Not too long ago, I was IM'ing with a relative and we were discussing the greatest child stars of all time. In particular, we were talking about the list of the 100 Greatest Kid Stars that VH-1 compiled a couple of years ago. Since I didn't have a blog when this special 1st aired, I'll take this opportunity to vent.
After looking at VH-1's list of the 100 Greatest Kid Stars, it reminded me of something that might soil the shoes of a matador. You can pretty much guess that the people who compiled it grew up in the 70s and 80s. However, if you are going to do a list like this, you should at least know your entertainment history. In case you are wondering, Gary Coleman came in at #1. No doubt he should be ranked, but not that high. As for who I would rank at #1, I'll get to that later.
From the looks of the list, you were a shoo-in if you were a child star who appeared on an 80s sitcom. How else do you explain the inclusion of Amy Linker (#89)? Are you asking yourself, who is Amy Linker? Unless you are a pop culture junkie like me, you may not recognize the name. Amy, along with a bespectacled Sarah Jessica-Parker, starred in the 1982-83 sitcom "Square Pegs". Now don't get me wrong. "Square Pegs" was one of my favorite shows back in the day (me and my sister used to watch it every Monday nights at 8 pm) and Amy was really good in her role as Lauren Hutchinson. However, she still doesn't belong on this list.
Another child actor who inexplicably made the cut is Peter Ostrum (#78). Sure, he starred in a film that was a big part of many of our childhoods (he played Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). But come on... that's the only major credit on his resume'! Amy Linker and Peter Ostrum are just two of the names that shouldn't be on the list. Trust me, there are many others.
VH-1 did manage to get some things right with this list. I was pleased to see Ron Howard ranked at #7. I don't think he gets alot of credit for his work on "The Andy Griffith Show". To get an idea of how good Ron Howard was, check out the AGS episode where Opie accidentally kills a mother bird with his slingshot.
Since "Family" rarely appears in syndication anymore, I was pleasantly surprised to see Kristy McNichol on the list (#49). Last year I purchased the Complete First and Second Season DVD set for the ABC drama and was reminded at how excellent Kristy was in the role of Buddy Lawrence. Some of the other deserving performers who made VH-1's list include: Melissa Gilbert (#31), Fred Savage (#27), Keshia Knight- Pulliam (#19), and Emanuel Lewis (#6).
As I mentioned earlier, it's a safe bet that the people who came up with the list were children of the 70s and 80s. As a result, there is a lack of child stars from the pre-1970 era. I understand that VH-1's primary demographic is probably in the 30-49 age range. Still, I don't see how you can compile a list like this and leave off people like Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Mathers, Judy Garland, Jackie Cooper, and (in my opinion) the greatest child star of all time... Shirley Temple.
Back in the 70s, Channel 50 in Detroit used to show Shirley Temple movies almost every Sunday morning. However, I had zero interest in taking a ride on the Good Ship Lollipop. When it came to old movies that I enjoyed as a kid, I was more into Our Gang (aka Little Rascals), The Three Stooges, and Abbott & Costello. With that being said, I would still rank Shirley as the greatest child star of all time. During her time at Fox (1933-40), she was the studio's biggest star. Not only that, but she even ranked as the top-grossing box office star in America for four straight years (1935-38).
For Shirley Temple not to be ranked #1 on a list of the Greatest Kid Stars is ludicrous to me. To leave her off completely makes absolutely no sense. It's like putting together a list of the greatest stand-up comics and leaving off Richard Pryor!
Who do you think should and shouldn't have made the list? To view it, please visit the following link:
100 Greatest Kid Stars
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9 comments:
I totally agree with you about these lists. They should be called "Greatest Child Stars of he 70s and 80s." I do enjoy them but they're incomplete.
Oh boy did I love watching Shirley Temple on Channel 50 - that was such a great channel for kids back then. And the Little Rascals - whatever channel they were on - were some of my favorites too.
Thanks for reminding me of them!
