Child/teen actors being the main lead on a network show in the 80s/90s - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

eileenhawkeye · 03-12-2013, 11:01 PM

I'm sure this has been discussed on here before...But I realized that in the 80s and 90s, there are many shows on the "Big 4" networks where someone under the age of 18 is either the main lead, or the second main lead. Nowadays, the only shows like that are on Nickeloden or Disney. Can you imagine a 12-year-old getting their own show on CBS in 2013? I can't.

Here are some examples:

Doogie Howser, MD
Blossom
Silver Spoons
Punky Brewster
Webster
The Facts of Life
Growing Pains
Saved by the Bell
Out of this World
Eerie, Indiana

Anymore you can think of?

Zoneboy · 03-12-2013, 11:45 PM

Since when was Kirk Cameron the main lead on Growing Pains?

eileenhawkeye · 03-13-2013, 01:13 AM

My bad. I guess I was thinking about how he blew up (in the teen celebrity world) due to the show. But I just watched the opening credits, and saw the parents were the first two people credited.

MacLeaper · 03-13-2013, 01:47 PM

Mike Seaver certainly became one of the main stars of "Growing Pains", but yeah- the show didn't necessarily start out that way. There's a similar scenario with Steve Urkel on "Family Matters"- except that with him, he was only supposed to be a guest star on an episode- but his character was so popular that they kept him coming back and he eventually became one of the main characters (but he was never billed at the top or anything.)
Same scenario with Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli on "Happy Days".
So it may be a technicality, but I think Kirk Cameron's character on "Growing Pains" can still fit. I would almost argue the same for Michelle Tanner on "Full House", but maybe not quite to the same extent.
But back to other '80s and/or '90s shows with a lead star under the age of 18-
Out of This World
Boy Meets World
Land of the Lost ('90s revival)
Wishbone (although the dog pretty much dwarfed everyone else on the show- lol

- oh, but this one is a PBS show, so I don't know if this counts. I guess that would also knock out "Ghostwriter" as well. )
Sidekicks
The Secret World of Alex Mack (ah- sorry, that one is a Nickeolodeon show)
The Powers of Matthew Star
Starman (LOVE this series!)
The New Lassie (this one was syndicated so I don't know if that counts)
Harry and the Hendersons (maybe?)

I would say "Diff'rent Strokes" but that started in 1978- but it ran through 1986.

Marvo301 · 03-13-2013, 01:49 PM

The Wonder Years

Zoneboy · 03-13-2013, 02:01 PM

If the producers thought Kirk was good enough to carry the show as a main lead then he would've received top billing but as far as I know he was always billed third.

IMO, he wouldn't qualify for this thread because he was not the main lead nor did he receive top billing. Same can be said for Emmanuel Lewis & Webster, although most of the storylines centered around him, the leads were Susan Clark and Alex Karras.

MacLeaper · 03-13-2013, 02:22 PM

Okay- good point. Strictly speaking, Mike Seaver and Webster can't be considered lead stars since they weren't billed as such. But they are both still certainly main characters on their respective shows and both had a number of storylines devoted to their characters.

Quote:

The Wonder Years

Definitely- great show.

Neutronman67 · 03-13-2013, 03:31 PM

The Wonder Years Kevin Arnold aka fred savage was under the age of 13 when he started the show he was the main character, the show would have been nothing without fred savage he brought the show to life with his body language and facial expressions.

catlover79 · 03-13-2013, 04:51 PM

Kellie Martin portrayed the title character in the 1994-95 CBS period drama, Christy. She was 18 at the time.

Ryan Chamberlain · 03-13-2013, 05:55 PM

Damn! She was only 18 in 95. I thought she was older because I remember her as Becca on Life Goes On and she seemed so much older than 14/15/16 on there. Then again. It may be because I was a kid when I watched that show. (A very young kid) and to me teens looked adults.

catlover79 · 03-13-2013, 08:23 PM

Yep, Kellie's birthdate is October 16, 1975, so she was 13, almost 14 when LGO premiered. I think she's always had that maturity beyond her years, that made her seem a bit older than she was/is. But she turned 18 while beginning to film the Christy pilot in the fall of 1993, and its first 6 episodes aired in the spring of 1994.

catlover79 · 03-13-2013, 08:40 PM

Tia and Tamera Mowry, born July 6, 1978, were just shy of 16 when Sister, Sister debuted April 1, 1994 and they received top billing over their on-screen parents, Jackee Harry and Tim Reid.

Neutronman67 · 03-14-2013, 10:57 AM

Cory from Boy Meets World is the main character on that show every episode dealt with him well duh he was the star of that sitcom lol

ThomasE · 03-14-2013, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

If the producers thought Kirk was good enough to carry the show as a main lead then he would've received top billing but as far as I know he was always billed third.

IMO, he wouldn't qualify for this thread because he was not the main lead nor did he receive top billing. Same can be said for Emmanuel Lewis & Webster, although most of the storylines centered around him, the leads were Susan Clark and Alex Karras.

No more calls! We have a winner!!!!

catlover79 · 03-14-2013, 09:06 PM

Hey, would this count? Even though The Dukes of Hazzard started in 1979, it aired through 1985, and John Schneider (born April 8, 1960) was 18 when the show premiered in January 1979. He and Tom Wopat were the human leads on the show, even though Tom Wopat was billed first. But John was the one who drove the General Lee most of the time, he was a teenager at the time the show started. I think that should count.

