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Child Stars’ Shocking Grown-Up Lives! Danny Bonaduce, Angela Cartwright, More Whose Hollywood Dreams Fizzled

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Jul 23, 2024 4:46 pm·

By Mike Hammer

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Whatever happened to those adorable child stars of old-time television?

Some managed to make the leap to adult acting careers, some turned their backs on Hollywood — and other crashed and burned.

Closer takes a look at how life turned out for the pint-sized thespians.

1 of 9

Danny Bonaduce

Freckle-faced Danny entertained America in the ’70s with his comedic antics on The Partridge Family — but his troubled adult life was no joke! The retired radio host, 64, eventually beat his drug demons — but needed surgery last year for hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid around the brain.

2 of 9

Danielle Spencer

Playing sassy sister Dee Thomas on What’s Happening!! launched Danielle into the spotlight in 1976 — but she happily traded Hollywood for a career as a veterinarian! Now 59, the determined doc has also overcome crippling spinal stenosis stemming from a childhood car wreck and a 2014 bout of breast cancer.

3 of 9

Angela Cartwright

The first crush of millions of American boys, Angela, now 71, played Danny Thomas‘ daughter on The Danny Thomas Show from 1957 to 1964. She also starred in Lost in Space and The Sound of Music. The rare well-adjusted former child actor, she’s been married since 1976 and is the mother of two children.

4 of 9

Jay North

No one who watched Jay, 72, playing the mischievous Dennis the Menace in the 1960s TV series would have guessed one day he’d be a corrections officer in Florida’s juvenile justice system! Jay left show business behind in his 20s, but often advocated against the abuse of child actors.

5 of 9

Lauren Chapin

Unlike her character as little sis “Kitten” in the nostalgic 1950s sitcom Father Knows Best, real-life Lauren had a tough childhood, which she shared in a 1989 autobiography. When acting jobs dried up, Lauren, now 79, tried her hand at such jobs as dog groomer, stewardess, beauty pageant owner and ordained evangelist!

6 of 9

Kym Karath

Adorable little Kym was only 7 when she stole hearts as Gretl, the youngest von Trapp kid, in The Sound of Music — but she quit acting in 1981 when she began to get “casting couch” vibes from industry creeps. Now 65, she studied art history for a time in Paris.

7 of 9

Jon Provost

From 1957 to 1964, Jon was top dog as human sidekick Timmy Martin on Lassie — but walked away from the hit show! Following his Tinseltown heyday, the former TV star sold real estate in California for 20 years. Now 74, Jon does fundraising for animal causes and frequently appears at fan conventions.

8 of 9

Kristy McNichol

Kristy, 61, was the poster girl for troubled child stars in the 1990s. After starring in Family and Empty Nest — and winning two Emmys — her career hit the skids due to her mental health struggles. Since leaving Hollywood, she’s taught acting at a private school and came out as a lesbian in 2012.

9 of 9

Jerry Mathers

When the star, 76, auditioned for Leave It to Beaver, producers knew he was the perfect Beave when he told them he’d rather be at his Cub Scouts meeting. Unsurprisingly, the clean-cut kid grew up to be an upstanding citizen — a military vet, college grad and commercial loan officer.

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