Then And Now: Find Out What Happened To Your Favorite Child Stars From The 1970s

Rose Reilly | January 9, 2025 7:21 pm

Ah, the '70s. The hair was long, the carpet was shaggy, and the lingo was "groovy." Back in the days before DVR and Netflix, watching television was more of a family affair. Every family had their favorite, whether it was "The Brady Bunch," "Happy Days," "Good Times," or "What's Happening". Those familiar with these '70s shows know just about all the episodes by heart, as well as all of the child stars involved.

Nowadays, some of these stars are virtually unrecognizable. Who do you remember? Keep reading to check out what these actors did back then, and what they are up to now. How many of these stars do you recognize? Let us know in the comments!

Robbie Rist - Then

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Robbie joined "The Brady Bunch" as cousin Oliver during the show’s last six episodes. He was brought on as an alternative to the older Brady kids and to help prop up the show’s ratings as they were seeing increased competition from shows such as Sanford & Son.

The plan by producers backfired and the show was canceled anyway. Rist spoke the last words ever of the series, "Me! Cousin Olver! Gosh, it was only a suggestion." Even though Oliver was eight, Rist was actually nine years old.

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Robbie Rist - Now

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Over the past several decades, Rist has been provided voice-over work on popular TV series and films such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman: The Animated Series, and Doc McStuffins.

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Robbie is also a talented musician and producer, and he provided music for the Sharknado franchise. He performs as the lead singer, guitarist, bassist and/or drummer for several rock bands.

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Mason Reese - Then

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Mason's huge talents and unique looks made him an instant child star in the seventies. He acted in more than seventy television commercials alone.

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He was always on shows like "Howard Cosell" and "Mike Douglas" or just about any other talk show at the time. He was a major pop star back in the day.

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Mason Reese - Now

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In 1990, Reese starred as himself in the short film Whatever Happened to Mason Reese.

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After retiring from acting, Reese later spent some time as a restauranteur, opening multiple restaurants in New York City.

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Helen Hunt - Then

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Acting since the age of eight, Helen has been in the spotlight all of her life, it seems. She enjoyed a fantastic television and film career through her teens in shows like Amy Prentiss (1974-75), Swiss Family Robinson (1975-76), and The Fitzpatricks (1977-78)," as well as films like Rollercoaster in 1977.

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The Swiss Family Robinson followed the survivors of the shipwreck stranded on a volcanic island. It ran for 21 episodes.

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Helen Hunt - Now

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Still going strong, Helen is always in television or movies. Some of her most popular modern films were her Oscar-winning performance in As Good As It Gets, and her own 2014 hit comedy Ride.

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She also starred in the television show Mad About You, and later appeared in a revival season.

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Janet Jackson - Then

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The youngest member of the Jackson family is Janet. Sometimes performing with her older brothers on variety shows, Janet was more interested in acting than a singing career. One of her biggest roles as a child was the character Penny on the show Good Times, where she portrayed a frightened and battered child who was a neighbor of the Evans family.

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Janet also appeared in hit shows Fame and Diff'rent Strokes and still managed to find time to start her singing career.

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Janet Jackson - Now

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Janet is one of the recording industry’s most celebrated musicians and has sold millions of records, been awarded multi-platinum albums, starred in hit movies, and sold out at performances.

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In 2022, a two-part documentary titled Janet Jackson premiered on Lifetime and A&E, and in 2023, a follow-up docu-series was announced, which will follow Jackson as she prepares for her Together Again Tour.

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Mindy Cohn - Then

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Mindy Cohn is best known for her portrayal of Natalie, the irrepressible student from the television series Facts of Life, which ran from 1979 to 1988. Always sincere but sarcastic, The Natalie character was an integral part of the show’s success.

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In a way it was to be her curse; becoming typecast as the “nice girl," it became difficult for Cohn to get more substantial roles to play on television.

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Mindy Cohn - Now

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While still working as an actor, Cohn earned a degree in cultural anthropology. She later help to found the weSPARK cancer support center. Although she makes guest appearances on television, her talents have steered her to do voiceover work.

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Cohn is known for voicing Velma in the Scooby-Doo animated series from 2002 to 2015, even earning an Emmy nomination for her work. Cohn has also become a major advocate for the LGBTQ community.

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Erin Murphy - Then

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Erin Margaret Murphy is best known as the American actress who starred in the massively popular Bewitched TV series which ran from 1964 to 1972. During the first season, she shared the spotlight of young Tabitha Stephens with her fraternal twin sister, Diane.

