Child Stars Who Shined Bright For a Brief Moment

It can be challenging to be an actor, facing constant public scrutiny, rejection, financial instability, lack of job security, and at times, mental health issues. Putting your life on display is never easy but for many, the rewards far outweigh the cons. The same can be said for child stars, who face their own set of challenges, with immense pressure from places child stars of the past didn’t encounter – social media.

Old Hollywood stars like Jackie Coogan, for whom a law protecting child actors was named, and superstar Shirley Temple, often considered the most famous child star ever, and newer stars like Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood illustrated how some child stars keep shining from childhood to adulthood. But others, who were at the height of their careers, simply faded away.

These are child stars who shined bright for a brief moment. See what happened to some of the most recognizable child stars and learn more about where life took them when the lights went down. ( Click here to check out the 40 best kids’ shows of all time. )

Jeremy Miller

Michael Buckner / Getty (L); Michael Ochs Archives / Getty (R)

• Played Ben Seaver on “Growing Pains”
• Currently 47 years old
• Had a male stalker while he was on “Growing Pains”
• Began drinking alcohol at 4 years old
• Currently in recovery for alcohol use disorder

Emmanuel Lewis

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty (L); Paras Griffin / Getty (R)

• Played Webster on “Webster”
• Began acting at age 9
• Currently 52 years old
• At age 13, Lewis was 42 inches tall and weighed 40 lbs

Ami Foster

National Broadcasting Corporation

• Played Margaux Kramer on “Punky Brewster”
• Discovered on “Star Search” at age 8
• Appeared on one episode of “Webster”
• Currently 48 years old
• Lives in California with her husband and two kids

Chad Allen

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images (L);Larry Busacca / Getty Images (R)

• Played David Witherspoon on “Our House”
• Began acting at age 7
• Retired from acting
• Currently 49 years old
• Is a psychologist
• Member and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community

Brice Beckham

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

• Played Wesley Owens on “Mr. Belvedere”
• Currently 47 years old
• Appeared on one episode of “Alice”
• Co-founder of Drama ¾, a third-party production company in Los Angeles.

Ari Meyers

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images (L); Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images (R)

• Played Emma McCardle on “Kate & Allie”
• Currently 54 years old
• Graduated from Yale University with a double major in Philosophy and Theater Arts
• Now a postpartum and lactation nurse at an LA-area hospital

Staci Keanan

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images

• Played Nicole Bradford on “My Two Dads”
• Began her career at age 5 by modeling
• Cast in “My Two Dads” at age 12
• Tutored students in grades 5-12
• Currently a lawyer and law professor in Los Angeles using her given name, Anastasia Love Sagorsky

Josie Davis

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images (L); Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images (R)

• Played Sarah Powell in 104 episodes of “Charles in Charge”
• Currently 50 years old
• Began acting at age 3
• Has a kitschy new podcast called “The Imperfect Podcast”

Keshia Knight-Pulliam

Robert Mora/Getty Images

• Played Rudy Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”
• Currently 44 years old
• Started working in entertainment at 9 months old
• Graduated from Spelman College with a Sociology degree
• Has a line of spices and seasonings called Keshia’s Kitchen
• Married with a baby boy born in early 2023

Danny Pintauro

Getty Images (L); Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images (R)

• Played Jonathan Bower on “Who’s the Boss?”
• Currently 47 years old
• Did some stage acting after “Who’s the Boss?”
• Other jobs include Tupperware sales, restaurant manager, and vet technician
• Has lived in Las Vegas and Austin and now lives in California and has returned to acting

Brian Bonsall

• Played Andy Keaton on “Family Ties”
• Currently 42 years old
• Began acting at age 4
• Left acting and moved to Boulder, Colorado with his family
• Has been a musician since 1998
• Plays in the punk band “Lights in the Sky”

Jason Hervey

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images (R); Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images (R)

• Played Wayne Arnold on “The Wonder Years”
• Now 51 years old
• Serial entrepreneur
• Currently the Founder & CEO of Marathon 360, a marketing agency

Benji Gregory

• Played Brian Tanner on “Alf”
• Full name is Benji Gregory Hertzberg
• Now 45 years old and lives in Avondale, Arizona
• His grandmother was his agent
• Served in the Navy

Danny Cooksey

Getty Images

• Played Sam McKinney on “Diff’rent Strokes”
• Currently 48 years old
• Began acting at age 8
• Played in a variety of bands
• Lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter

Philip McKeon

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

• Played Tommy Hyatt on “Alice”
• Was discovered by Linda Lavin, who played Alice, his mother
• Worked in radio after ending his acting career
• Died in 2019 at the age of 55

Adam Rich

American Broadcasting Corporation (L); Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images (R)

• Played Nicholas Bradford on “Eight is Enough” for 112 episodes
• Appeared on some of the most popular shows of the 1980s
• Began using drugs at age 14
• Dropped out of high school at age 17
• Died in 2023 from an accidental fentanyl overdose

Sidney and Lindsay Greenbush

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

• Shared the role of Carrie Olson on “Little House on the Prairie”
• Left acting not long after “Little House” ended
• Currently 53 years old
• Sidney is widowed; Lindsay is married

Jill Whelan

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images (L); Rob Kim/Getty Images (R)

• Played Vicki Stubing in six seasons of “The Love Boat”
• Currently 57 years old
• Played heart patient Lisa Davis in the cult hit Airplane
• Was named “Celebrations Ambassador” by Princess Cruises, the same line featured in “The Love Boat”
• Married three times

Danielle Spencer

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

• Played Dee Thomas on “What’s Happening!”
• Also played Dee in the sequel, “What’s Happening Now!”
• Was in a car accident at age 8 which left her in a coma for three weeks
• Lived in Africa after the show was cancelled
• She’s a doctor of veterinary medicine

Missy Gold

• Played Katie Gatling on “Benson”
• Currently age 53
• Appeared on several popular shows of the ‘80s
• Sister of Tracey Gold, who starred in “Growing Pains”
• Is a psychologist

Cherie Johnson

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images (L); Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images (R)

• Played a character of the same name — Cherie Johnson — on “Punky Brewster”
• Currently age 48
• Acts, writes, and produces
• Has a line of hair products called Wild Cherry
• Hosts a podcast called “Cherie’s World”

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