Your Favorite Child Stars

[path40a]

Mary Lou, regarding Terry Kilburn, if you get a chance to rent the Swiss Family Robinson (1960) DVD, check out the extras which includes 20 minutes of clips from the original 1940 version which features Kilburn as one of the boys alongside Freddie Bartholomew and Tim Holt (Thomas Mitchell & Edna Best are the parents). Even if you don't watch the Disney color version, seeing the older B&W version was worth the price of admission for me. Too bad it's not available in full length. For more on this 1940 film, see:

 

http://www.classicfilmguide.com/index.php?s=other_reviews&item=223

[tomagain77]

A reminder to any Shirley Temple fans that get the Fox Movie Channel. FMC will be showing Shirley movies starting at midnight on Christmas Eve and going for at least 24 hours.

 

Tom

[bansi4]

Ravenjazz, I didn't forget charming child actor Richard Nichols. There is a post about him on page 3 of this thread.

[CCewAJfaMarx]

Jackie Coogan the orphan in Charlie Chaplins the kid or uncle fester in the adams family tv show

[deadpandiva]

With out a doubt Virginia Weidler.

[patful]

Margaret O'Brien is easily my favorite actress, child or adult. If you want to see a 43-year-old man cry, show me one of her films. By the way, if there are any other O'Brien fans out there, please request her lesser-shown films! I was really disappointed they didn't have a marathon on her birthday this year, and I'm still requesting (once a month) and waiting for Lost Angel, Jane Eyre (commercial-free instead of AMC), Music for Millions, The Unfinished Dance, Big City (1948), Her First Romance, and Heller in Pink Tights. Help!

[sandykaypax]

JANE EYRE is a Fox film, and it is shown on Fox Movie Channel sometimes. Maybe you can catch it there.

 

Sandy K

[patful]

Thanks. Unfortunately, my DISH service doesn't include FMC. Months ago when I searched TCM's database, Jane Eyre, Her First Romance, and Heller in Pink Tights weren't listed, but they showed up after another check a few days ago. Maybe they've purchased the rights in the last few months?

[yogiboo]

Let me jump on the Virginia Weidler bandwagon! I don't know about her being the best but she was fave of mine. Adorable in Philadelphia Story and in The Women. She was talented...could sing and dance and had a certain accessability. Not too cute, real down to earth.

I always thought she looked like she could play Mary Wickes as a child. As she got older, she wasn't so cute. Today, she'd have probably gotten a nose job.

She died young, from a heart condition....mid 40's, I believe. I saw her in a B movie musical set at a boarding school. Lucille Ball was in the film, playing herself. Forget the name.

I have to add Roddy MacDowell and Jackie Cooper (who, Roddy said, was the best of them all.).

[mrssippy]

A movie I'm really fond of is "Enchantment" with David Niven, Teresa Wright,

Farley Granger and Evelyn Keyes. Child actors in this movie are Peter Miles and

Gigi Perreau. I cry every time I watch it.

[XBergmanX]

1. Freddie Bartholomew- Captains Courages, The Devil is a Sissy, Listen Darling, Lloyds of London, David Copperfield, Little Lord Fauntleroy

 

2. Jackie Coogan- The Kid, The Rag Man, Oliver Twist

 

3. Bobby Driscoll- The Window, The Fighting Sullivans, So Dear To My Heart, Treasure Island, Peter Pan

 

4. Peggy Ann Garner- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

 

5. Jodie Foster- Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Freaky Friday, Candleshoe, Taxi Driver

 

6. Scotty Beckett- Listen Darling, The Pursuit, The Boy From Stalingrad, Kings Row, Anthony Adverse, The Vanishing Virginian

 

7. Darryl Hickman- Men of Boys Town, Boys Ranch, The Grapes of Wrath, Leave Her to Heaven

 

8. Skippy Homier- Tomorrow The World, Boys Ranch, Arthur Takes Over, The Gunfighter

 

9. Haley Joel Osment- The 6th Sense, A.I., Pay It Forward,

 

10. Mickey Rooney- Boys Town, Andy Hardy and many many more

 

