Top Child Stars of Every Decade: 1920s–2020s

Child stars have captivated our hearts since the onset of the first movies and then TV. During that time, there have been many young stars who have brought their talent and charms to both the big and small screens.

While each has made a name for themselves, there are some who have stood out a little bit more than others. Here's a look at some of the best-loved and most memorable kid stars from every decade.

1920s Child Stars

Our Gang

Beginning as silent films, the Our Gang series introduced numerous child stars, including Peggy Cartwright, Jackie Condon, Mickey Daniels, Jean Darling, Monty O'Grady, and Ernie "Sammy" Morrison, who became the first black child star.

In 1929, they had their first talking film entitled Small Talk, and the popularity of the films continued into the 1940s. George McFarland (Spanky) and Carl Switzer (Alfalfa) would later join the cast in the 1930s.

Jackie Coogan

If the name sounds familiar, that's because Coogan played the beloved Uncle Fester in The Addams Family. However, his career really got started back in 1921 when he starred with Charlie Chaplin in The Kid. This role shot him into stardom, and he continued to act for the rest of his life.

Diana Serra Cary

Also known as Baby Peggy, Cary's silent film career began at a mere two years of age. Well-loved by the public, her acting career was pretty much over by the age of 7. Later in life, she became an author and historian.

Ben Alexander

Although his first film credit was in 1916, Ben Alexander became recognized as a child star in the 1920s with a stream of silent films. He hit big again in 1930 with All Quiet on the Western Front and later in life was known for his roles in Dragnet and The Felony Squad.

1930s Child Stars

Shirley Temple

Known as "America's Sweetheart," Shirley Temple dominated the movies in the 1930s with such hits as Bright Eyes, The Little Princess, and Heidi. Considered the biggest child star of all time, Temple continued acting into the 1940s, then later entered politics and became the first female U. S. Chief of Protocol for the State Department.

Dickie Moore

Making his screen debut as a baby in the 1927 film The Beloved Rogue, Moore went on to appear in a number of major motion pictures in the 1930s, including Oliver Twist. He was featured in eight Our Gang films and continued his acting career until his final performance in 1957 on the TV show Omnibus.

Jackie Cooper

With his first film credit in 1929, Jackie Cooper hit his stride in the 1930s with films like Treasure Island and The Champ, along with appearing in several Our Gang films. Cooper became the youngest person to be nominated for an Academy Award in the best actor category for his role in Skippy in 1931. He continued to have a flourishing career into the 1990s.

Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland

Already established as a child star for his character Mickey McQuire in a series of comic shorts, Mickey Rooney had a lot of acting credits before teaming up with Judy Garland, a child star in her own right, with her most famous role being Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

As teenagers, they were paired together for a series of movies, with their first being Thoroughbreds Don't Cry in 1937. Each went on to have lifelong successful entertainment careers.

Jane Withers

Getting her big break in the Shirley Temple movie Bright Eyes, Jane Withers continued to appear in numerous more films until she took some time off to raise a family.

She returned to acting in 1956 to film the movie Giant and carried on her work with her final film being The Hunchback of Notre Dame II. She was also well known as Josephine the Plumber in Comet commercials.

1940s Child Stars

Elizabeth Taylor

A true Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor debuted at ten years of age in the film There's One Every Minute and kept entertaining audiences in her youth in movies like Lassie Come Home and National Velvet.

Her vocation spanned into adulthood, with some of her best-known movies being Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Taming of the Shrew. Her final performance was in Elton John's 2002 music video "Original Sin."

Natalie Wood

With a film career beginning in the 1940s, Natalie Wood became famous for such movies as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Miracle on 34th Street.

At 16, she starred in Rebel Without a Cause and continued her stardom in many more films, including West Side Story, Gypsy, and Splendor In the Grass. Her acting credits go on into the early 1980s until her drowning death in 1981.

Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall will forever be known for his roles as Cornelius and Caesar in The Planet of the Apes movie series, although his career started many years before then.

He was in his first film, Murder in the Family, at ten years of age and continued his years as a child star in such movies as My Friend Flicka and Lassie Come Home. His work in entertainment went on into the early 2,000s.

Margaret O'Brien

It was Margaret O'Brien's second film, Journey for Margaret, that catapulted her into child stardom. She received a Juvenile Academy Award as "Outstanding Child Actress" of 1944 for her role in Meet Me in St. Louis.

Over the years, she has never stopped performing in movies and TV and is still an active performer as of 2026.

1950s Child Stars

Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers

Kids on The Mickey Mouse Club all became beloved child stars, but a couple of the kids stood out above the rest. Annette Funicello was the most popular, and once the show ended, she still acted for Disney, then went on to star in several "Beach" movies with Frankie Avalon, and kept active in her career until 1991.