03-12-2013, 11:01 PM	#1
eileenhawkeye Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 14, 2011 Posts: 14	Child/teen actors being the main lead on a network show in the 80s/90s I'm sure this has been discussed on here before...But I realized that in the 80s and 90s, there are many shows on the "Big 4" networks where someone under the age of 18 is either the main lead, or the second main lead. Nowadays, the only shows like that are on Nickeloden or Disney. Can you imagine a 12-year-old getting their own show on CBS in 2013? I can't. Here are some examples: Doogie Howser, MD Blossom Silver Spoons Punky Brewster Webster The Facts of Life Growing Pains Saved by the Bell Out of this World Eerie, Indiana Anymore you can think of?

03-12-2013, 11:45 PM	#2
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: 34,349	Since when was Kirk Cameron the main lead on Growing Pains?
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03-13-2013, 01:47 PM	#4
MacLeaper Child of the 80s Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2001 Posts: 3,359	Mike Seaver certainly became one of the main stars of "Growing Pains", but yeah- the show didn't necessarily start out that way. There's a similar scenario with Steve Urkel on "Family Matters"- except that with him, he was only supposed to be a guest star on an episode- but his character was so popular that they kept him coming back and he eventually became one of the main characters (but he was never billed at the top or anything.) Same scenario with Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli on "Happy Days". So it may be a technicality, but I think Kirk Cameron's character on "Growing Pains" can still fit. I would almost argue the same for Michelle Tanner on "Full House", but maybe not quite to the same extent. But back to other '80s and/or '90s shows with a lead star under the age of 18- Out of This World Boy Meets World Land of the Lost ('90s revival) Wishbone (although the dog pretty much dwarfed everyone else on the show- lol - oh, but this one is a PBS show, so I don't know if this counts. I guess that would also knock out "Ghostwriter" as well. ) Sidekicks The Secret World of Alex Mack (ah- sorry, that one is a Nickeolodeon show) The Powers of Matthew Star Starman (LOVE this series!) The New Lassie (this one was syndicated so I don't know if that counts) Harry and the Hendersons (maybe?) I would say "Diff'rent Strokes" but that started in 1978- but it ran through 1986.
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03-13-2013, 01:49 PM	#5
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	The Wonder Years
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03-13-2013, 04:51 PM	#9
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Kellie Martin portrayed the title character in the 1994-95 CBS period drama, Christy. She was 18 at the time. Attached Images
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03-13-2013, 01:13 AM	#3
eileenhawkeye Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 14, 2011 Posts: 14	My bad. I guess I was thinking about how he blew up (in the teen celebrity world) due to the show. But I just watched the opening credits, and saw the parents were the first two people credited.

03-13-2013, 02:01 PM	#6
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: 34,349	If the producers thought Kirk was good enough to carry the show as a main lead then he would've received top billing but as far as I know he was always billed third. IMO, he wouldn't qualify for this thread because he was not the main lead nor did he receive top billing. Same can be said for Emmanuel Lewis & Webster, although most of the storylines centered around him, the leads were Susan Clark and Alex Karras.

03-13-2013, 03:31 PM	#8
Neutronman67 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 23, 2013 Location: Sarasota Posts: 2,538	The Wonder Years Kevin Arnold aka fred savage was under the age of 13 when he started the show he was the main character, the show would have been nothing without fred savage he brought the show to life with his body language and facial expressions.

03-13-2013, 05:55 PM	#10
Ryan Chamberlain Return Of The Silverburg 2018! Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 10, 2011 Location: Still hiding in Miles Silverburg's closet. Posts: 663	Damn! She was only 18 in 95. I thought she was older because I remember her as Becca on Life Goes On and she seemed so much older than 14/15/16 on there. Then again. It may be because I was a kid when I watched that show. (A very young kid) and to me teens looked adults.
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03-13-2013, 08:23 PM	#11
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Yep, Kellie's birthdate is October 16, 1975, so she was 13, almost 14 when LGO premiered. I think she's always had that maturity beyond her years, that made her seem a bit older than she was/is. But she turned 18 while beginning to film the Christy pilot in the fall of 1993, and its first 6 episodes aired in the spring of 1994.

03-13-2013, 08:40 PM	#12
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Tia and Tamera Mowry, born July 6, 1978, were just shy of 16 when Sister, Sister debuted April 1, 1994 and they received top billing over their on-screen parents, Jackee Harry and Tim Reid. Attached Images

03-14-2013, 10:57 AM	#13
Neutronman67 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 23, 2013 Location: Sarasota Posts: 2,538	Cory from Boy Meets World is the main character on that show every episode dealt with him well duh he was the star of that sitcom lol

03-14-2013, 09:06 PM	#15
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Hey, would this count? Even though The Dukes of Hazzard started in 1979, it aired through 1985, and John Schneider (born April 8, 1960) was 18 when the show premiered in January 1979. He and Tom Wopat were the human leads on the show, even though Tom Wopat was billed first. But John was the one who drove the General Lee most of the time, he was a teenager at the time the show started. I think that should count.