These Child Stars Walked Away from Hollywood — Can You Guess What They’re Doing and How They Look Now? — Photos

The young faces audiences once welcomed into their homes grew up, changed course, and built lives that few viewers could have predicted.

One played a governor’s daughter, another became Archie Bunker’s young housemate, and a third helped create the dream woman in “Weird Science.” The group also includes two former teen idols and the eldest daughter from “Mrs. Doubtfire,” but their identities will only become clear as their surprising second acts unfold.

Some of these child stars were on our TVs for many years. In this photo, a beloved former child actress posed for a portrait for “Benson” on July 17, 1979. | Source: Getty Images

The Governor’s Daughter Who Chose a Very Different Office

Missy Gold was born on July 14, 1970, in Great Falls, Montana, and became best known as Katie Gatling, the governor’s daughter on “Benson.” The sitcom ran from 1979 to 1986, while her other credits included “Captains and the Kings” and “Trapper John, M.D.”

Although acting ran in the family, Missy never shared the same attachment to it as her older sister, “Growing Pains” star Tracey Gold. Missy described herself as the student and introvert of the family, and she always knew television would not be permanent.

Unlike her sister Tracey Gold, she never formed an attachment to acting, but she was incredibly recognizable with her long blonde hair and crooked smile. In this photo, Missy Gold posed for a portrait for “Benson” circa 1970s. | Source: Getty Images

When “Benson” ended, 16-year-old Missy was invited to test for a soap opera. She declined because the opportunity clashed with the future she already wanted.

“I thought, ‘No, this will interfere with what I want,’” she told Page Six. “I knew I wanted to go to college, and I knew I wanted to do something beyond that … so I said no to even testing, finished up school and applied to colleges.”

As her features matured and she grew older, she realized what her passion really was. In this photo, she posed for a promotional photo for the ABC TV series “Benson” circa 1980, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Missy attended Georgetown University and later earned a doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology. The sitcom daughter grew up to become a practicing psychologist.

Her experience as a child performer did not simply disappear once she entered college. Missy began therapy there to understand what she had lived through, including the strange tension between taking on an adult job and still being treated like a child on set.

This woman who suddenly changed from the star on “Benson,” shortening her hair and developing her own dreams, went on to become a psychologist. In this photo, she posed for a portrait wearing a James Dean badge circa 1985. | Source: Getty Images

“Psychologically to have that experience of celebrity is complicated, and to do it as a child, you know, when your mind is forming,” she said.

Missy remained grateful to the “Benson” cast, whom she remembered as nurturing and supportive. She even recognized a curious connection between her two careers: As a young actor, she spent time in a dressing room where people visited and shared their thoughts; as a psychologist, she once again sits in a private room and listens.

She remembered her old “Benson” connections, but she was done with that world, especially after her sister’s experience with anorexia. In this photo, she posed for a portrait circa the 1990s. | Source: Getty Images

She also considered herself fortunate to have avoided some of the more damaging experiences associated with early fame. Tracey struggled with anorexia during “Growing Pains,” at one point reportedly reaching an estimated 80 pounds before eventually recovering and co-writing “Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life with Julie McCarron.”

Now married to Brian Herskowitz, with whom she has two children, Missy said she would not put her own kids into the entertainment business. Her childhood worked out for her, but she viewed the industry as too risky to make the same choice as a parent.

There are now very few recent photos of her, but here she is in 2022 in an interview detailing why she quit Hollywood and turned to psychology, posted on September 29, 2022. | Source: YouTube/Hollywood Honey Bear

Although decades have passed, it’s like Missy Gold didn’t lose her innocent face at all, and many who loved “Benson” would easily recognize her on the street. | Source: YouTube/Hollywood Honey Bear

The Teen Heartthrob Who Had to Rebuild from Ten Dollars

Willie Aames entered show business almost by accident. A teacher’s aspiring-agent boyfriend saw him performing school skits and asked his mother to introduce him to an agent who represented Jodie Foster.

His father initially refused, but Willie pleaded for a chance and received a three-month trial. Within three weeks, he had secured a commercial, followed by “The Young Rebels,” according to a 2020 interview.

He started acting at a young age and had the good looks to become a major heartthrob. In this photo, Willie Aames posed for a promotional photo for the ABC TV series “Swiss Family Robinson” with Helen Hunt, Martin Milner, Eric Olson, and Pat Delany in 1975. | Source: Getty Images

Willie appeared on “Gunsmoke,” “Adam-12,” and “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” before he turned 12. “Eight Is Enough” later made him a teen idol, while “Charles in Charge” cemented his place in sitcom history as Buddy Lembeck.

