Growing up is hard enough without the pressure of millions watching your every move. For child stars of the 1970s, adolescence happened under the glare of cameras, on movie sets and sitcom stages. Some thrived. Others struggled. But each left a lasting impact.
This article revisits the lives of some of the most iconic child stars from the ’70s—those who found fame early and faced the challenges that came with it.
| Star | Famous Role | Career Highlight | Life After Fame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooke Shields | Pretty Baby, The Blue Lagoon | Princeton grad; TV career in Suddenly Susan | Continues acting; mother of two |
| Jodie Foster | Taxi Driver | Two-time Oscar winner; acclaimed director | Still active in film and directing |
| Michael Jackson | The Jackson 5 | Thriller; King of Pop | Died 2009; music legacy endures |
| Peter Ostrum | Willy Wonka | Only film role | Became a veterinarian |
| Tatum O’Neal | Paper Moon | Youngest Oscar winner | Faced addiction; public recovery journey |
| Donny Osmond | Donny & Marie | Teen idol; talk show host | Performer and media personality |
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields entered the spotlight before she could talk, beginning her career as a baby model. At age 12, she landed a controversial role in Pretty Baby (1978) as a child prostitute. Despite the film’s notoriety, critics praised her performance.
Shields gained further fame in The Blue Lagoon (1980). After a break to study at Princeton University, she returned to acting, most notably starring in Suddenly Susan in the 1990s. Shields has since appeared in films, TV, and theater.
Danielle Brisebois
Brisebois is best known for playing Stephanie Mills on All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunker’s Place, earning a Golden Globe nomination. In the 1990s, she shifted her focus to music, releasing solo albums and joining the band New Radicals.
She co-wrote “Lost Stars” from Begin Again, earning an Oscar nomination alongside Gregg Alexander.
Jodie Foster
Foster began acting at three in a Coppertone commercial. At 12, she played a child prostitute in Taxi Driver (1976), earning her first Oscar nomination. She later won Best Actress for The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs.
Foster is also an acclaimed director, with credits including Little Man Tate and Money Monster.
Kim Richards
Richards starred as Prudence on Nanny and the Professor and as Tia in Escape to Witch Mountain (1975). By the mid-1980s, she stepped away from acting to raise a family.
In the 2000s, she returned to the spotlight on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, alongside sister Kyle Richards.
Lance Kerwin
Kerwin appeared in The Loneliest Runner (1976) and led the drama series James at 15. He was also praised for his role in Salem’s Lot (1979).
Kerwin left acting in the 1990s, later working in ministry and living in Hawaii. He passed away in 2023.
Michael Jackson
Jackson began as the standout lead of the Jackson 5 and launched a solo career with hits like “Ben” and “Got to Be There.”
His superstardom exploded in the ’80s with Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. Though controversies surrounded him, Jackson’s music legacy remains unmatched. He died in 2009 at age 50.
Peter Ostrum
Ostrum played Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) and never acted again. Inspired by a veterinarian who cared for his family’s horse, he pursued veterinary medicine instead.
He now practices in Lowville, New York, and occasionally shares his story through public appearances and videos.
Quinn Cummings
Cummings was nominated for an Oscar for her role in The Goodbye Girl (1977). She also appeared in Family before leaving Hollywood in the ’90s.
She invented the baby carrier HipHugger and became an author, writing essays and memoirs on parenting and modern life.
Ricky Schroder
Schroder won a Golden Globe at age nine for The Champ (1979). He starred in Silver Spoons in the 1980s and later in series like NYPD Blue and 24.
His film and TV career remains steady, and he’s also directed and produced documentaries.
Christopher Knight
Knight found fame as Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch. Afterward, he stepped back from acting and built a successful career in tech.
He returned to pop culture with The Surreal Life and even developed a computer game based on The Brady Bunch.
Donny Osmond
Donny Osmond’s solo career took off in the early ’70s with hits like “Puppy Love.” He and sister Marie Osmond co-hosted Donny & Marie (1976–79) and later revived it as a talk show.
He continues to tour and perform and has appeared on Broadway, Dancing with the Stars, and as a game show host.
Eve Plumb
Plumb rose to fame as Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch. Post-Brady, she starred in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway and guest-starred in Law & Order: SVU and That ’70s Show.
She’s also a painter and participates in Brady Bunch reunions.
Harvey Stephens
Stephens terrified audiences as Damien in The Omen (1976). After that, he left acting, appearing briefly in finance and real estate.
He now attends horror conventions and made a cameo in the 2006 remake of The Omen.
Jackie Earle Haley
Haley was a standout as Kelly Leak in The Bad News Bears (1976). After a career slowdown, he returned in Little Children (2006), earning an Oscar nomination.
He later appeared in Watchmen, Lincoln, and A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010).
Janet Jackson
Janet made her debut on Good Times and later appeared on Fame and Diff’rent Strokes. She launched a music career in the ’80s, releasing hits like “Nasty”, “Rhythm Nation”, and “That’s the Way Love Goes.”
She became one of the most successful female recording artists of all time.
Lisa Whelchel
Whelchel started as a Mouseketeer before finding fame as Blair Warner on The Facts of Life. She later released a Christian music album that earned a Grammy nomination.
Whelchel is now a Christian speaker and author. She also appeared on Survivor: Philippines, finishing in second place.
Maureen McCormick
Best known as Marcia Brady, McCormick struggled with addiction after The Brady Bunch ended. She eventually recovered, got married, and became a mother.
McCormick continued acting in smaller roles and appeared on Celebrity Fit Club and Dancing with the Stars.
Susan Olsen
Olsen played Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch. She later did voice work, co-hosted a radio show, and became an animal welfare advocate.
She still appears at Brady Bunch reunions and pop culture conventions.
Tatum O’Neal
Tatum won an Oscar at 10 for Paper Moon, acting opposite her father Ryan O’Neal. She later starred in The Bad News Bears and Little Darlings.
O’Neal battled drug addiction and had a turbulent marriage to tennis star John McEnroe. In recent years, she’s been open about her struggles and healing process.
Valerie Bertinelli
Bertinelli became a household name on One Day at a Time. She later starred in Touched by an Angel and Hot in Cleveland.
She married rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen, with whom she had a son, Wolfgang. She now hosts cooking shows on the Food Network.
Leif Garrett
Garrett became a teen idol in the late 1970s with a dual career in acting and music. Despite early fame, he faced addiction and legal troubles.
In recent years, he’s focused on recovery and released his memoir, Idol Truth, in 2019.
Danny Bonaduce
Bonaduce found fame as Danny on The Partridge Family. He later became a radio host and reality TV star.
His adult life was turbulent, including substance abuse and personal struggles, but he remains active in media and public speaking.
Mike Lookinland
Best known as Bobby Brady, Lookinland left Hollywood in adulthood and opened a concrete business. He’s been candid about his battle with alcoholism.
He occasionally appears in Brady Bunch reunions and was last seen on A Very Brady Renovation (2019).
Conclusion
The child stars of the 1970s left a major imprint on pop culture. Some, like Jodie Foster and Janet Jackson, turned early fame into lasting careers. Others faced personal struggles after growing up in the spotlight. Regardless of where life took them, their contributions remain unforgettable—and their stories, whether of triumph or challenge, continue to resonate.
Let me know if you’d like this adapted into a listicle, gallery post, or a series of social media spotlights.