JIm I couldn't agree with you more The lineup of kid actors from the 60s thru the 80s who ended up in tradgedy is so long it literally makes me sick just to think about it. Rusty Hammer of the old Danny Thomas show, Anissa Jones ( Buffy of "Buffy & Jody fame"), Dana Plato just to name a very few of many I could list whose lives ended up in the sewer or worse ( dead). There should be some kind of regulations and strict oversight for child/teen actors. Because way too many times it seems that many of these child prodigies end up with their lives destroyed before they are ever even old enough to vote.
Even kids that they use in TV commercials or early music sensations like David Cassidy all seem to have horror stories to tell. Take Tatum O'Neal for instance>> had her own dad beat her because she won an academy award that he wanted for himself ( i.e. Paper Moon fame). It's truly criminal how kids have been treated in the acting field and you can go all the way back to Shirley Temple too.
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That’s very true. I read Corey Feldman’s autobiography, and there were some horror stories, starting with his parents, and also at least one of his managers (or whatever the guy was). There is also a documentary that’s been out for a few years, called An Open Secret, exposing some of the dark side of Hollywood. I saw the whole thing on YouTube a few years ago, but it keeps getting removed. And it is not something anyone wants to link here, but IMO it’s essential watching for any young people in particular who are interested in pursuing a career in show business. I don’t know if it’s on YouTube anymore (probably not).
I don’t want to say it’s all gloom and doom, but the entertainment industry is fraught with all kinds of potential dangers. Aspiring actors, singers, etc., are easy marks, for obvious reasons.
Jim