# Child stars too obscure to make VH1's "100 Greatest" countdown **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715 "2005-12-15T13:39:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/1 "2005-12-15T13:39:20Z")
Earlier this week I TiVoed all five hours of VH1’s “100 Greatest Child Stars” and just finished watching it last night. Funny thing about these countdowns – as stupid as they are, they kinda suck you in with that treacly nostalgia vibe, and it’s neat to see how some of them actually turned out okay – like Malcolm Jamaal Warner as a reggae musician, Dustin “Screech” Diamond as a foul-mouthed insult comic, or the chick who played Blair Warner on Facts of Life who became a devout Christian and quit show business because it took her away from her “proper role as a woman” – that is, barefoot & pregnant in the kitchen. (I swear, I didn’t make that up.) Anyway, in case you’re dying to know the most famous and influential child stars in history, here’s the link(s): [100-81](http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/92319/episode_featured_copy.jhtml) - [80-61](http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/92320/episode_featured_copy.jhtml) - [60-41](http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/92321/episode_featured_copy.jhtml) - [40-21](http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/92322/episode_featured_copy.jhtml) - [20-1](http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/92323/episode_featured_copy.jhtml). I counted six Cosbys, seven Bradys, five from The Facts of Life, and three each from Roseanne, The Wonder Years, Diff’rent Strokes, Growing Pains, and Full House. Landmark shows, all of them. And while some of the movie stars seemed to place a bit low – Christina Ricci (#97), Elijah Wood (#75), Sarah Jessica Parker (#39) – you gotta admit, none of them have had the supreme staying power of Jonathan Lipnicki (#13). Of course, there were a few stars who didn’t make the countdown. (That’s the downside of these shows, you wind up staying awake all night brainstorming the names they skipped over…or, more likely, couldn’t get clearance for their TV shows and films.) But, when you think about it, you must agree that the brilliance of Hanson and Keisha Knight Pulliam soundly trump those flash-in-the-pan actors like Jackie Coogan, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Dean Stockwell, Jay North, Mark Lester, David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Ralph Macchio, Elizabeth Shue, River Phoenix, Leonardo de Caprio, Christian Bale, Neil Patrick Harris, Lukas Haas, Sean Astin, Martha Plimpton, Jonathan Brandis, Christina Applegate, Lucas Black, Dakota Fanning, Emma Watson, Frankie Muniz, Haley Joel Osment… Any more that I’m missing? ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/2 "2005-12-15T14:04:50Z")
Jackie Coogan didn’t make the list? He was the **first** child star for Chrissakes! (Well, maybe Baby Peggy was the first; not sure of my chronology.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/3 "2005-12-15T14:25:51Z")
Actually, I think they might have just been listing TV child stars. The most obvious names left off both lists: [Margaret O’Brien](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0639684/) George McFarland, Carl Switzer, Scotty Beckett, Matthew Beard, Darla Hood, and the rest of **Our Gang** Baby Leroy [Linda Manz](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0544371/). ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/4 "2005-12-15T14:27:36Z")
I don’t see Bill Mumy’s name anywhere. Matt Dillon should qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/5 "2005-12-15T14:30:51Z")
Didn’t see Danny Cooksey on there either. He played Sam on Diff’rent Strokes and the rocker kid on Salute your Shorts on Nickelodeon. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/6 "2005-12-15T14:50:20Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Actually, I think they might have just been listing TV child stars. While TV-heavy, they did have a smattering of boy bands and movie stars. Mac Culkin and Elijah Wood, certainly, never did TV. A few more I thought of since posting: Thora Birch, Miko Hughes, Chris Makepeace, Hayley Mills. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/7 "2005-12-15T14:51:45Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Actually, I think they might have just been listing TV child stars. I dunno. It says “100 Greatest Kid Stars”, and lists Macaulay Culkin as number 2. I agree with Nonsuch. Leaving off Jackie Coogan is an abomination that destroys any credibility the list might have had. That’s one thing I hate about such lists; often, they have a period span of about ten years max. That means that VH1’s list twenty years from now might not mention any names from its list today. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/8 "2005-12-15T17:09:28Z")
