Where Are They Now? 21 Child Stars Who Had One Unforgettable Role

For many viewers, the biggest TV stars of the 1970s and 1980s weren’t always the adults leading the show. They were the kids who stole scenes, delivered the funniest lines, or became the face of a family sitcom almost overnight. Some young actors turned that early fame into decades-long careers, while others stepped away from Hollywood after one unforgettable role.

This 24/7 Tempo slideshow looks back at former child stars who became closely tied to a single breakout part. These are the young performers audiences once saw everywhere, even if their time in the spotlight did not last as long as fans may have expected.

From sitcom favorites to familiar faces you may not have thought about in years, these stories show what happened after the cameras stopped rolling. Some continued acting, some changed careers completely, and others chose quieter lives far from entertainment.

• Played Ben Seaver on “Growing Pains”
• Currently 49 years old
• Had a male stalker while he was on “Growing Pains”
• Began drinking alcohol at 4 years old
• Currently in recovery for alcohol use disorder

• Played Webster on “Webster”
• Began acting at age 9
• Currently 55 years old
• At age 13, Lewis was 42 inches tall and weighed 40 lbs

• Played Margaux Kramer on “Punky Brewster”
• Discovered on “Star Search” at age 8
• Appeared on one episode of “Webster”
• Currently 50 years old
• Lives in California with her husband and two kids

• Played David Witherspoon on “Our House”
• Began acting at age 7
• Retired from acting
• Currently 51 years old
• Is a psychologist
• Member and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community

• Played Wesley Owens on “Mr. Belvedere”
• Currently 50 years old
• Appeared on one episode of “Alice”
• Co-founder of Drama ¾, a third-party production company in Los Angeles.

• Played Emma McCardle on “Kate & Allie”
• Currently 57 years old
• Graduated from Yale University with a double major in Philosophy and Theater Arts
• Now a postpartum and lactation nurse at an LA-area hospital

• Played Nicole Bradford on “My Two Dads”
• Began her career at age 5 by modeling
• Cast in “My Two Dads” at age 12
• Tutored students in grades 5-12
• Currently a lawyer and law professor in Los Angeles using her given name, Anastasia Love Sagorsky

• Played Sarah Powell in 104 episodes of “Charles in Charge”
• Currently 53 years old
• Began acting at age 3
• Has a kitschy new podcast called “The Imperfect Podcast”

• Played Rudy Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”
• Currently 47 years old
• Started working in entertainment at 9 months old
• Graduated from Spelman College with a Sociology degree
• Has a line of spices and seasonings called Keshia’s Kitchen
• Married with a baby boy born in early 2023

• Played Jonathan Bower on “Who’s the Boss?”
• Currently 50 years old
• Did some stage acting after “Who’s the Boss?”, including Cujo.
• Other jobs include Tupperware sales, restaurant manager, and vet technician
• Has lived in Las Vegas and Austin and now lives in California and has returned to acting

• Played Andy Keaton on “Family Ties”
• Currently 44 years old
• Began acting at age 4
• Left acting and moved to Boulder, Colorado with his family
• Has been a musician since 1998
• Plays in punk band “Lights in the Sky”

• Played Wayne Arnold on “The Wonder Years”
• Now 54 years old
• Serial entrepreneur
• Currently the Founder & CEO of Marathon 360, a marketing agency

• Played Brian Tanner on “Alf”
• Full name is Benji Gregory Hertzberg
• His grandmother was his agent
• Served in the Navy
• Died in 2024 at 46 years old.

• Played Sam McKinney on “Diff’rent Strokes”
• Currently 50 years old
• Began acting at age 8
• Played in a variety of bands
• Lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter

• Played Tommy Hyatt on “Alice”
• Was discovered by Linda Lavin, who played Alice, his mother
• Worked in radio after ending his acting career
• Died in 2019 at the age of 55

• Played Nicholas Bradford on “Eight is Enough” for 112 episodes
• Appeared on some of the most popular shows of the 1980s
• Began using drugs at age 14
• Dropped out of high school at age 17
• Died in 2023 from an accidental fentanyl overdose

• Shared the role of Carrie Olson on “Little House on the Prairie”
• Left acting not long after “Little House” ended
• Currently 55 years old
• Sidney is widowed; Lindsay is married

• Played Vicki Stubing in six seasons of “The Love Boat”
• Currently 59 years old
• Played heart patient Lisa Davis in the cult hit Airplane
• Was named “Celebrations Ambassador” by Princess Cruises, the same line featured in “The Love Boat”
• Married three times

• Played Dee Thomas on “What’s Happening!”
• Also played Dee in the sequel, “What’s Happening Now!”
• Was in a car accident at age 8 which left her in a coma for three weeks
• Lived in Africa after the show was cancelled
• She’s a doctor of veterinary medicine
• Died in 2025 after a long battle with cancer

• Played Katie Gatling on “Benson”
• Currently age 55
• Appeared on several popular shows of the ‘80s
• Sister of Tracey Gold, who starred in “Growing Pains”
• Is a psychologist

• Played a character of the same name — Cherie Johnson — on “Punky Brewster”
• Currently age 50
• Acts, writes and produces
• Has a line of hair products called Wild Cherry
• Hosts a podcast called “Cherie’s World”