Celebs You Had No Idea Were Child Stars In The '70s

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This article includes references to sexual assault and addiction.

The 1970s saw the debut of a wide variety of shows that served as the foundation for modern television. It shouldn't be surprising that many major celebrities got their start in this revolutionary decade for the entertainment industry.

It's likely that you've seen a show or movie from the '70s featuring a major star but haven't even known it. Celebrities obviously change a lot from their time as child actors as they progress in their careers. Some may even make significant career pivots or leave Hollywood and step out of the spotlight altogether. Regardless, it's always enticing to learn what celebrities were up to as children, especially as working actors. Read on for 12 notable names in the entertainment industry who were child stars in the '70s.

Nowadays, most people know Ron Howard as a successful filmmaker, but many might overlook his journey to said status. He directed movies like "Apollo 13," "The Da Vinci Code," "Rush," and "A Beautiful Mind," which earned him a best director Oscar. Because of the success of his directorial efforts, it may surprise some that Howard was actually once primarily known as an actor. He actually got his start as an actor at a very young age by playing Opie Taylor in "The Andy Griffith Show." When "The Andy Griffith Show" ended in 1968, Howard was only 14 years old and already had a wealth of experience as an actor.

This set him up perfectly to find immense success in the '70s. He starred in a variety of movies, including George Lucas' "American Graffiti," which showcased teenage life in the 1950s. His role in "American Graffiti" helped Howard get cast as Richie Cunningham in "Happy Days," a project that also honored life in the '50s.

"Happy Days" was definitely a comfort show for many, as it aired from 1974 to 1984. Just like "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days" was a major success and helped to solidify Howard as one of the biggest stars of this time period. Therefore, many years before he impressed audiences as a visionary director, Howard had found success as an actor in various shows and movies.

Howard has experienced a lot of success and acclaim since being a child star in the '70s, but the same can't necessarily be said for Scott Baio. Baio first emerged on the scene after playing the titular character in the 1976 film "Bugsy Malone." From there, he went on to get cast as Chachi Arcola, The Fonz's cousin, on "Happy Days." Baio's character first appeared in season 5 and was a recurring presence on the show until it ended in 1984. After "Happy Days," he went on to play the lead role in the series "Charles in Charge," which ran from 1984 to 1990.

Younger audiences who may not have seen "Happy Days" or "Charles in Charge" may recognize Baio from the sitcom "Arrested Development." Additionally, he has appeared in various movies and television shows over the years. However, Baio's career has never reached the heights of his time on "Happy Days" or "Charles in Charge," possibly because of the controversies he has been involved in.

In 2018, Baio's former "Charles in Charge" co-star Nicole Eggert accused him of sexually assaulting her "quite often" in the late '80s. As reported by People, Eggert claimed that Baio sexually assaulted her more than ten times and would constantly grope her on set. Also reported by People, not long after Eggert made these claims, another "Charles in Charge" actor, Alexander Polinsky, alleged that he was sexually, physically, and mentally abused by Baio when he starred on the show between the ages of 12 and 15. Baio has denied these accusations and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office declined to press charges against him, but these claims have not done his reputation any favors.

Howard and Baio's stories show both the good and bad sides of the entertainment industry. In Kristy McNichol's case, she decided to leave Hollywood behind to find peace and happiness years after being a major child star in the '70s. From 1976 to 1980, McNichol played Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in "Family." She was nominated for the best supporting actress Emmy three years in a row for her role in the series and won in 1977 and 1979. She continued to work as an actor in the '80s and '90s but decided to retire in 2001.

Even though McNichol experienced a lot of success in the '70s and beyond, her time in Hollywood was not easy. She dealt with the stress and pressures of growing up in front of the whole world and was reportedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1992 while working on the sitcom "Empty Nest." McNichol realized she needed to prioritize her mental health, which was a major factor in her retirement from acting. Reflecting on this decision in a 2015 interview with People, it seems like she has no regrets. McNichol said, "It was a decision I had to make alone. And what I have found for myself is unbelievable. There are all sorts of life experiences for me to explore."

