# What sitcom had a lot of child actors that were regulars go on to success as actors . Actors had to be minors to count, not playing minors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [May 24, 2025, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746 "2025-05-24T13:10:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [May 25, 2025, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/61 "2025-05-25T02:22:49Z")
_Grace Under Fire_ is worth considering. Dylan and Cole Sprouse (mentioned a lot upthread) have this show as their earliest credit, and Noah Segan played Quentin in the pilot episode, with maybe a little too much intensity. He was quickly replaced and has kept very busy ever since. There were a lot of other child actors on the show, but most of them did not transition to adult acting careers. This show was the end of the line for poor Jon Paul Steuer, and it was kind of the highlight for Caitlin Cullum and Sam Horrigan. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/62 "2025-05-25T05:28:55Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > Growing Pains. > > Although I’m loathe to consider Kirk Cameron as successful, the show also had a young Leonardo DiCaprio (towards the end of the series, at least). In their later seasons, they had a younger daughter named Chrissy, who was played by Ashley Johnson, who has become well-known as the voice of Ellie in the _The Last of Us_ video games. She also had a cameo role as Anna, Ellie’s mother, in the HBO adaptation of the game. She also had a bit part in _The Avengers_ as a waitress saved by Captain America. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/63 "2025-05-25T06:28:14Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > > [@Disinfectus](#): > > > > Growing Pains. > > > > Although I’m loathe to consider Kirk Cameron as successful, the show also had a young Leonardo DiCaprio (towards the end of the series, at least). > > In their later seasons, they had a younger daughter named Chrissy, who was played by Ashley Johnson, who has become well-known as the voice of Ellie in the _The Last of Us_ video games. She also had a cameo role as Anna, Ellie’s mother, in the HBO adaptation of the game. She also had a bit part in _The Avengers_ as a waitress saved by Captain America. Ashley Johnson has worked a hell of a lot. 164 credits in IMDB. A lot of those roles are voice acting but she is also in front of the camera. She was one of the main characters on the show _Blindspot_ (100 episodes). Her role in Avengers was supposed to be bigger but it wound up on the cutting room floor. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/64 "2025-05-25T14:55:39Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Add Victoria Justice to that show though! Not quite caught up to The Cosby Show but getting close … Until yesterday I had no idea what this show was. Even the mention upthread didn’t register with me, I’d never seen it, my kids were past the target age by the time it was on. I was thinking Selena Gomez may have been on some sitcom and found out about it. The ages have to be checked, but I see Gomez, Justice, Ashley Tisdale, those Sprouse kids, Zack Efron, Miley Cyrus, and Vanessa Hudgens as names I recognize so depending on the air dates and birth dates this one could be a contender. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/65 "2025-05-25T16:54:44Z")
Tinsdale was outside of age range. Several of the others were guests and not _regulars_, which was in the OP title. Raven Symone was also a guest (crossover ep) but was older than the specified age. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/66 "2025-05-25T17:06:54Z")
Yeah, I glossed over a large part of Johnson’s résumé, including _Blindspot_, but that wasn’t intended to be a critique on her abilities. I never watched _Blindspot_, so it just completely slipped off my radar. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/67 "2025-05-25T17:47:43Z")
I know it doesn’t really fit the category, but I was surprised to learn that Natasha Lyonne was one of the little kids who appeared regularlay on Pee Wee’s Playhouse. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/68 "2025-05-25T18:05:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I was thinking Selena Gomez may have been on some sitcom That by the way was Wizards of Waverly Place. My kids loved it. But the in front of camera success of her child regular costars do not qualify. She had been a Barney kid as her first gig. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/69 "2025-05-25T18:35:25Z")
Thanks for checking that out. The limitations in the thread make sense because a lot of successful actors started as children in bit parts. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/70 "2025-05-25T18:41:41Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Until yesterday I had no idea what this show was. Consider yourself lucky. It was god-awful. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/71 "2025-05-27T13:20:19Z")
Not surprising. My kids even gave up on Disney pap. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/72 "2025-05-27T18:13:30Z")
