Whatever Happened to Our Favorite Child Stars of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s?

Pop culture in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s was heavily influenced by several TV shows and films. Do you ever wonder what happened to the kids from The Brady Bunch or The Partridge Family?

Quinn Cummings was launched into stardom at the mere age of 10 with the titular role of precocious Lucy. Bored of the fame, she quit acting in the early ‘90s. In 2005, she started a blog titled “The QC Report” and has come out with three memoirs since. Motherhood inspired her to create the HipHugger baby-carrying sling.

Lauren Chapin’s character in the 1954 sitcom Father Knows Best, Kathy Anderson, may have had a stable family life, but it wasn’t the case for the young actress. According to her biography, she had an extremely difficult childhood. After the show was canceled, Lauren couldn’t find any more jobs. She had worked as a dog groomer and a stewardess to bear her expenses by the early ‘80s. These days, she runs a live version of the only show she did, which conducts paid performance on various events.

Hayley was just 13 when she bagged the role of the eponymous character in Pollyanna, a live-action Disney drama adapted from a book of the same name. Thanks to her character’s upbeat attitude, she soon became a child icon and appeared in many more movies. The leading lady has appeared in many roles, both big and small since then, ranging from movies to theater. She might not be a big deal now, but she was a household name back in the day.

When movies are as groundbreaking as The Sound of Music, it presents many promising stars, and Kym Karath is one of them. She played the role of Gretl von Trapp; and even though she wouldn’t have known it, things panned out well for her. Kym exited the industry in 1981, preferring education to the media. In her early twenties, she moved to Paris where she studied Art History and did modeling. She’s now married and acts on the side. However, she has no film or TV credits post 1981.

Many people remember Johnny Crawford for his role as Lucas McCain’s son on the Western fan-favorite The Rifleman, but he’s also on the original lineup of Mouseketeers in 1955. For his incredible performance in The Rifleman, he was nominated for an Emmy. After the show’s end in 1963, Johnny continued starring in guest roles on television. He shifted out his acting career for a dancing one in the early ‘90s. As of today, he’s the proud leader of a California-based vintage-themed band named Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra.

This Sioux City resident wasn’t overjoyed about starting his acting career at the age of two – so much so that when he auditioned for the part of Beaver Cleaver, Jerry told the producers he didn’t want to be there. He enlisted to be a part of the U.S. Air Force as a teen before making a career out of commercial loan handling. He retired from the industry in 1978 but did make guest appearances on occasions. The actor even promoted Leave It to Beaver a few years back.

In the mid-’70s, Kristy McNichol started her journey in the TV industry. Her biggest role has to be on Family, where she portrayed Letitia “Buddy” Lawrence. She received four Emmy nominations, and subsequently won two of them in 1977 and 1979. She had a steady career in the ‘80s but faced some difficulties in the ‘90s due to rumors of substance usage. Kristy also had mental health issues in 1992 and left the sets of Empty Nest. She currently teaches acting at a private school.

Before the menacing cartoon character became well-known to today’s generation, Dennis the Menace was a live-action trouble-maker in the ‘60s children’s show of the same name. He had been active in the industry prior to scoring the leading role in the CBS sitcom. Like many other child actors, Jay found the industry a bit overbearing and retired after doing a few more roles post the show’s curtain drop. At the age of 68, he works at Florida’s juvenile justice system as a correctional officer.

In recent times, shows with animal stars aren’t that common, but turn the clock back and you’ll know they were all the rage. NBC’s Flipper, the story of a bottlenose dolphin, instantly became popular. He had already worked on other shows but hit golden with his role as Bud Ricks on the show. Tommy left the industry and started a family soon after Flipper ended. Rumor has it that he currently owns an executive recruiting company in NYC.

One of the most prominent child stars in the world, Ron Howard has had a successful career through and through. His first major role was as Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith’s Show, and his profile got better with the addition of starring in Happy Days. He’s now known for being an amazing director. With films like A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, and many more to call his own, he’s an icon in the Hollywood community.

What’s a family show if there aren’t two siblings butting heads? Tony Dow’s Wally Cleaver acted as the quintessential elder brother alongside Jerry Mathers in Leave it to Beaver. Tony was offered roles in other shows like Never Too Young and Mr. Novak. After a brief stop at the National Guard, he resumed acting in the early ‘70s but soon inclined towards filmmaking, construction, and journalism. At 72 years old, Tony promotes Leave it to Beaver on MeTV similar to Mathers.