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As the children grew older and looked less alike, Erin took on the role by herself. She was one of the most famous young actresses in the world thanks to her role.

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Erin Murphy - Now

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Murphy bounced around to various auditions after Bewitched ended, and she turned down various commercials and modeling gigs. Her family eventually moved to Orange County, where she entered the sixth grade with a chance of being a “normal kid.”

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Her love of acting led her to teach the craft. She also worked as a casting director, makeup artist, and stylist. She even worked as a stunt double for Virginia Madsen. She returned to Los Angeles and has appeared in many reality TV shows. Murphy is also a co-owner of the company Slim Chillers, which makes frozen vodka martini pops.

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Kim Richards - Then

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Kim was one of the most popular child actors around, starring in numerous television and films throughout the seventies. From shows like Nanny and the Professor and James at Sixteen to headlining films like Escape to Witch Mountain and its sequel Return from Witch Mountain, Kim seemed to be everywhere in the public eye.

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Throughout the decade, Richards found herself constantly working, appearing in everything from comedies, to dramas, to horror films.

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Kim Richards - Now

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Kim came back into the public eye in 2010 when she joined the cast of the hit reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills along with her sister, Kyle. Shortly after starting the show, however, rumors of problems began to spread, due in part to her erratic behavior on camera.

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She was let go from the series but returned as an occasional guest star in later seasons.

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Kyle Richards - Then

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Kyle Richards, Kim's older sister, was another '70s child actress that many of us recognize!

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She was best known for her recurring role as Alicia on the beloved show Little House on the Prairie. She also had appearances in some horror movies such as The Car, Eaten Alive, and Halloween.

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Kyle Richards - Now

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Like her little sister Kim, Kyle was a cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

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Kim also appeared in The New Celebrity Apprentice. Her memoir, Life Is Not a Reality Show: Keeping It Real with the Housewife Who Does It All, was released in 2011. She is also a mother of four children.

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Johnny Whitaker - Then

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John played in numerous television series, from Family Affair to General Hospital. John was the first to give Jodie Foster an on-screen kiss in the film Tom Sawyer. He was a staple on Saturday morning television on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.

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Johnny retired from acting for a long period of time.

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Johnny Whitaker - Now

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After his time as a child actor, Johnny Whitaker continued acting sporadically but has never found the same success he knew as a child.

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In 2016, Whitaker made a cameo appearance in Amazon's reboot of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.

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Mike Lookinland - Then

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Mike played Bobby Brady on the show The Brady Bunch. Bobby was the youngest boy in the family and was characteristically energetic and nice. Lookinland also had a surprising range of emotion in portraying Bobby in some episodes of the show.

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For the part of Bobby Brady Lookinland had to have his hair dyed and straightened to more closely match the other male characters of the show. Sometimes this caused problems if the set lights were too hot; the dye would run down his face!

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Mike Lookinland - Now

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Mike played parts in several shows such as Little House on The Prairie, several Brady Bunch specials and movies like the Towering Inferno before leaving show business entirely.

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He's happily married, has two children, and he owns a decorative concrete business in Utah. His post-Hollywood life proves that everyone is in control of their own future.

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Robby Benson - Then

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Robby is best known for his film work, although he also was a television star, playing in shows such as soap opera Search for Tomorrow. His films included Jory, Jeremy and the hit Ode to Billy Joe.

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During the making of Ice Castles, one of his biggest films, he had to learn how to skate for the part. He screen-tested for the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars but lost to Mark Hammil.

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Robby Benson - Now

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These days, Benson is best known as the voice of the “Beast” from the Disney film Beauty and The Beast.

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He’s been married since 1982 and has served as a professor at several universities in New York, Utah, South Carolina, and now Indiana.

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Ron Howard - Then

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Ron has been acting since he was a child in the sixties, with a prominent role in The Andy Griffith Show. Later came Happy Days, his most successful acting role. Playing the lead character Richie Cunningham, Howard was the centered, mild-mannered teenager growing up with his group of friends in Milwaukee.

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The show ran for years, only coming to an end after one character jumped over a shark on a jet ski.

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Ron Howard - Now

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Saying Ron Howard is a successful actor, producer, or director is like saying that the sun is yellow. Howard has become one of the most successful people on the planet today involved with television and film in the history of Hollywood.

