Since the pre-war glory days of Shirley Temple, children have emerged as some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Most, like Macauley Culkin, who became a huge star due to the Home Alone films of the 1990s, embody an endearing cuteness that captured the heart of America—with the aid of much marketing. Common too, as many exposes have revealed, are the hardships many of these young stars endure. These include clashes with parents over money (Gary Coleman of the sitcom Different Strokes, as well as Caulkin), drug abuse as fame fades (David Cassidy River Phoenix), suicide attempts and difficult adult lives. Elizabeth Taylor started her career as a child actor and went on to become one of the great sex symbols of the 1950s and 1960s, as well as one of Hollywood’s constant tabloid stories.

Nonetheless, child stars may have family in the “business.” For example, Hayley Mills was the daughter of English actor Sir John Mills. Drew Barrymore, who has grown up, gone into recovery and kept her stardom as a young adult, belongs to the Barrymore theatrical dynasty Others raise the specter of the “stage mother” (Gypsy, 1962).

Other popular child stars who have managed to develop later careers include director Ron Howard, who started as a sincere young child, Opie, in The Andy Griffith Show.

Marie and Donny Osmond, who emerged as Mormon pop singers in the late 1960s, have tried to resurrect their careers with a talk show. Jodie Foster and Cristina Ricci, meanwhile, broke the mold of child stars, presenting darker, more complicated versions of childhood (Taxi Driver, 1976; Adam’s Family Values, 1993). Both have successful adult careers.