There are few movie adaptations that transitioned so fluidly from the books onto the screen, and To Kill a Mockingbird was definitely one of them. The 10-year-old Mary Badham played Jean Louise Finch alongside Gregory Peck. Her impressive performance got her an Oscar nomination too. Even with the stardom running her way, she turned her back on it and chose to focus on different goals. The latest reports state that she was a college testing coordinator and an art restorer. Currently, Mary is happily married with two children.

From the age of 13, Danielle Spencer played the role of Dee Thomas on ABC’s sitcom What’s Happening!!. She continued the part until the show was canceled in 1979. After that, she studied to be a vet to fulfill the wishes of her late stepfather who had tragically passed away in a car crash. Although she occasionally puts on her acting hat, Danielle has retired from the silver screen for the most part. She runs her veterinary practice in California and has successfully defeated breast cancer.

For his performance as the eldest son of the Evan family, J.J. Evans in the CBS sitcom Good Times, Jimmie Walker received not one, but two Golden Globes. He coined the iconic catchphrase that’s still remembered: “Dy-n-omite!” He later explored the world of radio, hosting shows on WOAI, KKAP, WHIO, and WLS. As an homage to his catchphrase and the show that made him a star, the Brooklyn-born actor released an autobiography in 2012 talking about his time there. To this day, he continues with his stand-up comedy regime.

A staple of ‘70s television, The Partridge Family included teen sensation David Cassidy, but Danny Bonaduce got much appreciation for his hilarious character Danny Partridge. Throughout his career, Danny experimented with almost all aspects of the entertainment industry. He released his own album, had a VH1 reality show, became a professional wrestler, and a well-known radio personality. On top of that, he’s an ordained minister. In 2017, he popped up on the ABC comeback of Battle of the Network Stars.

Another The Brady Bunch famed child star, Eve Plumb created waves with her role as Jan Brady, the middle sister. The then 11-year-old made the line “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” iconic. In 1976, she starred in a much more mature role in the NBC TV movie Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, she took up many guest roles in TV shows and even appeared in the spin-offs of the Brady Bunch series. The actor excelled in painting too.

On the revolutionary 1968 sitcom Julia, little 5-year-old Marc Copage played Corey, Diahann Carroll’s character’s son. The actress spoke about her TV son fondly, stating that he was just so lovable. Marc returned to school and took up jazz improvisation in 2014. Work was scarce, so he eventually had to take up something less hectic. Currently, he’s a singer and dancer based in L.A. and his Facebook page states “social dance instructor.”

Sure, the rough collie Lassie was the undisputed star of the eponymous TV show that ran for almost two decades, but people also loved Timmy Martin, a character played by Jon Provost. He grew tired of Hollywood soon and looked into a career in real estate. He can still be seen in guest spots from time to time, but for the most part, he stays away from the public eye. He released an autobiography titled Timmy’s in the Well: The Jon Provost Story in 2007.

This blue-eyed cutie landed the role of Tabitha Stephens on the hit ‘60s sitcom Bewitched. She starred in over 100 television commercials throughout the runtime of the show but retired from acting when it ended in 1972. After she graduated from San Diego State University, she worked as an acting teacher, a casting director, a fashion stylist, a makeup artist, and a stunt double. She reappeared on the silver screen in 2010, taking on roles like a television correspondent and infomercial host for FOX Reality Channel and E!

Angela Cartwright had all eyes on her for her role in the 1965’s beloved musical The Sound of Music, playing Brigitta – one of the von Trapp children. Alongside that big role, she would star as Penny in Lost in Space. After her marriage in 1976, Angela took the opportunity to get behind the camera and managed to establish a renowned photography business in L.A. Currently, she can be seen playing Dr. Smith’s mom in Netflix’s adaptation of Lost in Space.

At only 11 months of age, Brooke Shields modeled for Ivory Soap – her first ad. When she was 12, she acted as a protagonist in the 1978 film Pretty Baby, portraying a controversial role of child courtesan Violet. At the age of 14, she became the youngest person to appear on the cover of Vogue. Her roles helped her get more noticed until she hit the nail on the head with her sitcom Suddenly Susan. Her career afterward contains some cameos here and there.

Keith Thibodeaux’s Little Ricky might just have been the heart and soul of the ‘50s sitcom I Love Lucy, acting like a cute glue holding the audience in place. He started playing the role when he was just five. After that, he moved on to the more musical aspects. Keith battled with addiction in the early ‘70s but got clean and sober after rediscovering Christianity. He now acts as the Executive Director of Ballet Magnificat – an international dance company founded by his wife Kathy in 1986.