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He’s acted in, directed, and produced numerous films over the years. Ron is the epitome of what a guy given the right chances can do.

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Ron Palillo - Then

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Anyone who’s ever watched even one episode of Welcome Back Kotter should know who Arnold Horshack is. Horshack was, of course, the class clown of a group of high school kids known as the Sweathogs.

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That character was expertly played by none other than Ron Palillo, who even perfected his character’s ability to laugh like a hyena. It's hard to forget a character trait like that, but would the role pigeonhole him forever?

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Ron Palillo - Now

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Ron was in demand all of his adult life as well, playing a large variety of characters in different television shows and films such as Laverne and Shirley in The Army, Friday The Thirteenth, and others.

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He also directed several Broadway plays and musicals, was a fashion designer and even found time to write a few children’s books. Sadly, Ron passed away in 2012.

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Susan Dey - Then

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Susan Dey played Laurie Partridge on the hit show The Partridge Family. She was joined by acclaimed star Shirley Jones and mega-talented David Cassidy, along with several other actors making up the show’s cast.

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Dey was a fashion model before joining the cast. The seventeen-year-old had absolutely no acting experience before joining the show.

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Susan Dey - Now

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Susan went on to play in several films like Skyjacked, Little Women and Disappearance, and television shows like the hugely popular L.A. Law.

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Susan has refused to participate in Partridge Family reunions.

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Barry Williams - Then

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Barry Williams was just 14 years old when he landed the role as the eldest child, Greg Brady, on the hit series The Brady Bunch. He quickly transformed into a teen heartthrob with millions of female fans all over the United States.

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Along with his acting chops, he also recorded four albums with his famous TV siblings which only helped increase his popularity among the female persuasion.

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Barry Williams - Now

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In 1989, Williams took home the Young Artist Foundation Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award. He followed up that honor in 1992 by releasing his autobiography, Growing Up Brady … I Was A Teenage Greg, which remained on the best-seller list for three months. His book was turned into a made-for-TV movie on NBC and he served as an executive producer for that film in 2001.

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In recent years he has held guest roles on a number of Brady Bunch specials, That 70’s Show, and Three’s Company, among others. He has also spent many years in musical theater.

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Maureen McCormick - Then

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Now that we’ve included one of the guys from The Brady Bunch, we couldn’t move on without at least one of the show’s leading ladies. Maureen McCormick is best known for playing Marcia Brady from 1969 to 1974.

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She was the oldest of the Brady girls. She was the pretty, smart, and confident girl who was incredibly popular at school and inside her own home. She was also very interested in politics and always worried about her own appearance. Maureen was only 12-years-old when she took on the iconic role.

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Maureen McCormick - Now

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Maureen McCormick married Michael Cummings in 1985, and their daughter Natalie was born in 1989.

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She also appeared as a popular contestant on and won VH1's Celebrity Fit Club in 2007. In 2016 she appeared on Dancing with the Stars on ABC. She was eliminated in the competition's seventh week, finishing in eighth place.

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Danny Bonaduce - Then

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Danny Bonaduce rose to fame as a child actor in the 1970s thanks to his role as Danny Partridge on the popular series The Partridge Family. He was well-known for his bright red hair and his wisecracking ways as the middle child of the family band.

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Danny was the fictional pop group's bass guitar player. He co-starred on the show alongside David Cassidy. The men have remained close friends ever since the show first aired.

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Danny Bonaduce - Now

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Bonaduce decided to wear a lot of hats after his popular TV show ended. He’s a radio/television personality, comedian, and a professional wrestler. After the show drew to a close he starred in several TV series, including the VH1 reality show Breaking Bonaduce which aired in 2005.

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He has also hosted radio shows in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. He was also a regular host in the mornings on a talk and music show for Seattle radio station KZOK-FM for several years.

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Tatum O’Neal - Then

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Here’s an incredibly impressive stat — Tatum O’Neal won an Academy Award in 1974 — at the age of 10. She took home the golden statue for her turn as Addie Loggins in Paper Moon. She also appeared in The Bad News Bears in 1976 and then Nickelodeon in 1976.

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Being raved about at such a young age is still a rare thing to witness in Hollywood. But how would it affect her as she got older?

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Tatum O’Neal - Now

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After her run of successful films in the 1970s, Tatum O'Neal would appear in only five films over the next 15 years.