11. Jamie Bell- Billy Elliot, Nicholas Nickleby, Undertow, King Kong

 

12. Nikolai Burlyayev- Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Hero of Our Time, Two Comrades Were Serving

 

13. Freddie Highmore- Two Brothers, Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Women Talking Dirty

 

14. Clemant van den Bergh- Class Trip, Fire That Burns, Like An Airplane

 

15. Jean Pierre- Leaud- The 400 Blows, Testament of Orpheus, Antoine et Colette, Boulevard

[Leed]

Billy Mumy

[coolrob1955]

Don't forget Mandy Miller (who ?)

[luvoldmoviez]

Shirley Temple and Margaret O'brien.

 

The Unfinished Dance made me a Margaret O'brien fan for life.

[jarhfive]

luvoldmoviez,

 

If you like Margaret O'Brien, I highly recommend the movie "Three Wise Fools", from 1946. A couple of days ago, I watched a recording of a recent TCM broadcast.

 

Margaret O'Brien--a very talented actress.

"Three Wise Fools"--a wonderful movie.

 

Milstein

[luvoldmoviez]

Thanks Jarhfive! Did that show on TCM? Am I understanding you correctly?

I'm not sure I've seen that one. I'll be sure to check for it.

[jarhfive]

luvoldmoviez,

 

Let me look...TCM broadcast on 3/10/06. I am sure that the movie will be broadcast on TCM in the near future. Maybe, within the next three or four months.

 

Margaret O'Brien is eight or nine years old in "Three Wise Fools", speaks with a convincing Irish accent (throughout the movie) and is not even annoying during her tear-filled moments. Look for "Three Wise Fools" broadcast between 2 A.M. and noon (eastern time). The March 10th was 6:00 A.M. eastern (naturally).

 

One other O'Brien classic you might consider a 'view'--"Our Vines Have Tender Grapes".

 

Movies (simply) don't get any better than the two I mention in this message.

My opinion, of course.

 

Rusty

[katyscar11ett]

I'm not fond of child actors, as a rule, but I love Ronnie Howard, today, yesterday and always. IMO he was just the best - Oppie, Richie, and today as Ron, the director.

[patful]

Didn't know there were any other Margaret O'Brien fans out there. If you're still reading this thread, when did you see "The Unfinished Dance"? I've been requesting it for over a year now, with no results. I can't recall it ever being on. TCM was in the habit of showing only her more popular movies, but lately they've thankfully been showing her other films. As in my earlier post, please request her movies!

[katyscar11ett]

Pat, I really like Margaret O'Brien, as well, and as I mentioned I don't usually like child actors - I think she's great, however. And I will also request her movies, including The Unfinished Dance, which I've never seen.

[patful]

Thanks. I honestly never really liked child stars either. With the exception of a very few, they're always too over-the-top, or like the newest generation, emotionless. O'Brien, Peggy Ann Garner, and Roddy McDowell are among the few I like, but you're right, Ron Howard is among the best. But because his career has lasted so long, I forget that he was a child actor, even though I grew up with his early movies and television.

[luvoldmoviez]

I've only seen the Unfinished Dance twice. Both times were so long ago. Way before cable television, lol. It was on a local channel in my hometown that showed old movies late at night and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. For someone who hasn't seen it, if I remember correctly, O'Brien was a ballerina (in training) who has a dance idol that she wants to be the head ballerina. She does something really tragic to ensure her idol gets the top spot.

[gmabfd]

Totally agree about Ron. He seems to be down to earth. I remember him in, "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" with Glenn Ford & Shirley Jones. I'm glad to see how he grew up, on & off the screen.

[bansi4]

Reminder:

 

On Tuesday October 2nd. at 8:00 PM est. on "Private Screenings", host Robert Osborne will be joined by former child stars, Margaret O'Brien (69), Dickie Moore (81), Jane Withers (80), and Darryl Hickman (75).

It should be interesting to say the least.

[hayleyperrin]

I think that Margaret O'Brien is one of the best child stars ive ever seen and she is a very very talented actress and singer.........