Many of you would easily remember the precious times of the ’70s. Those were when there used to be a trend of long hair, ‘groovy’ moods, and furry carpets/rugs. Having a TV was quite a show-off, and it used to be a family thing as there was no question of having Netflix or DVR. From a list of dramas such as Pleasant Times, The Brady Bunch, What Is Happening, or Happier Days, every family used to have they’re favorite show that they watched together. There must be some people who can recall some of the child actors that used to be your favorites. In this blog, we are going to discuss their whereabouts now.
Child Actors That You Have Seen On TV In The 70s Where Are They Now
David Cassidy (then)
Got his fame from The Partridge Family, David played the role of Keith Partridge. It was a pretty serious sitcom back in the days. The storyline represented Keith as the lead singer of their family band. The primary criteria behind his selection for the role were his extremely good looks. It was still the topic of discussion for the producers where they weren’t able to decide David’s singing. The sitcom ended up being on everyone’s favorite list.
David Cassidy Then
David Cassidy (now)
Once Cassidy was able to convince the producers and other concerned people that he was actually singing in the show, the plan was put to action. It eventually produced four records of The Partridge Family. Each record was sold for more than a million copies, and the tracks used to be on everyone’s mind. The star got his stardom comparatively quickly. However, he met a tragic end where he suffered liver failure and bid us his final adieu on Nov 21, 2017.
David Cassidy Now
Helen Hunt (then)
Just like her child career, Helen is still living her best career days. You can still see her in a range of TV shows and movies released these days. She has also earned an Oscar for As Good As It Comes. Not only this, but Helen has also produced and directed a comedy movie, Trip, that was released in 2014. In the film, she has also acted in it. There is quite an interesting fact that not many people know about her because she witnessed the 9/11 attack first hand through her window, and on the third day of the incident, she shifted to Connecticut for the protection of herself and the crew.
Helen Hunt Then
Helen Hunt (now)
Just like her child career, Helen is still living her best career days. You can still see her in a range of TV shows and movies that are being released these days. She has also earned an Oscar for As Good As It Comes. Not only this, Helen has also produced and directed a comedy movie, Trip that was released in 2014. In the movie, she has also acted in it. There is quite an interesting fact that not many people know about her is that she witnessed the 9/11 attack first hand through her window, and on the third day of the incident, she shifted to Connecticut for the protection of herself and crew.
Helen Hunt Now
The Jacksons (then)
If you belonged to the 70s and had even a little bit of interest in the entertainment world, you must have heard of Jackson Five. The band had five members named Tito, Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine, and Michael. At that time, a number of songs that they released remained on the top of Billboard charts. The songs were ABC, I Want You Back, I’ll Be There, and I Want You Back were those four songs that topped the charts continuously. It might not surprise you by today’s standards. Hitting this level of success was no joke. Less than nine months later, they launched their single, “I’ll Be There,” and it remained on the top for straight five weeks.
The Jacksons Then
The Jacksons (now)
After a long gap of 17 years, The Jacksons were all together again. It was to celebrate their brother’s solo course, the one, and only Michael Jackson. The group of five came back and represented themselves as a Unification Tour to celebrate. It was a couple of years ago, one of the group members, Randy, has retired from the group and solo performances. All the other members are still in business doing single tours and concerts. Before the pandemic, they were also seen traveling the world for shows.
The Jacksons Now
Janet (then)
As the above slides are related to everyone’s favorite Jackson family, Janet is the youngest member in it. She could be seen with her elder siblings in one show or another, but she was more into acting rather than pursuing music if you ask her. As a little girl and a marvelous child actor, Janet played a lead role in the Good Times, a sitcom that was everyone’s favorite in the ’70s. She played Penny’s character, a bruised girl who was sharing the same neighborhood as that of Evan’s family. In the list of hit shows in which Janet appeared, we must include Fame and Different Strokes.
Janet Then
Janet (now)
If there was someone more famous than Janet in the family, it was her brother, Michael. Though in her earlier career, she wasn’t much into music but later on, Janet was on the way to becoming one of the most revered musicians that the recording industry has ever witnessed. In her career, she has achieved multi-platinum albums, sold and is still selling more than millions of her albums, all of this while giving her appearance in several movies. As of now, she has canceled all the tours and performances. The reason behind this is that she is trying to start a family after she has married Wissam Al Mana, a well-known billionaire.