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She returned to acting in the 2000s when she made guest appearances on 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and Sex and the City. In 2005, she began a recurring role on the hit series . She has continued to act, focusing most of her work on TV shows.

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Linda Blair - Then

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Linda Blair is best known for spinning her head around in circles and then vomiting pea soup. She was born in 1959 and just 14 years later she accepted her role as a possessed child in The Exorcist. She revised her role for The Exorcist II: The Heretic which debuted in 1977.

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For her first role. she was nominated for an Academy Award and she took home a Golden Globe. She started acting as a child model when she was just 6-years-old. From 1968 to 1969 she held a short-lived role on the daytime soap opera, Hidden Fences.

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Linda Blair - Now

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Blair appeared in a number of low-budget horror and exploitation films through the 1980s. In 1990, she appeared in the comedy Repossessed which made fun of her horror movie roots.

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She has since appeared on the stage (Grease) and on the BBC TV show L.A. 7. From 2000 to 2006 she hosted Fox Family’s Scariest Places on Earth. She also had a guest role on Supernatural. In 2023, Blair reprised her role of Regan MacNeil for a cameo role in The Exorcist: Believer.

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Melissa Gilbert - Then

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Melissa Ellen Gilbert started her career as a child actress in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She appeared in a handful of commercials and then played in guest-starring TV roles. Her big break came from 1974 to 1984 when she played Laura Ingalls Wilder on the hit NBC series Little House on the Prairie.

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While starring on the TV show she also appeared in some TV movies, including The Miracle Worker and The Diary of Anne Frank.

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Melissa Gilbert - Now

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Gilbert has continued to act into her adult years, mostly appearing on TV programs. You may recognize her voice from the animated cartoon Batman: The Animated Series. She also served as the President of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005. She also played Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in the touring production of Little House on the Prairie, the Musical.

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Her fans were thrilled to see her appear in 2012 as a contestant on the hit reality TV show, Dancing with the Stars on NBC. She ran for US Congress as a Democrat in 2016 but was forced to drop out of the race in Michigan due to some health-related issues.

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Jodie Foster - Then

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Jodie Foster was born in 1962 and by 1965 she was already starting her acting career. Two years later the child model made her way to the TV series Mayberry R.F.D. By the late 1960s, the young girl was a regular fixture of primetime TV while starring in various children’s films.

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Her breakout roles started in her teens when she appeared in Taxi Driver, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, Disney’s Freaky Friday, and Candleshoe.

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Jodie Foster - Now

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While she continued to enjoy much success in Hollywood, Foster decided to attend Yale, at which time she appeared in the highly controversial film The Accused for which she won an Academy Award and Golden Globe. She took home a second Oscar three years later for her role as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs.

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After more than 50 years in Hollywood, she continues to take leading roles and turn heads in Hollywood.

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Valerie Bertinelli - Then

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Valerie Bertinelli was born in 1960 and by 1975 she was already appearing in a new sitcom called One Day at a Time. She would appear on 208 of the shows 209 episodes before it ended in 1984. She reunited with the show’s cast in 2005 for the One Day at a Time Reunion Special.

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She took home a Golden Globe in 1981 — not bad for a 21-year-old TV star. Her career hasn’t shown any signs of slowing in recent years either.

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Valerie Bertinelli - Now

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Following her early success, Bertinelli continued to act, starring in two 1990s sitcoms Sydney and Café Americain. In 2001, she joined Touched by an Angel — the show lasted only two seasons. She eventually became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig — appearing in various commercials for the diet company.

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In 2010, she joined Betty White, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves on the hit TV Land series Hot in Cleveland. Since Hot in Cleveland ended in 2015, Valerie has hosted multiple shows on the Food Network.

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Mackenzie Phillips - Then

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Phillips was just 12-years-old when she worked on the massive hit American Graffiti. She continued to gain stardom in the 1970s thanks to her role as Julie Cooper on the hit TV series One Day at a Time. At the time of her success, she was earning $50,000 a week.

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She was forced to take a six-week break and was then fired in 1980. In 1981 the producers at One Day at a Time invited her to return to the show. She was soon fired for good.

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Mackenzie Phillips - Now

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In 1999, Mackenzie Phillips co-starred with Cara DeLizia in the Disney Channel series So Weird, playing a fictional rock star named Molly Phillips.

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She also guest-starred on episodes of ER, Without a Trace, 7th Heaven, and Cold Case. Phillips also became a rehab counselor at the Breathe Life Healing Center in West Hollywood, California.