Another Mickey Mouse Club alumnus is Tommy Kirk, who starred in The Hardy Boys series featured on the show. He also kept acting for Disney, starring in movies including Old Yeller and The Shaggy Dog. His final performance was in The Education of a Vampire in 2001.

Leave It to Beaver Kids

Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow became child stars on the small screen with Leave It to Beaver. Both continued to have successful careers once the series ended, with Mathers acting and Dow both acting and directing.

To the fans' delight, they came back together again in the 1980s for The New Leave It to Beaver, where they reprised their roles from 1983-1989.

Ricky Nelson

Establishing himself as a child star in the TV series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, where he starred alongside his parents and older brother David, Ricky Nelson later became a teen idol, appearing on numerous TV series.

Nelson also established himself as a recording artist with hits like "Travelin' Man" and "Garden Party."

Jay North

Although Mr. Wilson could do without him, the public couldn't, and the character of Dennis in Dennis the Menace made Jay North a favored child star in the 1950s.

When the series ended, his career continued with roles on several TV shows as well as voice-overs in such shows as Arabian Knights and Here Comes the Grump. His final performance was in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star in 2003.

1960s Child Stars

Ron Howard

Ron Howard (known as Ronny Howard in his youth) first appeared as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. Although he appeared in 243 episodes of the series, he also appeared in many other TV shows, including Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C.

Stardom has followed him throughout his life, including starring as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days before becoming an Academy Award-winning filmmaker who is still active today.

Butch Patrick

Butch Patrick's acting career began in 1961 with an appearance on the TV series The Detectives. In 1964, he hit child star status with his portrayal of Eddie on The Munsters.

In the years since the series ended, Patrick went on to act in a great many TV series and movies and reprised his role of Eddie in Here Come the Munsters, along with voicing the character Tin Can Man in the 2022 film, The Munsters.

Kurt Russell

With an acting career beginning at 11, Kurt Russell started out with small parts before landing his first TV series The Travels of Jaime McPheeters. He went on to become a Disney star with movies like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Barefoot Executive.

Russell transformed into an adult star with movie hits like Escape From New York and The Thing. Still acting today, younger audiences know him from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Haley Mills

As a child star, Haley Mills appeared in numerous movies, although she was best known for her starring roles in Disney films including Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, and That Darn Cat.

Throughout her life, she continued to act in a variety of movies and TV shows, including Wild at Heart, Unforgotten, and sequels to The Parent Trap.

Bill Mumy

Giving his first performance in the TV series Wire Service, Bill (Billy) Mumy made numerous guest appearances on TV before landing the role of Will Robinson in Lost in Space.

Since that time, Mumy has never been out of the entertainment spotlight with a great many guest appearances on TV shows, including The Rockford Files, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Space Command, as well as a cameo as Dr. Smith in the updated Netflix series Lost in Space.

1970s Child Stars

Michael Jackson

Forever known as the "King of Pop," Michael Jackson made his debut at 11 years of age singing the lead vocals in "I Want You Back" with his brothers in the group The Jackson Five.

He launched his solo career with his first album entitled "The Wall," as well as branching into acting. He was also immortalized as Captain Eo in Disneyland and was still at the top of his career when he passed in 2009.

Donny Osmond

First making his TV debut at the tender age of five on The Andy Williams Hour, Donny Osmond hit celebrity status when the song "One Bad Apple" came out with his brothers as The Osmond Brothers. He released his first solo hit "Sweet and Innocent" when he was 13 years old, making him a teen idol.

Osmond has had many career highlights, including the TV series The Donny and Marie Show, the Broadway show Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, live performances in Las Vegas both with his sister Marie and alone, as well as appearing on The Masked Singer.

The Brady Bunch Kids

Maureen McCormick, Eve Plumb, Susan Olsen, Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, and Mike Lookinland all hit child star status with the 1970s show The Brady Bunch.

When the series ended, the kids continued their Brady lives with The Brady Kids cartoon series, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, The Brady Brides, A Very Brady Christmas, and The Bradys.

Each of the kids followed their own career paths, some in the entertainment industry, but came back together for A Very Brady Renovation in 2019 on HGTV, where they transformed the interior of the Brady house, which was shown on TV, into what the inside of the Brady house really looked like.

Tatum O'Neal

Tatum O'Neal was 10 years old when she won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in her debut film, Paper Moon, which she starred in with her dad, Ryan O'Neal. Additional childhood films included The Bad News Bears and National Velvet.

Over the years, O'Neal has given numerous stellar performances, and after a hiatus from acting due to medical reasons, has returned to her career.

Jodie Foster

Kicking off her career, Jody Foster was 2 years old when she started acting in commercials. She landed guest spots on numerous TV shows including, My Three Sons, The Partridge Family, and The New Perry Mason, before she hit it big in the film Taxi.