His credits also included the 1982 film “Zapped!” and, decades later, writing the 2022 TV movie “Love in the Limelight.” Away from the cameras, he played music for arenas filled with up to 15,000 screaming fans, even though the attention made him uncomfortable.

Becoming a teen idol with his blonde hair and expressive face was a given. In this photo, Willie Aames appeared in an episode of the ABC TV series “Swiss Family Robinson” in 1975. | Source: Getty Images

Faith became central to Willie’s life while he was attending Alcoholics Anonymous. He became a born-again Christian and an ordained minister, then portrayed the superhero Bibleman in videos and touring productions from 1995 until 2004.

In 2008, Willie and his then-wife Maylo McCaslin discussed their respective experiences with addiction, sexual abuse, illness, and recovery in the book “Grace Is Enough.” Willie told CBS News that people often saw the book less as a faith story than a love story about two damaged people who survived.

Despite his talent and handsome good looks that included freckles and a strong jaw even as a teen, he went the way of many child actors who struggled. In this photo, Willie Aames posed for a promotional photo for the ABC TV series “Swiss Family Robinson” in 1975. | Source: Getty Images

But his life soon entered a frightening period. After bankruptcy, the repossession of his car, and the end of his 22-year marriage, Willie moved into a rented room in Los Angeles.

On Thanksgiving in 2008, he relapsed after 20 years of sobriety and attempted suicide. In 2009, he told Fox News, “I stole a bottle of Jack Daniel’s from the guy I was renting the room from. I’d been sober for 20 years when I took that first drink… It got so bad.”

Maturing into his looks and earning other roles made his life complicated, and he eventually tried to end it. In this photo, Willie Aames appeared in “Eight Is Enough” for an episode that aired on April 12, 1977. | Source: Getty Images

Willie later held a garage sale at his home in Olathe, Kansas, selling artwork, antiques, a piano, mounted deer heads, and entertainment memorabilia. He eventually described the full scale of the collapse in brutally simple terms: “I went from eating at the White House to sleeping in the bushes.”

At one point, he slept outside near the Hollywood Bowl. Willie accepted responsibility for his decisions and rejected the idea that Hollywood, his parents, or anyone else had forced him onto that path, as he explained in a 2017 television interview.

Even with the changing, wild hairstyles of the 1970s, his face remained striking, though few could have predicted he would face homelessness later in life. In this photo, Willie Aames posed for a promotional shot in 1978. | Source: Getty Images

With only $10 and no familiar identity to fall back on, he decided to begin again. Willie borrowed money to return to Kansas and sought a job installing satellite equipment, although the company initially hesitated to hire him because he was too recognizable.

He then joined a cruise ship crew, starting with duties that included overseeing ping-pong and shuffleboard, monitoring bathrooms, and cleaning the library. Within roughly six months, the former teen idol had worked his way up to cruise director.

His hair darkened over the years, and his path in life was unpredictable, as he even became a cruise director. In this photo, Willie Aames attended the premiere of “Paradise” at the Mann Chinese Theater on April 2, 1982, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

The job eventually took him around the globe, reportedly covering more than 127 countries. Willie joked to passengers, “Hi, I’m your favorite ex-teen idol,” while admitting to Oprah that he had never understood why magazines placed him alongside heartthrobs such as Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, and Scott Baio.

Life at sea also helped bring him together with Winnie Hung, a longtime pen pal he had never met in person. She had followed his career for 30 years, and the two periodically lost contact before she reached out through LinkedIn to ask whether he was all right.

Decades have gone by and time changes everyone, leaving him with gray hair and transformed looks that only a few would still recognize from their bedroom walls. In this photo, Willie Aames was seen on December 1, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

When one of Willie’s routes finally brought him to Vancouver, Canada, he arranged to meet her for dinner and a ship tour. He said his knees weakened when he saw her, and after their evening together, he asked Winnie to meet him at the airport, where he told her, “I’m going to marry you.”

They sailed together for a year and married about 10 months after their first meeting. In a 2025 Facebook post, Willie wrote, “12 years ago tomorrow… 2 long time pen pals met for the very first time. 10 months later they married. 10 years later to the day and exact hour of their first meeting… 1 became a Canadian… 🇨🇦 Proving that fairy tales do come true… 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰”

Willie has two children from previous relationships, Christopher and Harleigh. He described Christopher, a composer, as one of the few people who did not give up on him during his lowest period.

Although Willie apparently left cruise management, he did not stray far from the water. His social media indicates that he has operated a boat carrying passengers, with each trip bringing a different glimpse of life.

“My first group of passengers this morning included two new parents with a newborn just a few days old,” he wrote in another July 2025 Facebook update. “My second group was for an ashes at sea ceremony – as they said goodbye to their loved one, I offered my condolences … what a contrasting life.”