Peter Ostrum had an unfortunately short but pleasant acting career as it launched off with the role of Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. After the film, he was offered a tri-film contract, which he denied before fading into the background. Although he did consider returning to Hollywood, in the end, he decided to get a degree in veterinary medicine. He now lives with his happy family in a rural state of New York and is in practice at the Countryside Veterinary Clinic.

In addition to the The Munsters, The Addams Family was getting popular for its eerie concept in the ‘60s. While the newer audience might know Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams, the part was played by Lisa Loring first. Lisa married for the first time in 1973 and welcomed her first child at the tender age of 16. She worked as a make-up artist and did smaller roles in soap operas. Since 2014, she continues to live a life away from the cameras.

Cindy Brady – the endearing pig-tailed daughter on The Brady Bunch was played by Susan Olsen after she made a few small television appearances. The 7-year-old rose to fame with her performance, and her natural lisp became a signature trait of Cindy. She acted in several Brady Bunch spin-offs, but her career sadly ended there. She tried her luck at graphic designing later on. In 2016, she was removed from the host’s position at LA Talk Radio for sending inappropriate messages to a guest on Facebook.

Delaware’s Valerie Bertinelli got her big break on the hit sitcom One Day at a Time in 1975 with the character Barbara Cooper Royer. She and fellow child actor Mackenzie Phillips rose to fame with their roles. She went on to act in a few other series after 1984, like Touched by an Angel and Hot in Cleveland. She wrote two books discussing her struggles with weight and diets. Since 2015, she’s been hosting the cooking show Valerie’s Home Cooking on Food Network.

Out of all the incredible characters residing in quaint Walnut Grove on Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls must undoubtedly be the most popular. Melissa acted in 190 episodes of the show’s total 204. After the show went off-air, she remained active in Hollywood. She made an appearance in 2012’s Dancing with the Stars. Melissa turned to politics in 2016 and ran for the U.S Congress. She won but had to pull out due to the resurfacing of an old injury.

Marcia Brady – the obsessively clean eldest daughter on The Brady Bunch of the ‘70s was played by Maureen McCormick. She continued to act after the show ended and went on to release a solo music record in 1995. She appeared as a contestant on the Aussie version of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2015, and on season 23 of Dancing with The Stars. She also featured in A Very Brady Renovation in 2019 alongside the other cast members.

Before playing the life-changing role of Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch at 15, Barry Williams guest starred in Here Come the Brides, The Mod Squad, and Bartleby, the Scrivener. The character made him one of the teen heartthrobs of the ‘70s. Post cancellation of the show, he focused on theater. His 1990 book Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg became a New York Times bestselling novel. These days, he acts as spokesperson for the MeTV television network.

Linda began her career as a commercial actress and model, but she shook the entire world with her portrayal of possessed child Regan MacNeil in one of the most terrifying movies ever made, The Exorcist. Her performance brought her fame, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. During the late ‘70s, Linda ran into some trouble with law enforcement due to charges regarding substance abuse. She failed to resurrect her career afterward. The former actress runs her own animal-rights organization, The Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation.

Acting as the adorable son of Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman in the blockbuster hit Kramer vs. Kramer, Justin managed to take the spotlight with his performance as Billy Kramer. He became the youngest person in history to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Justin continued his film career through the ‘80s before beginning a decade-long hiatus to concentrate on his studies. He founded the Slamdunk Film Festival that operated from 1998 to 2003. He’s now working as a sales director at eyeReturn Marketing, L.A.

Jackie initiated his acting career with TV commercials at the age of six. He guest-starred in many popular ‘70s series before getting the breakout role as Kelly Leak, a baseball bad boy in the Bad News Bears franchise. After a long hiatus that started in 1993, he returned to the big screen and climbed his way up to an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Little Children. He now lives with his third wife and his two children in San Antonio, Texas.

If you want to forget sleep for a couple of days, what better way than to watch the 1976 spine chilling flick The Omen? The 4-year-old child actor Harvey Stephens made sure no one would dare name their child Damian with his performance as The Antichrist. The best definition of a one-hit-wonder, Harvey flopped at the box office later on. He did get some small roles but disappeared from the industry soon. He now resides in England with his family where he works as a futures trader.

The sweet redhead played Tracy on the ‘70s sitcom The Partridge Family, making everyone smile with a shake of her tambourine. Although it was her second audition ever, she passed with flying colors and became a valuable addition to the cast. The end of the ‘70s marked the end of Suzanne’s career in Hollywood. She did manage to get a few under-the-radar roles but was last credited in a 1980 TV movie called Children of [Separation]. Unfortunately, she passed away at the age of 52 in 2015.

