The death of Butch - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Geoff · 12-26-2001, 08:29 PM

For many of you that are fans of this series, as I was when a teenager, you may be interested to know that Trent Lehman who played Butch hung himself on January 17, 1982. A sad end to a promising talent for sure. Somehow the series seems to have been cursed -- lead actor Richard Long (Professor Everett) died of a heart attack in 1974 at the relatively young age of 47, but the only stars that seem to have had post-Nanny careers are of course Juliet Mills, and the other two siblings in the show, Kim Richards and Davide Doremus. Doremus had a recurring role for a few seasons on "The Waltons", if I recall.

jehobden · 11-02-2002, 04:46 AM

David Doremus also had a guest part as a football player on James at 15 once, which co-starred his fellow Nanny castmate Kim Richards as James' younger sister.

Jeff1970 · 06-19-2004, 08:59 PM

Just a word on Trent.

As a kid I watched "Nanny And The Professor" and related to the character "Butch" because he was around my age. I'll never forget the poetic lilt he had in his voice when he delivered his lines. That was one thing that made him unique.

I was shocked to hear that he had committed suicide. I learned about it 10 years after it happened, thanks to former child actors like Jay North speaking out and Paul Petersen, founder of "A Minor Consideration":

AMC

According to my information Trent committed suicide at the age of 20 in January of 1982 by hanging himself on the schoolyard fence at the elementary school that he attended when he was a child actor. He had moved to Colorado with his family in 1977, after "Nanny And The Professor" ended in 1972, and then returned to Los Angeles as a young adult hoping to revive his acting career and reconnect with former friends, against the wishes of his family in Colorado.

Sadly, it didn't work out

R.I.P.

Trent Lawson Lehman 1961 - 1982

We'll never forget you...Butch

Jeff

Loopie63 · 08-01-2008, 03:06 PM

Trent also played Mary Ellen's boyfriend in a few ep's of The Waltons.

Cori aka ChrisSCrush · 01-12-2009, 01:15 AM

Actually I didn't learn of this until 1999 when I got online and started doing a lot of whatever-happened-to research. Trent was one of the first I looked up as I began researching everyone who ever appeared on my favorite series, Emergency! which both Trent and Kim Richards did. Trent was the one with whom I identified as he was exactly my age.

As I understand, a bunch of bad things happened in a short time. His parents had split up, so he didn't have a home to return to. He broke up with a girlfriend and had a substantial amount of money stolen, then hanged himself, so he was going through rough times anyway with the additional burden of a child actor having been very much wanted at one time and as much if not more unwanted just a few years later.

Rusty Hamer, who appeared on the long-running series Make Room for Daddy, shot himself years later. A relative said all his bitter complaints were directed at his treatment after the series ended--not about anything that happened to him while acting.

Ohio8 · 02-14-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loopie63

Trent also played Mary Ellen's boyfriend in a few ep's of The Waltons.

He was also in the "Brushfire" episode of Emergency!

catlover79 · 02-14-2010, 02:49 PM

Sad, sad story. I saw one of those "where are they now?" episodes of ET - both Juliet Mills and Kim Richards were interviewed. They stated they were both devastated and cried at the news. What a sad end for such a young man.

Cori aka ChrisSCrush · 02-14-2010, 04:36 PM

It was David Doremus who appeared on The Waltons, and thanks for the great pictures from Emergency! I am enjoying collecting the DVDs.

12-26-2001, 08:29 PM	#1
Geoff Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 75	The death of Butch For many of you that are fans of this series, as I was when a teenager, you may be interested to know that Trent Lehman who played Butch hung himself on January 17, 1982. A sad end to a promising talent for sure. Somehow the series seems to have been cursed -- lead actor Richard Long (Professor Everett) died of a heart attack in 1974 at the relatively young age of 47, but the only stars that seem to have had post-Nanny careers are of course Juliet Mills, and the other two siblings in the show, Kim Richards and Davide Doremus. Doremus had a recurring role for a few seasons on "The Waltons", if I recall.
	Last edited by Geoff; 12-26-2001 at 08:32 PM.

06-19-2004, 08:59 PM	#3
Jeff1970 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 20, 2004 Location: New England Posts: 7	Just a word on Trent. As a kid I watched "Nanny And The Professor" and related to the character "Butch" because he was around my age. I'll never forget the poetic lilt he had in his voice when he delivered his lines. That was one thing that made him unique. I was shocked to hear that he had committed suicide. I learned about it 10 years after it happened, thanks to former child actors like Jay North speaking out and Paul Petersen, founder of "A Minor Consideration": AMC According to my information Trent committed suicide at the age of 20 in January of 1982 by hanging himself on the schoolyard fence at the elementary school that he attended when he was a child actor. He had moved to Colorado with his family in 1977, after "Nanny And The Professor" ended in 1972, and then returned to Los Angeles as a young adult hoping to revive his acting career and reconnect with former friends, against the wishes of his family in Colorado. Sadly, it didn't work out R.I.P. Trent Lawson Lehman 1961 - 1982 We'll never forget you...Butch Jeff
	__________________ SnakeDAWG rocks Detroit! http://www.snakedawg.com Last edited by Jeff1970; 07-17-2004 at 12:40 PM.

02-14-2010, 02:49 PM	#7
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Sad, sad story. I saw one of those "where are they now?" episodes of ET - both Juliet Mills and Kim Richards were interviewed. They stated they were both devastated and cried at the news. What a sad end for such a young man.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

11-02-2002, 04:46 AM	#2
jehobden Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2002 Location: DFW Area, TX Posts: 2,004	David Doremus also had a guest part as a football player on James at 15 once, which co-starred his fellow Nanny castmate Kim Richards as James' younger sister.

08-01-2008, 03:06 PM	#4
Loopie63 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 06, 2008 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 250	Trent also played Mary Ellen's boyfriend in a few ep's of The Waltons.

01-12-2009, 01:15 AM	#5
Cori aka ChrisSCrush Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 30, 2001 Location: USA and still trying to be proud of it! Posts: 2,068	Actually I didn't learn of this until 1999 when I got online and started doing a lot of whatever-happened-to research. Trent was one of the first I looked up as I began researching everyone who ever appeared on my favorite series, Emergency! which both Trent and Kim Richards did. Trent was the one with whom I identified as he was exactly my age. As I understand, a bunch of bad things happened in a short time. His parents had split up, so he didn't have a home to return to. He broke up with a girlfriend and had a substantial amount of money stolen, then hanged himself, so he was going through rough times anyway with the additional burden of a child actor having been very much wanted at one time and as much if not more unwanted just a few years later. Rusty Hamer, who appeared on the long-running series Make Room for Daddy, shot himself years later. A relative said all his bitter complaints were directed at his treatment after the series ended--not about anything that happened to him while acting.

02-14-2010, 04:36 PM	#8
Cori aka ChrisSCrush Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 30, 2001 Location: USA and still trying to be proud of it! Posts: 2,068	It was David Doremus who appeared on The Waltons, and thanks for the great pictures from Emergency! I am enjoying collecting the DVDs.