Janet Now
Kim Richards (then)
Anyone who had a TV back in the 70s must know the name Kim Richards. As a child actor, Kim acted in a lot of movies and TV shows and established one of the most celebrated faces back then. On all the TV shows and movies, you would have seen Kim playing one character or another. She played lead roles in James at Sixteen, Nanny, and to some blockbuster ones such as Escape to Witch Mountain along with in its sequel, Return to Escape Mountain.
Kim Richards Then
Kim Richards (now)
Fast forward to 2010, this American actress managed to gain her spotlight from the show The Real Housewives, a hit show from Beverly Hills. Kim joined the show along with her sister Kyle. However, there was something that you know about her that as soon as she joined the show, some rumors started popping up related to her drug and alcohol addiction. The rumors were due to some unpleasant behavior that she has shown on the camera. On multiple accusations such as battery on an officer, resisting an officer, public intoxication, etc., she was finally arrested in 2015. However, she has been to rehab centers multiple times.
Kim Richards Now
Mindy Cohn (then)
She was well occupied in her acting career. She finished her degree in cultural anthro. As a philanthropist, she has done quite essential things. One of them is setting up a support group dubbed as WeSpark Cancer. Being a guest star on TV, Mindy is seen doing some fantastic and exceptional voice-over works. For context, who doesn’t know Velma from Scooby-Doo. Yes, the voice behind this character is Mindy. This performance has helped her achieve new heights by getting her nominated for Emmy Awards.
Mindy Cohn Then
Mindy Cohn (now)
She was well occupied in her acting career, she finished her degree in cultural anthro. As a philanthropist, she has done quite significant things, one of them is setting up a support group dubbed as WeSpark Cancer. Being a guest star on TV, Mindy is seen doing some amazing and exceptional voice-over works. For context, who doesn’t know Velma from Scooby-Doo. Yes, the voice behind this character is Mindy. This performance has helped her achieve new heights by getting her nominated for Emmy Awards.
Mindy Cohn Now
Johnny Whitaker (then)
Family Affair and General Hospital are a couple of TV shows that Johnny starred in as a child artist. Jodie Foster’s first on-screen kiss was in the movie Tom Sawyer. When Jodie’s friend Anissa Jones passed away, it was quite difficult for Johnny to perform and he ended up taking a long break from performing. Anissa was seen playing the Family Affair game with Johnny’s sister and it was a very terrible loss for him to move on from.
Johnny Whitaker Then
Johnny Whitaker (now)
He has seen quite a lot, including long and very painful drug misuse. However, his relatives were wise enough to come forward and help him get all the assistance that he needed to overcome such a dangerous addiction. They were able to compel the artist to get help. The assistance program that he got carried twelve steps to solve all the drug issues that he was having. It’s now almost 12 years that he is sober and performed at a number of events. Here’s an interesting fact about Johnny, and that is he is able to speak multiple languages very frequently. The languages that he is fluent in include French and American sign language.
Johnny Whitaker Now
Mike Lookinland (then)
This is the face that one must have seen on the show Brady Bunch. Here, Mike played Bobby Brady, the youngest member of the family. The portrayal of the character Bobby is shown as an enthusiastic and sweet one. There are a few scenes in which Lookinland is seen to showcase a range of emotions. If you are interested in knowing a fact about this artist, here’s one. The curly hair that you see in the character of Mike is colored in sandy brown. Bobby has to straighten the hair to be able to easily fit with other characters in the show. There was a small issue with this, if the set was too bright with extra lighting, the dye used to drip down on his face.
Mike Lookinland Then
Mike Lookinland (now)
As of now, Mike has retired from the show business and he ended his career with a long-range of movies and TV shows in his pocket. The shows that he has worked as a lead are Little House on The Prairie, Brady Bunch specials, and worked in movies like The Towering Inferno. Now, he, with his family, wife and two children, shifted to Utah where they have their own decorative concrete company. In a statement somewhere, Mike told that he has finally discovered that he is a deadhead.