Although she tried for the roles of both Mary and Laura Ingalls, she ended up playing Nellie Oleson on the ‘70s historical drama series Little House on the Prairie. It later became difficult for her to grow out of her Nellie Oleson mold. She turned to stand-up comedy after the show ended and keeps herself busy with various charitable organizations. Her 2010 memoir titled Confessions of a Prairie B–: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated became a New York Times bestseller.

Pamela Sue Martin got her start in the entertainment industry as a model when she was just 17 years old. It wasn’t long, though, until she transitioned into acting as she appeared in 1972’s Poseidon Adventure. You might recognize Martin as the teenage detective Nancy Drew on the television series The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. She’s also known for originating the role of socialite Fallon Carrington Colby on the ABC nighttime soap opera Dynasty. Although it’s been some time since we’ve seen Martin in the spotlight, she was featured in the third Nancy Drew television series as Harriet Grosset.

We can’t possibly talk about the other members of The Brady Bunch without bringing up Bobby — played by former child star, Mike Lookinland! Now 59 years old, Lookinland played the youngest brother on the ABC sitcom from 1969 to 1974, as well as starring in its many sequels and spinoffs. After his time as a Brady had come to an end, Lookinland continued on in the entertainment industry as a cameraman. It wasn’t long before he quit this job, though, to run his own business in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he makes custom concrete countertops.

Shaun Cassidy is an American singer, actor, writer, and producer who you may recognize as one of the stars in The Hardy Boys Mysteries. He was also a leading character in Breaking Away, and had a stint on the daytime soap General Hospital. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Cassidy worked almost exclusively as a stage actor, performing on Broadway and in the West End of London. Since the mid-’90s Cassidy has been a writer and producer for television, creating and producing a number of series including American Gothic as well as Roar and Invasion.

Considering he was born and raised in sunny California, it comes as no surprise that Leif Garrett started his entertainment career at the young age of five. Garrett worked a variety of acting jobs including starring alongside his sister in the horror film Devil Times Five. Still, the star’s more notable performances include the breakthrough role of Jimmy Henderson in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. During the ’70s, however, Garrett gained prominence as a musician although he later returned to acting. Since then, Garrett has had a few run-ins with the law although he seems to be on a better track now.

Mackenzie Phillips was born into fame considering her father was the leading man of The Mamas & the Papas. Still, she found her way out of his shadow to become an actress in her own right. Not only did she appear in American Graffiti but she also portrayed the rebellious yet loving teen, Julie Mora Cooper Horvath, on the sitcom One Day at a Time. Since her days as a child star, Phillips’ personal life has been the subject of much controversy. Today, though, she seems to be doing better than ever and has even appeared as Pam Valentine in the revival of One Day at a Time.

Let’s be real — it makes no difference who or how old you are because everyone knows Jodie Foster. Now 57 years old, the critically-acclaimed actress began her professional career as a child model when she was only three years old! By the time she turned six, Foster had made her acting debut in the TV sitcom Mayberry R.F.D. After that, the acting gigs continued to roll in although Foster struggled at a point to transition into adult roles. From the looks of it, though, she found her way and has continued to star in as well as direct films!

Shaun Cassidy’s half-brother, David Cassidy, was an American actor, singer-songwriter, and guitarist. You probably recognize him as Keith Partridge, the son of Shirley Patridge — played by his real-life stepmother, Shirley Jones — in the 1970s musical-sitcom The Patridge Family. It turns out that this role is what really catapulted Cassidy to teen idol status as a superstar pop singer. Although Cassidy remained in the spotlight after the series came to an end, he sadly passed away from liver failure in 2017 at the age of 67.

Having begun a career in acting as a child, Willie Aames has made quite a name for himself over the years. An actor, film and television director, television producer, and screenwriter, Aames is perhaps best known for portraying Tommy Bradford on the ’70s TV series Eight Is Enough, Buddy Lembeck on the ’80s sitcom Charles in Charge, and the title character in the direct-to-video series, Bibleman. Now, at 60 years old, Aames has kept busy spending time with his family and appearing in Hallmark TV movies here and there such as Love on the Menu.

Kathy Coleman may no longer be in the spotlight but there was a period in which she was a household name. A former child actress, Coleman is known for playing Holly Marshall in the children’s television show Land of the Lost. Now 58 years old, Coleman hasn’t acted for several years although she contributed interviews and commentary tracks on all three seasons of the now-discontinued Land of the Lost DVDs. In April of 2015, Coleman published her autobiography, “Lost Girl: The Truth and Nothing But the Truth, So Help Me Kathleen.”

