Do you ever wonder what happened to those stars of yesterday? One day they were there and the next it was like they had dropped off the face of the earth! After investigating some of my old favourites, some really did want to live a life of obscurity after their famous shows/movies wrapped up, whilst others kept acting well into adulthood and beyond.
Jerry Mathers – Leave It To Beaver
One of the most famous child stars of his time, Jerry Mathers played Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver in the 1957 show. He was 15 when the show finished and he set his sights on a college degree. Later in life he started a catering business, acted in commercials and was a spokeman for prescription medication programs and Jenny Craig. He says he still gets recognised today!
Keith Thibodeaux – I Love Lucy
“Little Ricky” off I Love Lucy is now 63 and runs a ballet company with his wife. He left acting to pursue a music career, releasing 10 albums, before marrying and settling down. He’ll always be remembering for his drumming, though!
I loved Bewitched and always adored little Tabitha, the daughter of Samantha and Darrin. She was magical like her mother and thankfully she had a steady career as a model and star in TV commercials. She has also worked as a makeup artist, a fashion stylist, an acting teacher, a motivational speaker and as a stunt double! She’s 49 now and is a reality TV show host in America.
Danny Bonaduce – The Partridge Family
We all remember the Partridge Family, especially Danny the red-head! He’s become infamous since for a lacklustre career after the show but is 54 and is now a radio host, wrestler and reality TV star.
Peter Ostrum – Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory
One of my all-time favourite movies is Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory and I remember taking my 4 year-old with me to the cinema to see it when it came out. We saw it many years later as cinemas would replay it. I always wondered what happened to Charlie Bucket, as I never heard of the actor again. There’s a reason for that – he left acting to go to university and is a large animal vet!
Pamela Sue Martin – Nancy Drew TV show
Nancy Drew books were part of my childhood so when the TV show was on in the 70s, I had to watch. Pamela Sue Martin was the girl detective Nancy and was in Dynasty a couple of years later but disappeared not long after. Pamela is now a spiritual counsellor and hasn’t acted for many years.
Rod Taylor
He was the handsome Australian who went to Hollywood and starred in so many movies I’ve lost count! I remember him most for “The Birds” by Alfred Hitchcock but he was also in Time Machine. After along film career, he retired in the 90s, only to come back as Winston Churchill in 2009’s Inglourious Basterds. He’s been married 3 times, is now 84 and lives in New York.
What were your favourite TV shows and actors? Who do you remember that you wonder about now? Let us know in the comments!
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