Mike Lookinland Now
Erin Murphy (then)
All the Bewitched fans will remember the face of American actress Erin Murphy. The show was aired between 1964 to 1972. She was seen twinning with her twin sister, Diane. Her sister was portraying the character of young Tabitha Stephens. The similarity between the twins faded away as they got older. However, Erin has kept playing the role that she was playing for. This was the character that made her quite famous across the world.
Erin Murphy Then
Erin Murphy (now)
When Bewitched ended, Murphy was seen going through multiple auditions and she has also turned down a number of commercials and modeling opportunities. This is all when she was just 6 when her family moved to Orange County and she has the opportunity to pursue the life of a kid who is away from all the stardom. By the age of 21, she was married and gave her first birth while she was living in Arizona. In her career, she has taught craft to various students. She was also working with various makeup and production teams that were coming to the town to shoot. It is now almost 10 years since she has shifted to Los Angeles and worked in a number of commercials. She is also an owner of two profit-making companies, one of them selling vodka martini ice pops.
Erin Murphy Now
Robbie Rist (then)
Everyone must have seen Robbie on The Brady Bunch in the last 6 episodes of the show. The show was getting quite a rivalry from other ones such as Sanford & Son. Having him on the show with older kids to retain the audience has worked well so far for the show. It also helped the producers to maintain the ratings. The character that Robbie played in the show was of an 8-year-old cousin. In reality, Robbie was 9 years old while shooting this.
Robbie Rist Then
Robbie Rist (now)
Robbie is seen to be a very popular voice over artist, you can hear him in movies like The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other anime movies. He has also done some voice over work in movies like Batman: The Animated Series. The voice of Robbie can also be heard on Sharknado and Sharknado 2. He is also now working with multiple rock bands in LA as a guitarist, drummer, bassist, and other roles. As of now, Rist is a very popular name in show business.
Robbie Rist Now
Tina Majorino (then)
Everyone from the 70s must have heard of the name Enola, the character played by Tina Majorino in one of the hit movies named Waterworld. This child actress worked in a number of projects and later, she was also seen producing a few movies. The roles that she is remembered for include the role of Corrina in the movie Corrina. The TV film version of Alice In Wonderland has also Tina in it where she played the lead character of Alice.
Tina Majorino Then
Tina Majorino (now)
The fans of Grey’s Anatomy must have seen her in the show and one of the best roles played by her is of the character Deb. This was the role in the movie Napoleon Dynamite. In the TV show Grey’s Anatomy, Tina is seen in around 22 episodes. There are around 12 scenes in the Scorpion where she was portraying the character of Florence. There are no reports of any moving that Tina is going to move, and this is nothing less of a relief.
Tina Majorino Now
Valerie Bertinelli (then)
This child actress was just 15 when she started her career and the first TV show was a sitcom that she got featured in was One Day At A Time. She was born in 1960 and in the first sitcom, out of 209 episodes, she could be seen in 208 of them. The show came to an end in the year 1984. However, there was a reunion episode shot with its full cast in 2005. The episode was the retrospective one and it refreshed a lot of memories. At the age of 21 years, this TV queen won a Golden Globe Awards.
Valerie Bertinelli Then
Valerie Bertinelli (now)
The stardom was gained by Valerie in her early age and it’s not like anything is going to stop her anytime soon. Cafe American and Sydney are two sitcom shows in which this star can be seen performing with her full shine. In 2001, Valerie joined Angel Impacted, however, to everyone’s surprise, the TV show only lasted for two seasons. There were some issues related to her weight that she suffered from quite a lot. Once the issues were resolved, Bertinelli became the spokesperson for Jenny Craig. She has also starred in a number of advertisements for this diet business. In 2010, alongside Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves, and Betty White, Valerie got starred in Hot in Cleveland. Last episode of the show was aired on June 3, 2015.
Valerie Bertinelli Now
Robby Bensen (then)
Anyone who has seen the 70s show business, must remember the name Robby Bensen. He was known for his work in TV shows along with a number of movies. You could see him in a quite popular series of that time, Hunt For Tomorrow. Apart from the TV shows that you can see him in, the movies he starred in are Jory, Jeremy, and Ode To Billy Joe are some of them. In one of his biggest projects, Robby learned skating and it was the movie Ice Castles.
