Figure 1.--These are *x10 studio pprtraits sent to studios by parents, usually mothers, in an attempt to secure a movie roll for the child. The dealer suggested they date to the 1940s. We would guess the 1930s and early-40s. |
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We are not sure at what age children begin to want to be actors. They are certainly exposed to actors including child actors at an early age through television and the movies. We suspect, however, that most boys rather than wanting to be child actots, want to be the heroes they see depicted in TV and the movies. As a young boy, I didn't want to be a child actor, I wanted to be my TV hero--Hopalong Cassidy. I suspect that is how most young boys think even today. Perhaps readers will have different ideas. Of course age is a factor here. By the teen years one has a more realistic appreciation of what is on the screen and of personal possibilities. We suspect that girls are a little more connected with reality than boys and at a younger age. Some children may push their mothers. But the primary conduit into acting for children is through their parents, usually but not always their mothers. In previous eras it was primarily theatrical parents that led their children into the profession. In our modern age of movies and television it seems to be parents besotted with Hollywood galamor that have treied to get their little treasures into acting. If they can't be Hollywod stars, they have dreams for their children. They try to get their children into local dramatics and have them take lessons in song and dance to improve their channces. They send photogaphs to the studios and even hire theatrical agents. The children may get interested after their mothers' efforts. There are other routes. Some producers/directors do talent searches, but usually this is only reaches the children who have agents or very active stage mothers. Some producers take other routes such as going to actual schools. Ensign Blakely ('Masters and Commanders') was found at Eton College, but most child actors get into acting pushed by their mothers.
We are not sure at what age children begin to want to be actors. They are certainly exposed to actors including child actors at an early age through television and the movies. We suspect, however, that most boys rather than wanting to be child actots, want to be the heroes they see depicted in TV and the movies. As a young boy, I didn't want to be a child actor, I wanted to be my TV hero--Hopalong Cassidy. I suspect that is how most young boys think even today. Perhaps readers will have different ideas. Of course age is a factor here. By the teen years one has a more realistic appreciation of what is on the screen and of personal possibilities. We suspect that girls are a little more connected with reality than boys and at a younger age.
Some children may push their mothers. But the primary conduit into acting for children is through their parents, usually but not always their mothers. In previous eras it was primarily theatrical parents that led their children into the profession. In our modern age of movies and television it seems to be parents besotted with Hollywood-alamor that have treied to get their little treasures into acting. If they can't be Hollywod stars, they have dreams for their children. They try to get their children into local dramatics and have them take lessons in song and dance to improve their channces. They send photogaphs to the studios and even hire theatrical agents. The children may get interested after their mothers' efforts.
There are other routes. Some producers/directors do talent searches, but usually this is only reaches the children who have agents or very active stage mothers. Some producers take other routes such as going to actual schools. Ensign Blakely ('Masters and Commanders') was found at Eton College, but most child actors get into acting pushed by their mothers.
A great deal has been ridden abouut the fate of child actors. A reader writes, "Sadly child actors generally do not have a bright future when it comes to transforming into adult actors. While a few like Jackie Cooper did most do not. Many child actors end up on drugs or commit suicide. Rusty Hammer died at 42 . Anissa Jones I believe died in her 20s. As a child I was envious of Jerry Mathers , Stanley Livingston thinking what fun it must have been to be on a weekly TV show. I remember thinking though how hard it must have been to memorize their lines and whether I would have been able to do so." There are indeed many sad stories. One of the saddest is Bobby Driscol. Anothr example is River Phoneix.
There are of course success stories as well like Ron Howard who played Opie on the 'Andy Griffith Show'. A lot surely has to do with the parents. One notable observatioin is that child stars rarely become adult stars, especially male stars. We can think of very few male stars that became stars. There are a few female stars such as Eliabeth Taylor and Drew Barrymore.
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