Unlike McNichol, it doesn't seem like Jodie Foster will ever leave Hollywood behind. She is undoubtedly one of the most successful actors in the world and has starred in movies like "The Silence of the Lambs," "Contact," "Panic Room," and "Nyad." However, many years before any of these films were released, Foster worked as a child actor in the '70s. She starred in many movies and shows as a child, but her breakout role was definitely Martin Scorsese's acclaimed 1976 movie "Taxi Driver."

Foster played Iris Steensma, "Taxi Driver's" child sex worker, when she was just 12 years old. The subject matter of the movie was obviously quite dark, and Foster had to undergo a psychiatric assessment and be accompanied by a social worker on set to even star in it. The success of "Taxi Driver" led to Foster being nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars and paved the way for her to have a wildly successful career in Hollywood.

Looking back on the movie during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in 2024, Foster humorously admitted that Scorsese and her co-star Robert DeNiro were kind of afraid of her on set because of her age. "I was 12. And they had to say things like, you know, 'Can you pull his fly down?' And it was a little awkward," she said.

Just like Foster, Helen Hunt has had a long and successful career in Hollywood. Many years before starring in movies like "Twister," "As Good as It Gets," and "Cast Away," Hunt worked as a child actor in the '70s and appeared in many shows. However, a lot of fans may not know this since she never played any lead characters during her time as a child actor. Instead, Hunt played supporting characters who usually only appeared in one episode in shows like "Family," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and "Rollercoaster."

Reflecting on some of her earliest roles in the entertainment industry in an interview with Vulture, Hunt claimed that she doesn't regret her time as a child actor. However, she stressed that the fact that she never had any lead roles in the '70s meant that she could still experience a normal childhood. "I don't wish I started later, but I was never a child star," she said. "I was in school every year and had normal friends and I loved it and here I am, so I can't say that I wish I hadn't done it."

Unlike Foster and Hunt, Lisa Whelchel never became a major Hollywood star after her time as a child actor, but she has never fully left the entertainment industry behind. Whelchel's career in Hollywood started in the late '70s, when she was recruited to appear as a Mousketeer on "The New Mickey Mouse Club." From there, she was cast as Blair Warner on "The Facts of Life," which is definitely what she is most well-known for.

"The Facts of Life" ran from 1979 to 1988, and Whelchel appeared in every episode of the series except for one. Speaking about her time on the show in an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Whelchel claimed that "it was difficult enough to go through puberty in front of millions of people." However, Whelchel seems to have mostly positive memories about her time on "The Facts of Life." In the years since the show ended, Whelchel has continued to act, pursued a music career, and even appeared as a contestant on the 25th season of "Survivor."

Most actors constantly dream about winning an Oscar and work for decades to try to reach the heights of Hollywood, but Tatum O'Neil was able to accomplish this at the age of ten. In 1974, she won best supporting actress for her role in "Paper Moon" at the Academy Awards. To this day, O'Neil still holds the record as the youngest person to ever win an Oscar. After stealing the show in the Great Depression-set "Paper Moon," O'Neil went on to star in various other movies in the '70s, such as "The Bad News Bears" and "International Velvet."

On the surface, O'Neil experienced a childhood out of a storybook, but winning an Oscar wasn't actually the most pleasant experience for her. O'Neil's father, actor Ryan O'Neil, became extremely jealous and hateful towards her after she won the highly coveted golden statue. O'Neil reflected on her father's reaction to her victory in her 2004 memoir "A Paper Life." As reported by The Independent, she wrote, "You'd think an Oscar nomination would be an indelible moment, a victory to cherish and savour for a lifetime. But for me it must have been a trauma instead of a triumph." O'Neil added that her father clearly felt "deep resentment" towards her and constantly told her, "I just don't like you, Tatum."

After winning the Oscar, O'Neil couldn't even celebrate with her family since neither her father nor mother attended the ceremony with her. Therefore, the actress does not associate her Oscar with positive feelings. In her memoir, she wrote, "The feeling I associate most with winning the Oscar is an overwhelming sadness at being abandoned by my parents."

