Actors who were too young to play another actor's parent - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Ronny G · 07-19-2012, 03:51 AM

Let's start a list of actors who were too young to play another actor's parent on a television series (live-action, not animated).

I got this idea from another thread I started on the "Good Times" board.
I was reading Jimmie Walker's new autobiography, and he writes that John Amos, who played his father, was only 8 years older than him!

I checked the dates on imdb.com.
John Amos was born in 1939
Jimmie Walker was born in 1947
Esther Rolle was born in 1920

In real life, John Amos is be too young to be Jimmie's father...
but...Esther Rolle was old enough to be John's mother!

I just thought these were interesting facts. I don't know why this came as a surprise to me because I always thought while watching the show that James was too young looking compared to Florida, but he does look a lot older than J.J.

Jimmie Walker had a very youthful appearance when he was 30.

Okay, get the idea?

Anyone else have any more examples?

hawkeye123 · 07-19-2012, 04:16 AM

The only one I can think of right off hand, was Estelle Getty playing Bea Arthurs mom on Golden girls. She is actually younger then Bea.

hawkeye123 · 07-19-2012, 04:21 AM

Vikki Lawrence, playing Mama on Mama's family was another one. I'm sure her and, her son on the show we're pretty close in age.

Zoneboy · 07-19-2012, 10:25 AM

Eleanor Audley who played the mother of Oliver Wendell Douglas on Green Acres was only 5 months older than Eddie Albert. She was born 11/19/1905 and he was born 4/22/1906

ThomasE · 07-19-2012, 12:18 PM

On "Meet the Browns" Tamela Mann was born in June 1966. She played Cora Simmons, the daughter of Leroy Brown who is played by her real life hubby David Mann who is two months younger than she is.

Phylicia Ayers-Allen Rashad (Claire Hanks Huxtable), born June 19th 1948 is only 10 years older that TV daughter Sabrina LeBeouf(Sandra Huxtable) who was born in 1958.

Ronny G · 07-22-2012, 09:40 PM

Those are good examples, everybody!

Here's another one:

The Jeffersons' Sherman Hemsley (b. 1938) was only 11 years older than his TV son, Lionel, played by Mike Evans (b. 1949)

Retro4Life · 07-22-2012, 10:27 PM

Terry Quinn who played John Locke on "Lost" was born in 1952, while Kevin Tighe, the man who played his father, Anthony Cooper, was born in 1944. Unless he was a daddy at eight, which I guess is physically POSSIBLE but incredibly rare, he really was too young for that role.

Mr. Television · 07-22-2012, 11:31 PM

Barbara Bel Geddes who played Miss Ellie on Dallas was born in 1922. Larry Hagman who played JR was born in 1931. That would make her 9 when she had JR. lol

jehobden · 07-22-2012, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawkeye123

Vikki Lawrence, playing Mama on Mama's family was another one. I'm sure her and, her son on the show we're pretty close in age.

If you're referring to Vinton Harper, Ken Berry is actually much older than Vicki Lawrence. He was born in 1933 (same year as Carol Burnett), and she was born in 1949.

jehobden · 07-22-2012, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

Barbara Bel Geddes who played Miss Ellie on Dallas was born in 1922. Larry Hagman who played JR was born in 1931. That would make her 9 when she had JR. lol

Donna Reed, who played Miss Ellie for the 1984-85 season, was born in 1921, so she was also too young to be Larry Hagman's mother.

ThomasE · 07-23-2012, 12:04 AM

On All My Children, Actress Cady McClain who played Dixie (b. 1969) was too young to play mother to JR. Chandler played by Jacob Young (b. 1979)

For a while Kellie Giddish who played Dixie's sister (b. 1980) tried to pass herself off as JR's mother as well. LOL.

Sheyen · 07-23-2012, 02:27 AM

On the Waltons, Michael Learned (Olivia) was born 1939, and Richard Thomas (John Boy) was born 1951.

On Family Ties Meridith Baxter (Elyse) was born 1947, Michael J Fox was born 1961.

On The Munsters Al Lewis (Grandpa) was born 1923, and Fred Gwynne was born 1926.

Schmoopie · 07-23-2012, 07:30 AM

Kelsey Grammar (Frasier Crane) was born in 1955, David Hyde Pierce (Niles Crane) was born in 1959 and John Mahoney (who played their father, Martin Crane) was born in 1940! Weird, since I thought they were very believable as sons and father despite how close in age they really were!

Yong Fang · 07-23-2012, 09:29 AM

On Good Times, John Amos is 19 years younger than his TV wife, Esther Rolle. Amos is only nine years older than Jimmy Walker. (I looked up Walker's Wiki and he is now 65. J.J. is a freaking Senior Citizen!) Amos is also only 14 years older than BernNadette Stanis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bern_Nadette_Stanis
(only because she looks good in her Wiki picture).

On the Jeffersons, Isabel Sanford was 20 years older than her TV husband Sherman Hemsley. Mike Evans, who played Lionel Jefferson is only 11 years younger than Sherman. When Mike Evans was born, Hemsley was 11 and Sanford was 31. In my opinion, black people usually age very gracefully and it is easier to make an African American actor/actress older or younger than a European American (or white) one. Sanford looked 15 years younger, poor George 15 years older.

