties (1982), 9-16