Ralph Carter is an American actor and singer who is prominently remembered for portraying Michael Evans, the youngest child of Florida and James Evans, Sr., on the CBS sitcom Good Times. What you may have not known, though, is that Carter appeared on Broadway — which is actually how he got his start at the young age of nine when he starred in The Me Nobody Knows. Today, Carter is officially retired from the spotlight and is currently working with an organization that honors Black Theater in NYC.

Most of you may recognize her as Kyle’s older and spacey sister on Bravo’s reality show, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Believe it or not, though, Kim Richards was much more than a TV personality at one point in her life. She actually began her career as a child actress and rose to prominence from her roles in Nanny and the Professor, Escape to Witch Mountain, and its sequel — Return From Witch Mountain. Now 55 years old, Kim spends her time with family and out of the spotlight after dealing with some personal struggles.

Born and raised in California, the late Erin Moran’s first acting gig came at the age of five when she was hired for a First Federal Bank television commercial. After a number of appearances on several TV shows, Moran landed her breakthrough role as Joanie Cunningham — Richie Cunningham’s feisty younger sister — on the hit sitcom Happy Days. After a spin-off show and filming the final season of Happy Days, Moran moved on to other acting projects. Still, the beloved actress had fallen on hard times before her passing in 2017.

Best known for his role as Eddie Corbett — a gig he landed at the young age of five — on the comedy-drama series The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. Although Brandon Cruz continued as a child actor for several years following the cancellation of the sitcom, he began turning his attention towards punk rock in the late ’70s. In fact, he has even sung for bands including Dr. Know, Dead Kennedys, and Flipper. Cruz has also been known to do behind-the-scenes work in television as an assistant editor on the animated series South Park, among other shows.

Parker Stevenson is an American actor best known for playing Frank Hardy in the 1970s television series The Hardy Boys, as well as Craig Pomeroy on Baywatch. Although some of you may be too young to recognize him, Stevenson is still very much in the spotlight. In fact, he currently stars in Greenhouse Academy on Netflix as Louis Osmond, Academy Director. Aside from acting, Stevenson has also done photography work since he was young. His work can be found on his photography website, ShadowWorks.

Look at those baby blue eyes and then try to tell us that Robby Benson was not the biggest teen idol of the late ’70s. Seriously — look at him! In any case, Benson rose to prominence after appearing in a number of sports films including One on One and Ice Castles. The real fame came, though, when Benson portrayed the voice of the Beast in the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast and its numerous sequels and spin-offs. Since then, Benson has tried his hand at directing television (including a few episodes of Friends!) and authored a memoir about his journey.

Many actors strive for years in their career hoping to bag a prestigious award, but Ricky Schroder did it at the tender age of nine with his work in The Champ, a 1979 film. He won a Golden Globe in 1980 for his role. He continued acting on TV series, like 24 and NYPD Blue. The actor got married in 1992 and welcomed four children. In 2016, he appeared on the TV movie Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.

Christopher’s Hollywood career started with a bang in 1969 when he was cast as Peter Brady, the middle son on The Brady Bunch. Alongside the other Brady brother, he became a teenage icon and remained on the show until it ended. Disinterested in the red carpet, he retired from acting in the 1980s and made a career out of business and tech. In 1991, self-proclaimed “nerd” Christopher co-founded Visual Software – a 3D graphics company. He returned to TV in the 2000s and saw a resurgence in fame.

Butch started his acting career at the age of seven and is perhaps most famous for his portrayal of child werewolf Eddie Munster on the ‘60s CBS smash hit The Munsters. This cult favorite was later made into a movie. His performance was superb, and he was surely a promising star. However, he retired from acting in 1975 to work for his dad. He dipped his toes in the world of music and even released a song afterward. He fought and successfully overcame prostate cancer.

The daughter of Joanna Moore and Ryan O’Neal, Tatum made headlines when she starred opposite her father in Paper Moon in 1973. She snagged an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress with this role at the age of 10 – that too, her first movie – subsequently becoming the highest-paid child actor in history. Tatum has a rather rocky relationship with her father. Growing up, she struggled with substance addiction. Although she isn’t as famous as she was in 1973, she can be seen on the screen every now and then.

Melissa landed the role of Mary Ingalls on the beloved and lauded series Little House on the Prairie in 1974 at the age of 11, and her career took a turn for the best. She was the only cast member to get an Emmy nomination. She did win an Emmy in 1979 for an ABC Afterschool Special. The actress continued working throughout the ‘80s but didn’t find much luck. She resides in Quebec with her husband nowadays and can be spotted in small TV roles occasionally.