Bonnie Franklin is less than 16 years older than Valarie Bertinelli and 14 years older than MacKenzie Phillips. I read somewhere that Franklin herself admitted that she was too young to play the role, but I think she was actually "older" in the character than her age by at least 5 years.

James28 · 07-23-2012, 05:27 PM

Can aminated series be included in this thread or is this thread for live-action series only?

07-19-2012, 03:51 AM	#1
Ronny G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 14, 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 540	Actors who were too young to play another actor's parent Let's start a list of actors who were too young to play another actor's parent on a television series (live-action, not animated). I got this idea from another thread I started on the "Good Times" board. I was reading Jimmie Walker's new autobiography, and he writes that John Amos, who played his father, was only 8 years older than him! I checked the dates on imdb.com. John Amos was born in 1939 Jimmie Walker was born in 1947 Esther Rolle was born in 1920 In real life, John Amos is be too young to be Jimmie's father... but...Esther Rolle was old enough to be John's mother! I just thought these were interesting facts. I don't know why this came as a surprise to me because I always thought while watching the show that James was too young looking compared to Florida, but he does look a lot older than J.J. Jimmie Walker had a very youthful appearance when he was 30. Okay, get the idea? Anyone else have any more examples?
	Last edited by Ronny G; 07-23-2012 at 06:09 PM.

07-19-2012, 04:16 AM	#2
hawkeye123 Member Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2012 Posts: 1,390	The only one I can think of right off hand, was Estelle Getty playing Bea Arthurs mom on Golden girls. She is actually younger then Bea.
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07-19-2012, 10:25 AM	#4
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,386	Eleanor Audley who played the mother of Oliver Wendell Douglas on Green Acres was only 5 months older than Eddie Albert. She was born 11/19/1905 and he was born 4/22/1906
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07-22-2012, 10:27 PM	#7
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Terry Quinn who played John Locke on "Lost" was born in 1952, while Kevin Tighe, the man who played his father, Anthony Cooper, was born in 1944. Unless he was a daddy at eight, which I guess is physically POSSIBLE but incredibly rare, he really was too young for that role.
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07-22-2012, 11:31 PM	#8
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Barbara Bel Geddes who played Miss Ellie on Dallas was born in 1922. Larry Hagman who played JR was born in 1931. That would make her 9 when she had JR. lol
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07-19-2012, 04:21 AM	#3
hawkeye123 Member Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2012 Posts: 1,390	Vikki Lawrence, playing Mama on Mama's family was another one. I'm sure her and, her son on the show we're pretty close in age.

07-19-2012, 12:18 PM	#5
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	On "Meet the Browns" Tamela Mann was born in June 1966. She played Cora Simmons, the daughter of Leroy Brown who is played by her real life hubby David Mann who is two months younger than she is. Phylicia Ayers-Allen Rashad (Claire Hanks Huxtable), born June 19th 1948 is only 10 years older that TV daughter Sabrina LeBeouf(Sandra Huxtable) who was born in 1958.

07-22-2012, 09:40 PM	#6
Ronny G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 14, 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 540	Those are good examples, everybody! Here's another one: The Jeffersons' Sherman Hemsley (b. 1938) was only 11 years older than his TV son, Lionel, played by Mike Evans (b. 1949)

07-23-2012, 12:04 AM	#11
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	On All My Children, Actress Cady McClain who played Dixie (b. 1969) was too young to play mother to JR. Chandler played by Jacob Young (b. 1979) For a while Kellie Giddish who played Dixie's sister (b. 1980) tried to pass herself off as JR's mother as well. LOL.

07-23-2012, 02:27 AM	#12
Sheyen Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 05, 2004 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 22	On the Waltons, Michael Learned (Olivia) was born 1939, and Richard Thomas (John Boy) was born 1951. On Family Ties Meridith Baxter (Elyse) was born 1947, Michael J Fox was born 1961. On The Munsters Al Lewis (Grandpa) was born 1923, and Fred Gwynne was born 1926.
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07-23-2012, 07:30 AM	#13
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	Kelsey Grammar (Frasier Crane) was born in 1955, David Hyde Pierce (Niles Crane) was born in 1959 and John Mahoney (who played their father, Martin Crane) was born in 1940! Weird, since I thought they were very believable as sons and father despite how close in age they really were!
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07-23-2012, 09:29 AM	#14
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	On Good Times, John Amos is 19 years younger than his TV wife, Esther Rolle. Amos is only nine years older than Jimmy Walker. (I looked up Walker's Wiki and he is now 65. J.J. is a freaking Senior Citizen!) Amos is also only 14 years older than BernNadette Stanis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bern_Nadette_Stanis (only because she looks good in her Wiki picture). On the Jeffersons, Isabel Sanford was 20 years older than her TV husband Sherman Hemsley. Mike Evans, who played Lionel Jefferson is only 11 years younger than Sherman. When Mike Evans was born, Hemsley was 11 and Sanford was 31. In my opinion, black people usually age very gracefully and it is easier to make an African American actor/actress older or younger than a European American (or white) one. Sanford looked 15 years younger, poor George 15 years older. Bonnie Franklin is less than 16 years older than Valarie Bertinelli and 14 years older than MacKenzie Phillips. I read somewhere that Franklin herself admitted that she was too young to play the role, but I think she was actually "older" in the character than her age by at least 5 years.

07-23-2012, 05:27 PM	#15
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,981	Can aminated series be included in this thread or is this thread for live-action series only?
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