A Frontier Favorite Found His Calling in Therapy

Chad Allen was born on June 5, 1974, in Cerritos, California. He began acting at eight as an autistic child on “St. Elsewhere.” He subsequently appeared in five television series, including “Our House” and “My Two Dads,” although he preferred calling himself a child actor rather than a child star.

He was just eight years old when he landed the part in “St. Elsewhere,” embodying the typical blonde child star of the era. In this photo, Chad Allen appeared in “Webster” with Emmanuel Lewis for an episode that aired on October 4, 1985. | Source: Getty Images

He was poised to become a teen idol early in his career. In this photo, Chad Allen posed for a portrait wearing a blue jacket over a blue shirt with denim jeans circa 1985. | Source: Getty Images

His education took place largely on sets with tutors, leaving him feeling unprepared to socialize with other children. At 16, he attempted to leave professional acting, attend high school, and experience ordinary teenage life.

Joining the school drama department reminded him how much he loved the communal side of performance. Soon afterward, he secured the role of Matthew Cooper on “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.”

His looks also would’ve made him great for bad boy roles, but his fate in life was more important, as he refused to lie about his identity. In this photo, he posed for a portrait circa 1986. | Source: Getty Images

His private life was exposed, but Chad Allen came out as gay and thrived. In this photo, he attended the “Hollywood Stars Night” Celebrity Baseball Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in 1988. | Source: Getty Images

Chad’s private life was exposed without his consent in 1996. A man he had been seeing sold the Globe a photograph of them kissing in a swimming pool, and the tabloid paired it with false allegations that Chad had been involved with a prostitute.

He refused to lie about being gay, despite suddenly finding himself surrounded by agents, attorneys, and publicists debating what he should say. Chad personally told his parents before the story emerged, then nervously returned to the set, where his castmates and crew received him with kindness.

Despite everything, his castmates treated him with kindness. In this photo, Chad Allen attended the Quaker Chewy Granola Bars “Lunch Box Brigade” unveiling of the latest lunch box packing trends at the Westside Pavilion on August 15, 1990, in West Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

The support he received from colleagues and the LGBTQ+ community helped him embrace his identity. As he explained in a 2001 Advocate interview, the experience also steered him toward activism and theater.

Chad eventually pursued another calling under his full name, Chad Allen Lazzari. His education record lists doctoral studies in clinical psychology at Antioch University New England from 2015 to 2020.

His looks eventually changed significantly, and with that came a complete change in his life. In this photo, he attended a screening for “Paris” at the Tribeca Film Festival at the UA Battery Park on May 7, 2003, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

His looks evolved into more of a pop-punk rock vibe over time. In this photo, he arrived at the Directors Guild of America for the Point Foundation Benefit on June 12, 2006, in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

He now works as a psychologist specializing in trauma therapy for older teenagers and adults. Chad named his practice Confluence Psychotherapy, drawing on the image of two rivers meeting and becoming deeper together, according to his professional therapist profile.

Eventually, his looks matured and brought a seriousness that reflected his career in psychology. In this photo, Chad Allen attended Heroes & History Makers at Skybar at Mondrian Los Angeles on October 12, 2008, in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

The Teen Idol Who Discovered a Daughter He Never Knew Existed

Jimmy McNichol, also known as James Vincent McNichol III, became one of the most recognizable young performers of the late 1970s and 1980s. He appeared across television and film, recorded music, hosted “Hollywood Teen,” and shared the spotlight with his sister, Kristy McNichol.

Jimmy starred in “California Fever,” appeared on “General Hospital,” and worked in television movies. He also headlined the cult film “Night Warning” and appeared in “Smokey Bites the Dust” and “Escape from El Diablo.”

As one of the only former child stars on this list with darker hair, Jimmy McNichol was set to become a teen idol. In this photo, he posed for a portrait wearing a white three-piece suit and a black shirt circa 1970, in New York City, New York. | Source: Getty Images

His popularity put his face on countless magazine covers, with screaming fans greeting him much like a later generation would greet Justin Bieber or Zac Efron. Yet by 30, Jimmy was exhausted enough to leave Hollywood behind.

He settled with his wife and children on a remote Colorado ranch, where he built a quieter routine centered on his family and animals. Jimmy became a real-estate developer, environmentalist, and philanthropist, while continuing to create music and occasionally perform.

He had the kind of face shape that was coveted at the time, and his hair was exactly what girls liked. In this photo, Jimmy McNichol posed for a portrait circa 1970. | Source: Getty Images

His IMDb biography also identifies him as a partner in Playground Television and describes projects involving animal rescue, ecological awareness, and charitable work. Among them was “Animal Rescue The Rockies,” which was developed around rescues in Colorado and support for older shelter animals.