Robby Bensen Then
Robby Bensen (now)
As of now, if you ask someone how they know Robby, they will most probably say Beauty and The Beast. Robby is the voice of the Beast character of the animated show produced by Disney. Robby got married all the way back in 1982 and he’s happily married since then. Apart from his acting and voiceover works, Robby has also attended a few colleges as a guest lecturer in South Carolina, Utah, New York, and Indiana. There is an interesting fact about Robby which is quite astonishing. He has gone through 4 cardiac operations and he never disclosed a thing about this to his directors or producers.
Robby Bensen Now
Ron Howard (then)
Well, this child actor started his career in the 60s. He has worked in a number of children movies and TV shows. When you talk about Ron, one of his most appreciated works is his lead role in The Andy Griffith Show. However, he later quit this show to star in Happier Days. This was the show that has given him the opportunity to play the character that he always wanted to. The character he played was of Richie Cunningham, a well-mannered kid who grew up in the city of Milwaukee with his parents.
Ron Howard Then
Ron Howard (now)
There are multiple skills that Ron possesses. He is a brilliant actor and a very successful director and producer. However, going with the Hollywood culture, Ron is seen as the perfect fit for the TV shows and movies. He is also known for choosing his character wisely. Throughout his career, Ron has bagged to work in 27+ movies, he managed around 28 movies, and also created more than 20 movies. He made his career the best example to show people how to make use of an opportunity that has come your way.
Ron Howard Now
Ron Paolillo (then)
The film Welcome Back Kotter has a huge fan base and the character of Arnold Horshack is loved by a lot of people. Paolillo was also a part of a children group in the high school where he was the class clown in the movie Sweathogs. The character was played quite brilliantly by the actor and it is one of his best performances. The unique feature of this role played by Ron was the hyena-like laugh that he practiced to master, just for this role.
Ron Paolillo Then
Ron Paolillo (now)
Not only this child actor remained in high demand in his adolescent age, but Ron was also wanted quite a lot now, as well. Throughout his career, Ron has given viewers a long range of roles through movies like Laverne, Shirley In The Army, Friday The Thirteenth, and a lot more. He has also worked in a number of movies. Ron possesses a long list of skillsets where he has also worked as a costume designer and performed in a number of Broadway plays and musicals. In 2012, Ron suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away at his residence.
Ron Paolillo Now
Scott Baio (then)
If you ask anyone from the 70s whether they have heard of Scott, they will remind you of his performance in Happy Days, a quite popular sitcom of that time. Baio was playing the character of Chachi who was the love interest of Erin Moran’s character Joanie Cunningham. Scott also played the lead role in a musical gangster film Bugsy Malone. The movie was based on the lifestyle of gangsters such as Al Capone, Bugs Moran, etc., in the prohibition period during 1920. The actors that were in the movie were all child stars. An interesting fact about this movie is the role that Baio played, more than 2,000 people auditioned for it.
Scott Baio Then
Scott Baio (now)
Once Happy Days was complete, there was a spin-off series that came out and Scott was seen in it as a lead role. The series was Joannie Loves Chachi. Apart from the TV shows, Scott has also worked in a number of movies such as Zapped, Foxes, Skatetown USA, etc. Now, Baio is working on a number of TV shows that he is creating himself and he is also creating and working on multiple TV series for Nick at Nite. Scott is a Republican and it was in 2016 when there were a few reports of him getting in an argument with the attendant at Barista when she denied to tell him the name of Trump, a probable candidate of the Republican Party.
Scott Baio Now
Susan Dey (then)
The leftmost in the picture below, Susan Dey was one of the lead actresses in the TV show The Partridge Family. She played the character of Laurie Partridge. She joined the TV show along with some famous names such as Shirley Jones and David Cassidy. It was obvious that she found her fame working with such big stars. Before this program, Dey was a successful model working with a number of brands. An astonishing fact about her is that before joining this show, Susan had no experience in acting.