To be fair, it was a small fraction of children’s programming that was good. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/73 "2025-05-27T18:52:48Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Not surprising. My kids even gave up on Disney pap. A lot of children’s programming is written well enough to appeal to adults, too. But in my experience Disney and Nickelodeon live-action series are _not_ those shows. Forget the horrible writing, everybody on the shows is almost universally a horrible actor. Just unwatchably bad stuff. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/74 "2025-05-27T19:02:46Z")
> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#): > > doh! And it was right in the OP if I had read it carefully! Hmm, what about a classic from my childhood, Silver Spoons? Ricky Schroeder, Jason Bateman, and Alfonso Ribeiro starred. This is the thread-winner IMO. Ribeiro was kind of a one-trick pony as Carlton, but it was a pretty damned big trick. Bateman is now known mostly for the major roles he’s played as an adult, his (significant) child role is barely remembered. Sucks to be Shroeder, the star of _Silver Spoons_, who didn’t do much afterward. I guess that’s why he’s on the MAGA circuit now, the last refuge of washed-up actors who blame everyone else for their diminishment. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/75 "2025-05-27T19:05:11Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > One of the Sprouse twins from _Zack and Cody_ went on to act in other shows. > > Oh, Cole Sprouse was on _Riverdale_ You can add Brenda Song to that list. She was seventeen when _Zack and Cody_ premiered. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/76 "2025-05-27T19:08:46Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Sucks to be Shroeder, the star of _Silver Spoons_, who didn’t do much afterward. He was a regular cast member on _NYPD Blue_, _Strong Medicine_, and _24_. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/77 "2025-05-27T22:15:57Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > Not surprising. My kids even gave up on Disney pap. > > A lot of children’s programming is written well enough to appeal to adults, too. But in my experience Disney and Nickelodeon live-action series are _not_ those shows. Forget the horrible writing, everybody on the shows is almost universally a horrible actor. Just unwatchably bad stuff. After being forced to watch a lot of that programming over many years I have to say that the exception to that is the show _Good Luck Charlie._ I’m not saying it was like watching the Royal Shakespeare Company. Or even that it was good. I thought that it was the only show on Disney that was equal in quality to the typical family sitcom of the time. I’m not sure if the cast qualifies for this thread. It’s pretty amazing what Bridget Mendler has done since the show. She was either 17 or 18 when the show started. Afterwards along with continuing to act she graduated from USC. Then she got a masters from MIT, a JD from Harvard and is either a doctoral candidate or a phd from MIT. She is the CEO of a company called Northwood Space. The younger brother on the show has continued to act and do new media stuff. Mia Talerico who played Charlie the baby has over 1 million followers on instagram which I understand can be very lucrative. She is also starting to act again. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/78 "2025-05-28T00:47:03Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > After being forced to watch a lot of that programming over many years I have to say that the exception to that is the show _Good Luck Charlie._ Damn, my kids were just past the age to watch that. I swear, The Suite Life was like nails on a chalkboard. Worse than Hannah Montana. Much worse. Thank goodness we all loved the non-Disney “Malcolm in the Middle”. None of the child stars did the transition to adult stardom, nor seemed to care to. The kids all seem to have fulfilling lives. Bryan Cranston made the jump, but he was just a bit older than 18. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/79 "2025-05-28T10:05:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > He was a regular cast member on _NYPD Blue_, _Strong Medicine_, and _24_. Don’t recall him on _24_, never watched _NYPD Blue_, never even heard of _Strong Medicine_, so I’ll stand by the characterization of “he didn’t do much”. Things, perhaps, but not much. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746/80 "2025-05-28T10:21:19Z")
NYPD Blue was among the biggest shows in the 90’s, and Schroder featured heavily in it. I remember him from it to this day. 24 was among the biggest shows of the 2000’s. (Didn’t watch). Strong Medicine was “the highest-rated original drama on basic cable in 2001”. (Didn’t watch). > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Things, perhaps, but not much. is pretty out there, for this level of success. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sitcom-had-a-lot-of-child-actors-that-were-regulars-go-on-to-success-as-actors-actors-had-to-be-minors-to-count-not-playing-minors/1018746.md?page=5)