33 Child Stars of the 1960s and 1970s and Where They Are Today, Ranked

At age twelve, Peter Ostrum won global fame as Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Despite studio pressure, he never made another film. He earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Cornell University in 1984, practicing dairy medicine in upstate New York for decades.

Erin Murphy appeared in 103 episodes of Bewitched, eventually taking over the role of Tabitha solo from her twin sister. Rather than chasing Hollywood, she launched successful clothing and beauty brands, worked as a television host, and became a prominent advocate for autism charities.

Susan Olsen spent five seasons sporting Shirley Temple curls as the youngest Brady sister. After leaving acting behind, she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, worked as a Los Angeles graphic designer, hosted talk radio shows, and dedicated years to animal welfare work.

Danny Bonaduce was just ten when cast as wisecracking bassist Danny Partridge. After weathering publicized financial and personal hurdles, he established a dominant second career in major-market morning radio across Philadelphia and Seattle, retiring from daily broadcasting in late 2023.

Butch Patrick starred in seventy episodes of The Munsters as the all-American juvenile werewolf. Moving away from mainstream Hollywood, he played garage rock with Eddie and the Monsters, built custom tribute hot rods, and remains a fixture at classic television and horror festivals.

Angela Cartwright played Brigitta von Trapp in 1965's Oscar-winning musical before spending three seasons as space traveler Penny Robinson. She blossomed into an accomplished fine-art photographer, published multiple books on mixed-media art, and co-curated vintage Hollywood photo archives.

Barry Williams anchored The Brady Bunch through 117 episodes, recording pop albums and receiving thousands of fan letters weekly. He went on to headline national musical theater tours including The Sound of Music and West Side Story, and competed on Dancing with the Stars at age sixty-nine.

Eve Plumb delivered unforgettable comedic timing as the insecure middle sister Jan Brady. She proved her dramatic range in hard-hitting TV films like Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, then built a thirty-year career as a respected fine-art painter represented by galleries across America.

Maureen McCormick was the premier teen idol of the early 1970s as golden girl Marcia Brady. After conquering personal substance struggles chronicled in her bestselling autobiography, she reemerged on television, hosting major interior design series on HGTV including Frozen in Time.

Jay North beat out hundreds of young hopefuls to star in Dennis the Menace from 1959 to 1963. Struggling with the harsh realities of childhood fame, he enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam era and worked for nearly thirty years as a federal corrections officer in Florida.

Bill Mumy defined 1960s science fiction with Lost in Space and classic Twilight Zone roles. He became a multi-hyphenate creative, co-creating hit cult band Barnes and Barnes, scoring television soundtracks, and starring for five seasons as Lennier in the sci-fi epic Babylon 5.

Alison Arngrim made bad behavior hilarious for seven seasons on Little House on the Prairie. She embraced her villainous notoriety, penning a New York Times bestselling memoir titled Confessions of a Prairie Bitch and touring the world with her one-woman comedy show.

Melissa Sue Anderson carried intense dramatic arcs on Little House on the Prairie, earning an Emmy nod in 1978 for her portrayal of blindness. She continued acting in television movies and feature films before moving to Montreal in 2002, becoming a naturalized Canadian citizen.

Kristy McNichol delivered masterclass dramatic performances as Buddy Lawrence in Family, winning two Primetime Emmys. She headlined hit films like Little Darlings and sitcom Empty Nest before retiring from acting in 2001 to teach drama and mentor young aspiring performers.

Leif Garrett appeared in dozens of 1970s films including Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice before scoring massive disco hits like I Was Made for Dancin. After surviving highly publicized adult struggles, he detailed his turbulent industry experiences in his memoir Idol Truth.

Todd Bridges starred alongside Gary Coleman on Diff'rent Strokes across eight seasons. He overcame harrowing post-show legal and addiction trials, completely turning his life around to tour as a motivational speaker, mentor at-risk youth, and appear on celebrity reality competitions.

Dana Plato brought warmth to the Drummond family home on Diff'rent Strokes from 1978 to 1986. While her later adult life was marked by financial exploitation and tragedy before her passing in 1999, her work remains a beloved pillar of classic 1970s primetime sitcom history.

Gary Coleman transformed Diff'rent Strokes into a global ratings monster with his razor-sharp comedic delivery. Despite lifelong kidney health battles and bitter legal struggles over stolen earnings, Coleman remains one of the most recognizable comic talents in American broadcast history.

Linda Blair received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe at age fourteen for 1973's The Exorcist. She worked steadily in cult cinema and television before dedicating her life to running the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, rescuing hundreds of abandoned dogs.

Ricky Schroder broke hearts opposite Jon Voight in 1979's The Champ, winning a Golden Globe. He navigated child stardom successfully, starring for five seasons on Silver Spoons before proving his adult dramatic grit as Detective Danny Sorenson on NYPD Blue.

Tatum O'Neal made film history in 1973, capturing the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award opposite her father Ryan O'Neal. She starred in classic comedies like The Bad News Bears, maintained a recurring role on FX drama Rescue Me, and authored bestselling memoirs.

Shaun Cassidy sent teenagers into a frenzy playing Joe Hardy while scoring pop chart-toppers like Da Doo Ron Ron. He executed a brilliant career pivot to writing and producing, creating acclaimed network series including American Gothic, Roar, and Invasion.

David Cassidy commanded a global fan club larger than the Beatles as Keith Partridge, selling thirty million records. He transitioned into a celebrated stage career, headlining Blood Brothers on Broadway and major Las Vegas productions until his death in 2017.

Donny Osmond dominated pop charts with Puppy Love before co-hosting the variety smash Donny and Marie. He evolved into an entertainment powerhouse, performing over two thousand shows during an award-winning Las Vegas residency and winning Season 9 of Dancing with the Stars.

Marie Osmond broke records with Paper Roses in 1973, leading to television stardom opposite her brother Donny. She built a massive lifestyle brand, headlined an eleven-year Las Vegas residency, and co-founded Children's Miracle Network, raising billions for children's hospitals.

Melissa Gilbert grew up as Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie across two hundred episodes. She transitioned into a prominent industry leader, serving two terms as President of the Screen Actors Guild, authoring memoirs, and launching lifestyle brand Modern Prairie.

Kim Richards starred in iconic Disney adventures including Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain. Decades after her childhood reign, she re-entered pop culture prominence as an original cast member on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Brooke Shields gained worldwide fame at age twelve in Pretty Baby and 1980's The Blue Lagoon. She stepped back to earn a French literature degree from Princeton University, starred in NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan, headlined multiple Broadway productions, and became an entrepreneur.

Diane Lane earned glowing reviews opposite Laurence Olivier in 1979's A Little Romance. She matured into one of Hollywood's most acclaimed dramatic actors, earning an Academy Award nomination for Unfaithful and starring as Martha Kent in the DC Extended Universe.

Helen Hunt worked constantly throughout the 1970s on shows like Swiss Family Robinson and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She captured four Primetime Emmy Awards for Mad About You, won the Best Actress Oscar for As Good as It Gets, and established herself as a film director.

Kurt Russell was Walt Disney's handpicked young star in films like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. He staged a flawless transition to adult superstardom, creating cinema legends in Escape from New York, The Thing, Tombstone, and Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight.

Jodie Foster earned an Oscar nomination at age fourteen for Taxi Driver while carrying Disney comedies like Freaky Friday. Graduating magna cum laude from Yale, she won two Best Actress Oscars for The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, starring recently in True Detective: Night Country.

Ron Howard captured American hearts as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. He staged the greatest career transformation in Hollywood history, directing masterpieces like Apollo 13 and winning Best Director for A Beautiful Mind.