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Kristy McNichol - Then

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McNichol started her young career in commercials and followed up those spots with guest appearances on such other series as Starsky & Hutch, The Bionic Woman, Love American Style, and The Love Boat. Her first regular series job was as Patricia Apple in the short-lived scripted series Apple’s Way.

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In 1976, she appeared in the drama series Family where she earned two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series. She soon made her foray into music, recording the album Kristy & Jimmy McNichol for RCA Records. Her biggest hit was “He’s So Fine” which peaked at #70.

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Kristy McNichol - Now

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Heading out of the 1970s she continued to make a name for herself with a role in the movie Little Darlings which co-starred Tatum O’Neal, Matt Dillon, and Cynthia Dixon. She also appeared alongside Mark Hamill and Dennis Quaid in The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. One year later she would appear in Neil Simon's Only When I Laugh, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

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She eventually joined the cast of Empty Nest but left after several seasons, only to return for the show’s final episode in 1995. She stopped appearing on screen after that role but continued to voice characters in the animated TV series Extreme Ghostbusters and Invasion America.

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Adam Rich - Then

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Adam Rich is best known for his role as Nicholas Bradford, the youngest son on the television series Eight Is Enough. The show ran for five seasons from 1977–1981. He was immediately recognizable for his bowl haircut which inspired thousands of parents to do the same for their children.

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His role was so iconic at the time that he became known as “America’s little brother.” Sadly, heading into the 1980s he hit a rough spot in his life and disappeared from the spotlight for good.

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Adam Rich - Now

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Adam Rich found a whole lot of fame as a child actor. Sadly, once the turn of the century hit, his time in Hollywood came to a steady halt.

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The last project on his resume was the 2003 film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, where he plays himself. Rich sadly passed away in 2023.

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Tanya Tucker - Then

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This country crooner flew to the top of the country charts at just 13-years-old thanks to her hit "Delta Dawn." She was first discovered by Mel Tillis, who invited her on stage to perform because of her amazing vocal skills.

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Her family moved to Las Vegas in 1969 and she was soon performing regularly in the city. She eventually gained the attention of songwriter Dolores Fuller. The teenage vocalist soon signed to Colombia Records.

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Tanya Tucker - Now

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In the decades following her first hit, Tanya Tucker became one of most popular and successful country singers of all time, collecting an impressive streak of Top 10 and Top 40 hits. She released several very popular albums and was nominated for numerous Country Music Association awards. Her hit songs included 1973's "What's Your Mama's Name?" and "Blood Red and Goin' Down."

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In 1975 her song "Lizzie and the Rainman," brought her another hit. That song was followed up by 1988's "Strong Enough to Bend.” She was one of the few artists to take her childhood fans along for the ride into adulthood. She is often listed among the top influences for many female country singers.

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Danielle Spencer - Then

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The part of Dee Thomas from television’s What’s Happening was played by actress Danielle Spencer. She was cast as the “more than annoying little sister,” a part she played with aplomb.

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Dee Dee had a favorite saying: "Ooooohh, I'm tellin' Mama!”. The show ran from August 1976 to April 1979.

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Danielle Spencer - Now

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All grown up, Spencer is a doctor of veterinary medicine in California. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, but successfully beat it.

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Spencer is the only child actor who has been inducted into the Smithsonian Museum as part of a permanent exhibition on African American Culture.

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Lance Kerwin - Then

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Do James at Fifteen (and Sixteen), The Family Holvak, and Salem’s Lot sound familiar to anyone? They should, because Lance Kerwin played in all of them, plus at least 20 more roles in film or television just in the seventies.

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A highly popular child star, his first television show of that decade was Emergency and his last was Salem’s Lot in 1979.

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Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
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Lance continued his acting career through 1995 when he retired.

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Lance was a father of five, and lived in Hawaii with his wife, Yvonne Kerwin, until his death in 2023.

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Leif Garrett - Then

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Robin Platzer/Images /Getty Images
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Much like David Cassidy, Leif was a child actor, singer, and television personality. Starting the seventies with the film Walking Tall and ending the decade with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, he appeared in at least ten films and television shows.

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Leif impressed everyone he worked with.

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Leif Garrett - Now

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J.Sciulli/WireImage for Bragman Nyman Cafarelli
J.Sciulli/WireImage for Bragman Nyman Cafarelli
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Leif Garrett has continued making music throughout the years, including a collaboration with punk rock artist and songwriter Craig Else. Together, they released a cover of Neil Young's song "Old Man."

