** clothing and costues worn by child actors: g








Clothing and Costumes Worn by Child Actors: G

Gary Gray
Figure 1.--Gary Gray plays here in a Lassie adventure, but I'm not sure which one.

Information about child actors also provodes a great deal of fashion information. Both clothes these children wore as well as the costumes they wore in their films and shows provide much valuable information. These childrens often dressed very fashionably so information about them provides insights into contemprary fashions. The costumes they wore in films also provides useful information--although it must be treated more cautiously. HBC is preparing an alphabetical listing of child actors in movies, plays, and television.

Garrett, Leif - (US)

This young actor had small parts in television shows ("The Odd Couple" and "Wonder Woman"). He was in several movies, but I never saw any especially good ones. He turned from a child actor into a teen idol.

Getty, Balthazar - (US,1975?- )

Great grand-son of the tycoon who has turned his hand to acting. A casting agent spotted him at 13 in a classroom and he landed lead in the 1989 remake of "Lord of the Flies." He says that the Jamaican film set was a wild and unruly place with 24 boys, all with little or no experience. Unfortunately after the film was released in 1990 he was 15 and thus past the age for any further child roles. His only other role was in the 1989 production of "The Turn of the Screw," but if I remember right there was no interesting costuming. He is currently doing "Young Guns 2" in which he loses his virginity. He explains, "I play the youngest Young Gun. .... We go to a whorehouse. I go in as a nervous boy and come out twirling my guns. He says that his mother lets him do as he wants. He gets upset if she calls his agent. His friends call him "Balty." He considers school to be a nuisance.

Gebert, Gordon - (US, 1941- )

Gordon was borrn in Des Moines, Iowa in 1941. We notice Goron in "Holiday Affair" (1949), a mildly amusing Robert Mitchum film. Gordon appears throughout the film as Timmy and plays his part very nicely with a wondeful smile. He manages some great exoressions when the camera is in him,This was Gordons's second and first credited film. He subsequyently appeared in both movies and television throughout the 1950s. This was his biggest role and I think best performance. Gordon comes accross as a very believable 6-year old.

Gledhill, Nicholas - (Australia, 1977?- )

Nicholas Gledhill played limited, but successful roles in "Careful He Might Hear You" (1983-84) and TV roles in "Bodyline", a story about cricket. In "Careful He Might Hear You", Nicholas played the part of PS an orphan boy subject to a custody battle by two aunts.He also played in "A Country Practice". His later roles are mainly on stage in the U.K. He has gained many qualifications in various aspects of stagecraft.

Gordon, Barry - (US, 1948- )

In the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, a child actor named Barry Gordon was a frequent guest star on many TV shows and in films. Quite versatile, Barry usually played a sharp character, smart beyond his years with a dry comic style. He was equally adept at playing serious roles with a mix of impressive maturity and vulnerability. Barry was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1948. Barry Gordon guest starred in shows as diverse as "Leave It To Beaver" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". His best known dramatic role as a young actor may be in the 1965 film, "A Thousand Clowns", in which he played lead actor Jason Robards' son, "Nick".

Gosselaar, Mark Paul - (US, 1975?- )

Mark-Paul's parents are Dutch, although he and his brothers and sisters were raised in Los Angeles. They speak both Dutch and English at home. He began modeling at 5 and was in many TV commercials and shows, including "Highway to Heaven," "Charles in Charge," and "Punky Brewster." I saw him in a 1988 made for TV movie later carried on PBS's Wonderworks. He played a very sensitive 14 year old trying to prevent his parents divorce. He even appears a good bit in shorts. I must say I did not realize that the nice boy in this movie was the bubble-headed Zack in the TV series he did next. The role is in the Nickelodeon sitcom, "Saved By the Bell."

Gray, Billy - (US, 1938- )

Billy Gray was an active child actor during the 1950s. He first appeared in small film roles at age 5 years. The first film we know of is "Spectre of the Rose" (1946). Perhaps his most notable appearance was in science-fiction cult favorite "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951) in which he played the inquisitive son of Patricia Neal. He also had a small role in "Jim Thorpe - All American" (1951). Another notable role was "On Moonlight Bay" (1952) in which he played Booth Tarkington's classic boy character--Penrod. Billy played Wesley again in "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" (1953). He was also in the Bob Hope film, "The Seven Little Foys" (1955). Billy played the older boy--the teenaged Bryan Foy who became a film producer. Billy was going to play Tag Oakley on the 1953 TV western "Annie Oakley". He apparently made a wise decession in deciding to play Bud Anderson on populsr TV series "Father Knows Best" (1954-60). He was nominated, at age 21, for a 1959 Emmy as a result of his performances on "Father Knows Best". When the TV series ended, Billy had difficulty continuing his show business campaign. He had small roles in "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "Two for the Seesaw" (1962) Billy was arrested in 1962 for possession of "marijuana seed and residue," arguably the first drug-related former child star bust. He served more than a month in jail. Billy claims that this ruined his show-business career.

Gray, Gary - (US, 1936- )

Gary Gray was born in Los Angeles during 1936. He played in a lot of family films during the late 1940s and 50s, including some Lassie adventures, including "The Painted Hills" (1951) and "Colina Dorada". His first film was "Henry the Rainmaler (1949). Other folms included: "The Girl from Jones Beach" (1949), "The Great Lover" (1949), "Father's Wild Game " (1950), "Father Makes Good" (1950), "Father Is a Bachelor" (1950), "Two Weeks with Love" (1950), "The Next Voice You Hear" (1950), "Father Takes the Air" (1951), "The Painted Hills" (1951), "Rodeo" (1952), and "Captain Midnight, Vol. 1 (1952). He began playing teen films with "Teenage Rebel" (1956). He still is making films, but now as a director.

Gregory, Benji - (US, 1979?- )

Personable boy who played on "Alf" (1986-88?). He was about 7 years old I think when the show began. Unfortunately he generally has very small roles. I like him because, unlike other kids on TV, he is not smart elicky and cocky. He played a perfect, wide-eyed innocent boy, very refreshing. Like most of the TV kids, he almost never wore shorts or interesting costumes. I did see him in shorts (rather baggy) and knee socks as part of his Boy Badger Scout uniform. Alf makes fun of him, about the uniform, he didn't specifically mention the shorts. I saw him later (1992) in an episode of "Murphy Brown" where in a flash back he came to pick up Murphy for a date. He still was quite a sweet little guy, but was probably about 13. Incredibly he asks young Murphy if he can put his tongue in her mouth the next time they kiss. Amazing the things they have kids say now a days on television.

Grimes, Scott - (US)

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (1984) and "Critters" (1986).

Oliver
Figure 2.--Here we see Oliver Grimm in the Heimat film, "Frühlingslied" (1954). Oliver was one of the most popular German child stars in the 1950 and a regulkar in the many low-budget Heimat films of the era.

Grimm, Oliver - (Germany, 1948- )

Oliver Grimes is another important German child star from the 1950s. We know little about his personal life, except that he was born in Muich. After the War Germany made many highly sentimental films, often set in the Alps or in rural areas, harening back to a simpler, traditional past. One was a German reder who particularly remembers is a real tear jearker--"Frühlingslied" Oliver had an extensive film career as a boy and has appeared in more than 20 films, mostly in the 1950s.







HBC






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Created: October 17, 2000
Last updated: 7:14 PM 12/25/2009