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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.
Played in "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea" (UK,1976) and appeared in a nice schoolboy uniform, including a red blazer but unfortunately with long pants. Again in "Captain's Courageous" (1977) the costuming was disappointing. The movie was more faithful to the Kipplinger novel, but lacked the excitement of the 1937 Freddie Bartholomew classic.
One famous boy actor in Greece, Vassilakis Kailas, starred in a lot of melodramas where he played the role of the orphaned boy who had to work by shining shoes or selling lottery coupons in the streets in order to make money for him, his little sister and/or his sick mother. In the movies he was always wearing shorts, a white shirt and shoes but not socks. Vassilakis Kailas was born in 1953. He start acting at the age of 4 years when the director Michalis Kakoyanis saw him at the entrance of his house. He was living at the same block of flats with actor Dimitris Horn and actress Eli Lambeti. He acted in 117 movies from the late 50s to the early 70s. Most of the movies were melodramas where he played the poor working boy. In his movie most of the
times he was working as a shoshine boy. His most memorable movies are "O loustrakos" (The shoeshine boy) and "O emporakos" (The little merchant).
Born August 9, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York, died in 1956. Appeared on stage at the age of 7 and in films from eight. He played child and juvenile roles in many early Vitagraph silents.
We do not know very much about Tommy. He was born in the Bronx during 1925. He only stared in one major films--the Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He played Tom and this is the film that he is best remembered. David O. Selznick reportedly handpicked him. It did not help Tommy's career that the film did not do well. He played child roles in quite a number of studio films diring the 1930s and teenage roles in the early 40s. Tommy played Tom in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer" (1938). While not a box office success, it was a fairly good film.
Tommy played Bill Peck and wore a dress in Peck's Bad Boy at the Circus" (1938).
Tommy plyed in "They Shall Have Music" (1938). This was Saml Goldwyn's effort during the Swing Era to popularize classical music. Tommy had a small role as the boy in front of he examiner's office in "Gone With the Wind" (1939).
Other roles included: Fred Middleton in "Curtain Call" (1940), Harwood "Woody" Hollister in "Gallant Sons" (1940), Tommy Lewis in "Military Academy" (1940), Hodges in "Double Date" (1941), Chuck in "Life Begins for Andy Hardy" (1941), Ken Atkins in "Nice Girl" (1941), and Steve Bell in "Mug Town" (1943). He then had a few small adult roles in a few films. We have little information on Kelly after that. One source reports that he was teaching school in the Washington D.C. area. Apparently he does not like to discuss his Hollywood years. We do not know why.
Jan Handzlik in the Broadway production played both Patrick as a boy and Patrick's son Michael at the end of the play. In the film version, the producers decided to have another child actor play Michael. Movies do not have the sane budget constraints of Broadway plays. Michael was played by Terry Kelman. He appears briefly at the end of the film. Michaeland Mame are about to leave for India. Michael appears in a black short pants suit, knee socks, and, appropos of the journey--a turban. Terry Kelman I believe is Ricky Kelman's brother. Terry and Ricky played Dan Duryea's sons in the 1958 film Kathy O. Ricky Kelman also played in the "Dennis O'Keefe Show".
Very takented actor who appeared in "The Greatest Gift Family Kovak" and the TV series "James at 15". His other movies included: "Pssst! Hammarman's After You" (1974) and "P.J. and the President's Son".
Terry Kilburn was a personable little chap in several English films. He played Tiny Tim in "A Christmas Carol" (1938). He also played four boys from succeeding generations of the same family in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1939)."
Disney Mousekateer? and film staple during the late 1950s and early 1960s. His strict Baptist parents moved from Kentucky to southern California in 1944. His older brother wanted to be an actor, Tommy went along for his brother's interview and landed a part. At about 12 he began getting bit parts on major TV series, such as "Gunsmoke." His first big role was the younger brother in the MMC series "The Hardy Boys Mysteries". He also did press interviews for the MMC during the Presidential Convention. He wasn't one of my favorites as he was a teenager by the time he became famous. His best film was probably "Old Yeller" (1957), but he appeared in other Disney staples like "The Swiss Family Robinson" (1960). Other Disney films included "The Monkey's Uncle" and "The Absent Minded Professor (1961)." Amazingly for a child star rarely mentioned today, he appeared in six of the top-grossing films of all time. (As of 1994) During the early 1960s, Tommy got involved with drugs, a problem exacerbated by the growing realization of his homosexuality. Given his family background and the squeaky-clean Disney image, this must have been a real problem for the young Kirk. The Disney studios even set up dates with Annette Funicello. His career crashed in 1964 when Disney dropped him after a mother complained of a morals issue. He was later arrested for marijuana possession at a Hollywood party which cost him a role in the John Wayne Film, "The Sons of Katie Elder." After leaving Disney the drug problem got worse and he had soon gone through all his money. He appeared in several dreadful films during the late-1960s and he eventually quit show business in the early 1970s. He went into the upholstery cleaning business
Charlie has proved to be a competent little actor. His first big role was the Kid in "Tracy". He also played Peter Pan's son in "Hook".
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