Child Stars: Their Story

Growing up, many of us (at least in our fantasies) would have loved to trade places for a day with those child stars we saw and admired in movies and television. Sadly, for every success story such as Ron Howard's or Jodie Foster's, there are dozens of cautionary tales littered with booze and pills, despair and defeat. Narrated by Hayley Mills, Child Stars: Their Story examines what happens when the studio lights are turned off, the kids are grown, and all the money is gone, employing case studies, interviews, and a panel discussion featuring former kid stars from silent days to recent sitcoms. Co-produced by Leave it to Beaver star Tony Dow and Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert, the program features Patty Duke, Margaret O'Brien, and Danny Bonaduce, among others, tackling the subject from all angles, including a child star's difficult relations with fellow actors, parents, siblings, and kids outside the industry. Other pitfalls include coercive or abusive treatment of children on the set, spotty education slipped in between "takes," and lax laws and shoddy bookkeeping allowing uncaring parents to abscond with their children's money. Thankfully, new laws and child star support groups have helped correct the worst outrages, and panel members agree that the key to lifelong success for a child star comes from being surrounded by a grounded, supportive family. Packed with revealing film clips, home movie excerpts, insights, humor, and "where are they now" information, this video would be a welcome addition to most public library collections. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Rees)