I am a huge Shirley Temple fan and totally agree that she should have been #1 on the list, no disrespect to Gary Coleman. You named a gang of stars who also should have made the list. Actually some of the stars of the Our Gang series should have been on that list. I know it is a demographic issue, but come on now, life did not begin in the 70's and 80's.
There are people who are actually still alive and not senile who would appreciate a little more accuracy with regards to this list. For instance Judy Garland was a very significant child star before she made the transition to adult films ("The Wizard of Oz", "Andy Hardy", etc.). There was no mention of her or Mickey Rooney (another great child star).
If a true list of the greatest child stars were compiled half of the people who made that list would not have. I enjoyed your final analogy paralleling Shirley Temple with Richard Pryor as far as both of them reaching the pinnacle of their respective fields. I can see VH1 compiling a list of comedians and Pryor coming in at #29 or some such nonsense because their list usually make little sense.
VH1's list are always skewed. I'm a child of the 70's and 80's and I would not have complied this list excluding those you mentioned. Most certainly not Temple, Garland and Rooney. Or O'Brien or Wood.
In my opinion it has nothing to do with the ages of those compiling the list but the ages of those watching the show. That's what it's about and will always be. Ratings don't care about accuracy.
I recall TCM had a few Private Screenings Child Stars episodes at some point. Probably the only way a true list could be complied is for someone such as them to do it.
Hey Malcolm,
They used to show Shirley Temple movies in my hometown (Memphis) on Saturdays. I much as I still can't stand watching her, you're right. She should have been on the list.
But wait, they left off the Beav? Oh no, say it ain't so (smile). Now, that's my show (LOL). What about Julia's Corey Baker and his little friend (I can't recall his name) from next door?
Like you, I too was a big fan of "Family". I also watched "Square Pegs", for a minute, a show my hubby claims he can't even remember.
I totally remember Square Pegs because I went to high school with Jami Gertz and she landed the role of Muffy on that show. It was a HUGE deal back in high school and we all watched it religiously! I actually liked the show, I wish it had gone on longer...
I'm going to have to think a minute about who else should be on this list....when I looked at it, there was a lot of people I had forgotten about!
Jessica The Rock Chick
BookMama: Channel 50 was great wasn't it?! They showed all sorts of great stuff when we were kids (The Little Rascals, The Monkees, The Banana Splits, Bill Kennedy At the Movies, etc.).
Pjazzy: Good call on Our Gang and Mickey Rooney. Another child star that I just thought of who is worthy of the list is Jackie Coogan. But hell, if VH-1 doesn't see fit to honor child stars from the 30s through the 60s, I can't expect them to remember someone from the silent era!
Taj: I forgot about Margaret O'Brien and Natalie Wood...shame on me! I saw that Private Screenings episode that you mentioned. It was cool to see Jane Withers, Dickie Moore, Daryl Hickman, and Margaret O'Brien reminisce about the old days.
Lori: In addition to the Beav, I think we could also make a case for Tony Dow (Wally), Ken Osmond (Eddie Haskell), etc. making the list. Wasn't Eddie a slippery SOB!
Earl J. Waggedorn was Corey Baker's friend next door. I didn't get the chance to see Julia in reruns when I was a kid. The 1st time I ever saw it was when TV Land aired it in the late 90s.
I have a feeling that Sony is going to leave me hanging and not release the remaining seasons of "Family" on DVD. Still no word on whether or not "Square Pegs" will be released.
The Rock Chick: Wow, you went to school with Jami Gertz! I was upset when CBS cancelled "Square Pegs". I have the theme song playing in my head as I type.
Malcolm - Here's a funny - back in the day, Jami Gertz' brother (Michael?) was one of our vendor reps - for Warner Bros maybe? He was fond of dropping her name now and then. This was in 2000-2001, so right before she was back in the limelight with Still Standing.
Funny you should mention Square Pegs here when I just added it to the shows they should bring back. I'm with you though on Amy not really being much of a child star. Now, Jennifer Denucio, she was cool.
OK. I knew who every single one of these was, except JILL WHELAN, so if I had to pick one to remove, that's it. But there were plenty of others that are NOT in my top 100.
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