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In 2019, Garrett released an autobiography, Idol Truth, where he discusses his music career.

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Mark Lester - Then

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Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
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English child star Lester, best known by US fans through the character Oliver Twist, made his film debut at the age of six. At eight he took on the role of Oliver in the musical adaptation of the film.

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Fact: Because he simply couldn’t sing, all of Lester’s singing was dubbed in Oliver Twist by the daughter of the musical director.

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Mark Lester - Now

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Bobby Bank/Getty Images
Bobby Bank/Getty Images
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Lester retired from acting at the age of nineteen and later went to school to become an osteopath, specializing in sports injuries.

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It was quite the career change for someone who found a lot of fame as a child actor.

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Haywood Nelson - Then

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ABC
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Nelson is best known for his role as Dwayne Nelson on the series What’s Happening!! which aired from 1976-1979. He also starred in the spin-off series What’s Happening Now!! from 1985-1988. He was a child star when she appeared in several national commercials and then in the movie Mixed Company.

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Starting in 1974 he appeared on Broadway in Thieves alongside Mario Thomas. When he was just 14-years-old he guest starred on Sanford and Son as Grady's grandson before starring in the spin-off of Sanford and Son called Grady.

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Haywood Nelson - Now

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Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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While Nelson never landed another nationally syndicated TV show, he continued to work in TV after his teen idol days ended.

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He guest-starred on an episode of Kojak before deciding to work behind the scenes.

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Chris Knight - Then

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ABC
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Oh, how Christopher Knight has changed over the years. Knight was born in 1957 over in Manhattan, New York. His father was an actor so it was in the stars for him if you want to look at it like that. When Knight was three his father began auditioning him and one of his brothers so they could save for a college tuition.

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The biggest role Knight's life came in 1969 and lasted until 1974 when he was cast as Peter Brady in The Brady Bunch. The show was not that popular while it was on air but once it ended it earned instant syndication and has been a staple on TV for over 30 years.

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Chris Knight - Now

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Paul Warner/Getty Images
Paul Warner/Getty Images
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Chris Knight was one of those stars who did not appreciate or rather, care for the spotlight all that much. He also had a love for machines and sciences which led him to a career in the computer industry. In his first 18 months, Knight logged the company's first million-dollar sales order.

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In 2003, he started to get more involved with a web-based talent exchange called Casting Networks Inc. It revolutionized the casting process by handling clients in a more efficient way with the Internet.

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Lisa Whelchel - Then

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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The adorable Lisa Whelchel was born in 1963 out in Littlefield, Texas. It was at the age of eight when she found acting. She started with musical theater for several years. At 12 years old, she wrote to the Disney and asked for an audition to be on The New Mickey Mouse Club. The following year, she moved to sunny California to appear on the show for from 1977-1978.

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A year after that, she had the lead student role on The Facts of Life. That particular show didn't last too long but it helped Whelchel's resume plenty.

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Lisa Whelchel - Now

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Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
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Lisa Whelchel still keeps active in the entertainment industry. Back in 2012, she was even on the popular show Survivor: Phillippines. While on the show, she chose to keep her past life a secret because many of the other contestants were too young to have known her from The Facts of Life.

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She appeared in 14 episodes and earned the title of Sprint Player of the Season which anointed her $100k.

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Quinn Cummings - Then

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Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers
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You now would have to consider Quinn Cummings as a retired child actress. She is remembered for her performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination in Goodbye Girl and also her role in the TV show Family. Cummings was born in 1967 in Los Angeles. She got her start only eight years later and did an amazing job.

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Not many under the age of ten get nominated for an Academy Award. Maybe that has something to do with why she retired so young. She could have been aware at a young age that she would have to keep up the good work for as long as she acted.

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Quinn Cummings - Now

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2009 Disney-ABC Televison Group Summer Press Tour
Steve Granitz/WireImage
Steve Granitz/WireImage
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Done with acting, Quinn Cummings invested her time in other ventures. For instance, when she had her first child she was inspired and created the HipHugger. It is essentially a sling-type device with some added style for carrying babies. She also started The QC Report, a blog that discussed the ironies of modern life from the perspective of a mom in her thirties and also in her career.

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Her first book came out in July 2009 and was titled Notes From the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life. In 2019, she launched her own podcast called Quinn Cummings Gives Bad Advice.