Susan Dey Then
Susan Dey (Now)
Apart from multiple TV series, Susan has also worked in a number of movies. Some of them are Disappearance, Skyjacked, and Little Women. The most popular TV show in which Susan worked is L.A. Law. There were a few talks about making a reunion episode of The Partridge Family, however, the actress has denied to star in it. The probable reason behind this is that when the show was completed, Susan and David Cassidy dated for a while. Things didn’t work out and to this day, they haven’t spoken to each other.
Susan Dey Now
Karen Carpenter (Then)
This is the name that you must have heard quite a lot and the reason behind that is Karen Anne Carpenter is a renowned American guitarist and singer. Her skill set was highly unique and she got multiple praises from various celebrity drummers. She was able to provide a completely opposite vocal range and this was a very significant reason behind her stardom and fame. In a 1970 song, Close To You, Karen sang a duet with her partner Richard. The song went on to become one of the biggest achievements. Also, her singles (They Long To Be) Near You and We’ve Only Just Begun managed to gain a #1 and #2 on the Hot 100 list.
Karen Carpenter Then
Karen Carpenter (Passed away in 1983)
Yes, she died quite young just at an age of 32 years. When it happened, Karen was at her parent’s home and all of a sudden, she just collapsed. As soon as it happened, Karen was taken to a nearby hospital, Downey Community Hospital. It was 25 minutes from where she was. What happened to her was anorexia nervosa. It’s a condition that occurs due to compulsive dieting. It was paired with a cardiac arrest that took her life.
Karen Carpenter Passed Away In 1983
Barry Williams (then)
As the eldest brother in the show The Brady Bunch, Barry was playing the character of Greg Brady. He was only 14 when he joined the show. Soon after the show started, Barry managed to become a heartthrob and had millions of fans across the States. Apart from such brilliant acting, Barry is also a singer and he released 4 songs. Being a singer has given him another opportunity to make further space in the heart of his female fans.
Barry Williams Then
Barry Williams (now)
The prestigious Young Artist Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award was won by Young Star Association in the year 1989. It was 1992 when Barry published his autobiography named Growing Up Brady….I Was A Teenage Greg. The book remained the best seller for straight 3 months. In 2001, NBC borrowed the story to make a TV film and he was given the role of executive producer. Also, Barry has made various guest appearances on the Brady Bunch special episodes. He also appeared on Three’s Business and The 70’s Display. In his career, he has also invested a significant time in theatres.
Barry Williams Now
Maureen McCormick (then)
The list has seen many male actors of the show The Brady Bunch. It’s time to acknowledge the significant roles played by the female crew. Maureen played the character of Marcia Brady. She is the eldest daughter of Brady. She appeared in the TV show from 1969 to 1974. Her character was beautiful, optimistic, and quite clever. Her popularity was skyhigh, be it at school or home. Though she was quite concerned about her looks and appearance, she was also highly invested in politics. She started her acting career at the age of 12.
Maureen McCormick Then
Maureen McCormick (now)
Maureen got married to Michael Cummings in the year 1985 and they were blessed with their first daughter in the year 1989. They named her Natalie. When the show was completed, Maureen suffered from opioids. However, she was able to recover herself from this addiction, completely. In 2007, McCormick joined VH1 Celebrity Fit Club and became one of the good competitors. Eventually, she won the contest. If the addiction wasn’t there, it is believed that Maureen would have touched new heights by now.
Maureen McCormick Now
Danny Bonaduce (then)
This brilliant actor got a major section of his stardom from the T.V. show The Partridge Family. Danny became so much in demand in the 70s, and every other director/producer was trying to sign him. In the picture, you can see Danny Partridge, the red-haired character, was the guitar player in the family that is shown in the T.V. show. Among his co-stars who were working with him on the project, David Cassidy was a major one who was playing the role of eldest sibling.
Danny Bonaduce
Danny Bonaduce (now)
After the final episode was aired, Danny was able to get other projects, and he was never seen not creating content. Well, an interesting fact about this artist is that he is a wrestler, comedian and has a quite impactful personality on T.V./radio. For instance, after The Partridge Family, Danny was signed up for a reality show by VH1 named Breaking Bonaduce. He is also a quite active moderator of various radio programs in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. As of now, since November 2011, Danny has been a host of the morning show on KZOK-FM radio station based in Seattle.