It may be hard for some to picture Sarah Jessica Parker as a child actor since she is most well-known for playing Carrie Bradshaw as she navigates dating and womanhood in "Sex and the City." However, years before Parker played the iconic character in "Sex and the City" and the more recent show "And Just Like That...," she was a child actor making a name for herself on Broadway. In the late '70s, she was cast as July in the hit Broadway musical "Annie." In addition to playing July, Parker also served as Andrea McArdle's understudy. Therefore, when McArdle stopped playing Annie in 1979, Parker took over the lead role and proved that she was destined for stardom.

Playing the lead in "Annie" was a dream come true for Parker since she was a huge fan upon seeing the play for the first time. While reflecting on her early Broadway experience in an interview with People, Parker referred to McArdle as "the queen" and even admitted that her father didn't think she was "Annie material" since she wasn't trained as a singer. However, obviously, Parker proved her father and any other potential doubters wrong and showcased her impressive natural talent by playing Annie at the age of 14.

Brooke Shields was born in 1965, and her mother wasted no time getting her in front of a camera. She modelled for the first time in 1966 when she was just 11 months old and rose to prominence as a child actor and model in the '70s. Her movie debut was the 1976 horror movie "Alice, Sweet Alice." After the release of this film, Shields starred in several other movies in the late '70s.

The career decisions that Shields' mother, Teri, made on her behalf have always been controversial. For example, Teri allowed a photographer to take nude pictures of Shields when she was only 10 years old for the Playboy publication Sugar'n'Spice. In many ways, it seems like Teri controlled the actress in the early years of her career, but Shields has found her own individual identity since her time as a child actor. In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Shields said, "For the past almost 20 years, I've been coming more into my own." Additionally, she claimed that her first husband, tennis player Andre Agassi, "really helped me sort of individuate from my mother and take ownership of my career in a proactive way."

Shields got more vulnerable than ever about her tragic experiences as a child actor and model in the 2023 documentary "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields." In the film, Shields talks about her experience with sexual assault for the first time ever and advocates for protecting young women in the entertainment industry. Through the documentary, Shields bravely encounters her past trauma and uses her own experience and the healing process she has undergone to act as a beacon of hope for young women all over the world.

Nowadays, Ricky Schroder doesn't appear in movies often. Other than some made-for-TV movies in the 2010s, the last film he starred in was 2010's "Get Him to the Greek." However, it can't be denied that Schroder got an incredible start in the entertainment industry. When he was just nine years old, he starred in his first movie, "The Champ," in which he played the son of Jon Voight's character. This movie was very well-received and earned Schroder a Golden Globe win for Best New Male Star of the Year in a Motion Picture. To this day, he remains the youngest Golden Globe winner in history.

A few years after making Hollywood history, Schroder was cast in the show "Silver Spoons," which aired from 1982 to 1987. He looks back on his childhood fondly but admits there were some challenges to growing up as an actor. In an interview with HuffPost, he said, "I spent five wonderful years on a popular TV show, but I didn't have a normal childhood. I was tutored for grades 4-11. My social skills were a bit rusty and I had to learn how to be comfortable in social settings. Everyone knew me, but I knew no one. All the cliques and friendships were already established for the other seniors. It was challenging."

Some younger readers may not know who Dana Plato is since she tragically died in 1999. However, before her untimely death, she was a major child star in the '70s. After reportedly passing on the lead role in the iconic 1973 horror movie "The Exorcist," Plato eventually made her film debut in its sequel, "The Exorcist II: Heretic." She also starred in the hit show "Diff'rent Strokes." The show ran until 1986, but Plato's character was written off in 1984 since the actress became pregnant.

After her time on "Diff'rent Strokes," Plato struggled to adjust to normal life. She got in trouble with the law on numerous occasions and also struggled with addiction. Tragically, she died in 1999 due to an overdose. Reportedly, Plato was visiting her partner's family in Oklahoma when she started feeling unwell and took some pills before taking a nap. Her partner, Robert Menchaca, couldn't wake her up, and she was later pronounced dead. According to People, Police Sgt. Scott Singer told reporters that "there was no note left, no outward sign she wanted to kill herself," but it's clear Plato's time as a child actor still affected her in adulthood.

If you or anyone you know needs help with sexual abuse or substance abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).