A phone call then expanded Jimmy’s family in a way he had never imagined.

His siblings, especially Kristy, were always in the spotlight, and he shared a striking resemblance to her. In this photo, he attended the Television Critics Circle Awards with Kristy McNichol and their brother Thomas McNichol at a television studio on April 11, 1977, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Pittsburgh rapper Kellee Maize had been adopted as an infant and raised by Christine and Terry Maize in New Berlin, Pennsylvania. When she tried to locate her biological parents at 21, she was told that a fire had destroyed the relevant records.

With help from an adoption support group and a skilled records researcher, Kellee located her birth mother in 2004. They spoke and considered meeting, but her birth mother ended contact after several months because the relationship was too difficult.

That is probably why Kristy McNichol received tomboy roles, as sharing a face with her brother made her look more handsome than pretty. In this photo, she attended a movie premiere and afterparty at The Beverly Hilton on July 20, 1978, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Six months later, Kellee’s adoptive father died from a heart attack. She did not know that he had learned something important about her biological father before his death.

During a 2009 visit, Kellee’s then-boyfriend and future husband, Joey Rahimi, asked her aunt Gloria whether she knew anything about Kellee’s birth father. Gloria revealed that a nurse from the hospital where Kellee was born had once referred to her as “the McNichol baby” and claimed her father was a pop star.

Unlike teen and young adult actors today, his imperfections and distinct features made him interesting and much more handsome. In this photo, Jimmy McNichol appeared in the pilot episode of the CBS TV series “California Fever” on September 25, 1979, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

After identifying Jimmy, Kellee called him in Colorado. She became nervous when the call went to voicemail and hung up, only for Jimmy to return it moments later. Kellee told him that genealogical research suggested he might be her father. Following a long pause, Jimmy replied, “Anything is possible.”

She directed him to her music videos, and Jimmy immediately felt a connection as he watched her rap and dance. A DNA test provided confirmation 10 days later, prompting him to send Kellee a short message: “Welcome to the family.”

As the styles changed, Jimmy McNichol cut his hair and took on a rugged appearance. In this photo, he attended a film screening at the DGA Theatre on October 5, 1985, in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Jimmy said he had never known that she existed and did not remember signing paperwork relinquishing parental rights. Their first face-to-face meeting took place in San Francisco, with both bringing friends to ease the pressure.

Kellee also met Jimmy’s wife, Rene, and bonded with Kristy and her half-siblings, Nash and Ellis. Jimmy later met Kellee’s infant son, Mateo, and delighted in suddenly becoming a grandfather.

Their reunion soon inspired a creative partnership. As detailed by Pittsburgh Magazine, Jimmy and Kellee began developing “Finding Family: Search Angels,” a proposed series intended to help adoptees search for their biological parents.

Jimmy planned for Kellee’s search to serve as the pilot story and offered her the hosting role. The father and daughter also built recording studios in their respective cities so they could collaborate from a distance.

Archie Bunker’s Young Housemate Had a Hit Hiding in Her Future

Danielle Brisebois was born on June 28, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York City. Her IMDb biography lists acting and composing credits that include “All in the Family,” “Archie Bunker’s Place,” and “Begin Again.”

Before television, Danielle performed as a child in the original Broadway production of “Annie.” She watched Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin write songs at the piano, sometimes lying beneath it as they worked on “Maybe” and “Easy Street.”

As one of the only child stars on this list with dark hair, her face was extremely recognizable. In this photo, Danielle Brisebois appeared as Stephanie Mills in “All in the Family” and “Archie Bunker’s Place” in 1979, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Her role in “Archie Bunker’s Place” made her iconic. In this photo, she attended the 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 31, 1981, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

On television, she played Stephanie Mills opposite Carroll O’Connor’s Archie Bunker. Danielle remembered Carroll as both a gifted performer and a generous teacher who treated her work with respect, regardless of her age.

During one scene, Carroll abandoned the written dialogue while their characters sat outside discussing whether Archie still cared about Stephanie. Danielle followed his timing, and they improvised the exchange together.

Her features, which were not polished or perfect, made her interesting and pleasant to look at on TV. In this photo, Danielle Brisebois posed for a portrait circa the 1980s. | Source: Getty Images

Like many others, her hairstyle changed over the years. In this photo, Danielle Brisebois posed for a portrait circa the 1980s. | Source: Getty Images

“I really felt like an equal because they made me feel that way,” she said in a 2020 interview. She credited the adults around her with expecting serious work from her and giving her room to meet that expectation.

Danielle’s later career moved decisively toward music. After experiencing three different professional lives, including a period when she went from financial success to being broke and living in a garage at 20, she became a songwriter and producer.

Some hairstyles made her almo…