Danny Bonaduce Now
Tatum O’Neal (then)
You will be astonished to know that at the mere age of 10 years, Tatum O’Neal was able to fetch an Academy Award in 1974. In the show-business world, it’s something to boast of and holds a significant value in one’s career. The award was for her performance in Paper Moon, where she portrayed the character of Addie Loggins. Moving on, she perfected herself even more with movies like Nickelodeon and The Bad News Bears. These movies were released in 1976.
Tatum O Neal Then
Tatum O’Neal (now)
The actress got married to Tennis star John McEnroe in 1986. The Tennis player already had three kids, and to everyone’s surprise, the couple decided to part their ways in 1992. They were divorced in 1994, and you will be surprised to know that after having a good start in the 70s, Tatum has only worked in 5 movies in the next 15 years. In the year 2000, Tatum started to come on-screen again by little appearances in T.V. shows like Sex and The City, 8 Basic Guidelines To Date My Teenage Daughter, and Law And Order. Apart from this, she has also worked in Rescue Me in the year 2005. She has continued to work in multiple T.V. shows since then.
Tatum O Neal Now
Linda Blair (then)
The character is remembered better by the scene where she vomited peas soup after she had turned her head in circles. The role that she played in The Exorcist was of a possessed girl, and she was just 14 when she landed on this role. The movie The Exorcist was released in 1959. Later in The Exorcist II that was released in 1977, Linda played the same role. On her first part, she got the Golden Globe. Linda started working at the tender age of 6 and became an extraordinary child model. On a T.V. series Secret Fences that aired between 1968 and 1969, Linda played a small role.
Linda Blair Then
Linda Blair (now)
The horror movies and some other low-budget exploitation movies like Vicious Streets, Hell Night, and Chained Heat. She has worked in multiple movies throughout the 80s. Linda is seen making fun of her 1990 movie Repossessed. She has worked in another horror movie named Scream that was released in 1996. Blair was also seen performing on stage with BBC TV for LA Show 7 and via Grease. She has also played the lead role in the TV show Scariest Places On Earth that was aired by Fox Family in the time period of 2000-2006.
Linda Blair Now
Mellisa Gilbert (then)
Starting her career in the late 1960s, Mellisa was signed up for a range of T.V. commercials and multiple T.V. shows. Working as a child actor, her big break was to play a character on Little Prairie Homes. The character she played was Laura Ingalls Wilder. The show was quite a popular one from NBC. On this show, Mellisa has worked from 1974 to 1984. Apart from the T.V. series, Mellisa has also worked in various T.V. films, e.g., The Miracle Worker and Anne’s Diary.
Mellisa Gilbert Then
Mellisa Gilbert (now)
Yes, she is still working and has landed herself in some quite good roles in TV series. Along with acting, she is also a voice artist. You must have heard her in the animated TV series Batman. Gilbert fans were quite excited to see her perform in Dancing With The Stars, a reality TV show by NBC that aired in 2012. In this reality show, Gilbert was a contestant and quite a good one, as well. From 2001 to 2005, Gilbert was also the president of the Screen Actors Guild. She is also interested in politics. She ran for Congress as a Democrat in the year 2016. However, she had to withdraw the nomination due to some health issues.
Mellisa Gilbert Now
Jodie Foster (then)
At the mere age of 3 years, Jodie started her acting career in 1965. She was born in 1962. It was 1967 when she joined the RFD Show Cast by Mayberry. As the 1960s were about to end, Jodie was finally the face everyone wanted to see on their primetime TV, and by now, she was able to curate a huge audience for herself. Though she has worked in a number of children’s movies, she got her to break in the youth. She played significant roles in Disney’s Freaky Friday, Cab Driver, and Little Girl Who Lives Down The Street.
Jodie Foster Then
Jodie Foster (now)
Hollywood was giving all the fame that Jodie needed and more, but she wanted to go to Yale. As an actor, she has worked in The Accused, and her brilliant performance got her Golden Globe and Academy Awards. Around three years later, Jodie won another Academy Award for her exceptional role in Silence Of The Lambs. The actress played the role of Clarice Starling. Though it’s almost 50 years of her being working in Hollywood, she has never stopped taking lead roles in the movies.
Jodie Foster Now