There are 47 actors in the world _worse_ than Michael “DJ Conner” Fishman?! Would Michael “George Michael Bluth” Cera count, or is he too old? ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/9 "2005-12-24T22:51:38Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > While TV-heavy, they did have a smattering of boy bands and movie stars. Mac Culkin and Elijah Wood, certainly, never did TV. Actually, Mac Culkin provided the voice for The Wish Kid cartoon series. More recently, he guest-starred on Will & Grace. Both Mac and Elijah lent their voices to _Frasier_. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/10 "2005-12-24T23:12:03Z")
What?! No Rodney Allan Rippey?! Fixed! It’s fixed, I tell you! ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/11 "2005-12-25T00:23:08Z")
Poor [Jackie Cooper](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0178114/). Still the only child actor to be nominated for Best Actor, in feature films as a lead throughout the first half of the 1930’s, a success in adult life as a TV actor/director- and not on their list. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/12 "2005-12-25T00:33:44Z")
I’d list the ten “red team” members of the 1950’s Mickey Mouse Club – Doreen Tracy, Cheryl Holdridge, Karen Pendleton, Sharon Baird, Annette Funnicello, Darlene Gillespie, Bobby Burgess, Cubby O’Brien, Tommy Cole and Lonnie Burr. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/13 "2005-12-25T00:37:53Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > I’d list the ten “red team” members of the 1950’s Mickey Mouse Club – Doreen Tracy, Cheryl Holdridge, Karen Pendleton, Sharon Baird, Annette Funnicello, Darlene Gillespie, Bobby Burgess, Cubby O’Brien, Tommy Cole and Lonnie Burr. A lot of people don’t know this, but Sharon Baird was heavily involved in Sid & Marty Krofft’s productions in the 70s as well, as a costume actor. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/14 "2005-12-25T03:23:28Z")
Jon Provost. He may have never done anything other than _Lassie_, but that was enough. ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/15 "2005-12-25T04:55:42Z")
Wasn’t there a girl named Dawn something who was supposedly leif garret’s sister? She once played Chloris leachman’s daughter? Also, whatever happened to Steve Urkel? ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/16 "2005-12-25T06:08:19Z")
Seven Bradys? Is Cousin Oliver on there somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/17 "2005-12-25T12:32:24Z")
> [@Good Egg](#): > > Also, whatever happened to Steve Urkel? > [@Random](#): > > Seven Bradys? Is Cousin Oliver on there somewhere? **Jaleel White** is #37, just edging out Darlene Connor. **Robbie Rist** landed at #76 right between Menudo and Frodo. I’ll bet most of the list was determined by how easily and/or inexpensively they could purchase the rights to air clips from each TV show. What you can’t see by reading the list is how they showed _copious_ footage from “The Brady Bunch” and “The Cosby Show” (both owned by Viacom/Paramount, who also own VH1) and _none at all_ from “Home Improvement” (owned by Disney), “Married With Children” (owned by Sony) or “The Wonder Years” (owned by Warner Bros.) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/18 "2005-12-25T14:42:36Z")
> [@Good Egg](#): > > Wasn’t there a girl named Dawn something who was supposedly leif garret’s sister? She once played Chloris leachman’s daughter? > > Also, whatever happened to Steve Urkel? Lisa Gerritsen, who played Bess Lindstrom on **Mary Tyler Moore** and **Phyllis** , got out of show business in 1975. She was last seen working for a “large software firm in California” in the 90s. No relation to Leif Garrett. Jaleel White, who played Urkel, is still a working actor with two minor film credits since 2000. He was actually in VH1’s “100 Greatest.” ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/19 "2005-12-25T14:57:06Z")
> [@Good Egg](#): > > Wasn’t there a girl named Dawn something who was supposedly leif garret’s sister? She once played Chloris leachman’s daughter? > > Also, whatever happened to Steve Urkel? You’re not misremembering. Dawn Lyn played Dodie Douglas, the youngest Douglas child on _My Three Sons_, who joined the cast after the show jumped the shark. She hasn’t acted since the 1970s, but IMDB says she counsels potential child actors on the pros and cons of working professionally. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715/20 "2005-12-25T15:03:57Z")
What a rip-off list! I mean, where was [Emil Minty?!](http://imdb.com/name/nm0591755/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxsbT01MDB8ZmI9dXxwbj0wfHE9RW1pbCBNaW50eXxodG1sPTF8bm09MQ__;fc=1;ft=20) :mad: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-stars-too-obscure-to-make-vh1s-100-greatest-countdown/335715.md?page=2)