Her line of work continues to this day with performances in films, including her Academy Award performance in The Silence of the Lambs, as well as Nell in the movie Nell's Island. Her latest film is the 2026 film, A Private Life.

1980s Child Stars

Gary Coleman

When Gary Coleman began filming Diff'rent Strokes, he had already been acting for a few years. Running from 1978-1986, Coleman became known for his famous line: "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?"

While appearing on Different Strokes, he also played in a variety of TV shows, including the TV movie The Kid From Left Field, which gained him a NAACP Image Award. He continued acting up until his death in 2011, with his final acting role in Robot Chicken, which aired in 2011.

The Olsen Twins

Literally, babies, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were 6 months old when cast as Michele Tanner in Full House. This gave them the stardom to star in several movies, including Double, Double Toil and Trouble, It Takes Two, and New Your Minute. Not interested in the "Hollywood life," the twins opted to leave show business and launched a highly successful fashion career.

Drew Barrymore

With a few acting credits already under her belt, Drew Barrymore caught people's attention as the adorable Gertie in E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Since the film back in 1982, Barrymore has continuously worked in movies and TV with some audience favorites, including Charlie's Angels and 50 First Dates. She began hosting her own talk show in 2020, which continues today.

Fred Savage

Winning numerous awards, The Wonder Years debuted in 1988 and took Fred Savage from a child actor to a child star.

After ending in 1993, Savage's career continued with many acting credits, including The Grinder and Friends from College. His latest acting credit is appearing on the TV series Three Women.

Soleil Moon Frye

Warming our hearts as Punky Brewster, Soleil Moon Frye added many more acting credits to her resume, while guest starring on numerous TV shows, including The Wonder Years, Friends, and Grown Ups, before joining the cast of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Frye also lent her voice to different cartoon series including The Proud Family, Planet Sheen, and Bratz. In 2021, she reprised her role in Punky Brewster for a 10-episode run. She is currently doing voice-over acting in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

1990s Child Stars

Macaulay Culkin

1985 marked the year of Macaulay Culkin's first acting appearance in the TV movie The Midnight Hour, but it was his starring role in the film Home Alone that made him a superstar at the age of 10 in 1990.

Culkin added many more movies to his acting credits, including Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Good Son, and The Pagemaster. Over the years, he has acted on and off and is still involved in show business today.

Mickey Mouse Club Kids of the 1990s

The All New Mickey Mouse Club was a career launcher for some of the biggest names in show business today, including Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling.

Spears became a Grammy-winning singer while Timberlake took home a few Emmy Awards. A successful singer/songwriter, Aguilar lent her talent and knowledge to The Voice as a judge, and Gosling became a highly successful actor.

Jaleel White

"Did I do that?" became the catch phrase for Steve Urkel (portrayed by Jaleel White,) the nerdy neighbor on Family Matters. First appearing on The Jeffersons, it was his role on Family Matters that made him a household name.

As a child star, White was also the voice of Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog. His career has never slowed down, with his latest being the host of The Flip Side.

Ben Savage

Kicking off his career in 1989 in Little Monsters, Ben Savage (brother of another child star, Fred Savage) hit his stardom in 1993 when the series Boy Meets World debuted.

With continued success on TV, including Girl Meets World, which ran from 2014 to 2017, Savage's latest performance is in the thriller Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez.

Lindsay Lohan

With a start on David Letterman in 1992, Lindsay Lohan achieved stardom in the Disney movie The Parent Trap in 1998 when she was 12 years old. She had continued film success in Freaky Friday and Mean Girls.

Launching a successful recording career before returning to her Disney roots with Herbie Fully Loaded, Lohan continues acting and reprised her role as Anna Coleman in Freakier Friday.

2000s Child Stars

Justin Bieber

After being discovered on YouTube, Justin Bieber became a worldwide success with the release of his first song "One Time." With hit song after hit song, Bieber became not only a child singing sensation, but a teen idol as well. Winner of numerous awards including Grammy, Image and Kids Choice Awards, Bieber continues to record and perform to the delight of fans all over the world.

Disney Channel Kid Stars

An absolute wealth of child stars came from The Disney Channel in the 2000s. Miley Cyrus dominated the pop scene due to her starring role in Hannah Montana. Cole and Dylan Sprouse amused audiences as the mischievous twins in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Raven Simone dazzled audiences with her psychic abilities in That's So Raven. Demi Lovato got her big break in Sonny With a Chance, while Selena Gomez achieved her child star status on Wizards of Waverly Place. These child stars and others from the Disney Channel are still stars today.

Harry Potter Actors

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint became immortalized in their roles as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter film series.

Radcliffe has had continued success both on camera and on stage with his latest acting role portraying Arthur Tobin on the TV series The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. Watson's career has been going strong with her most memorable performance being Belle in Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast, while Grint has been featured in several TV series, as well as his latest film, Nightborn.

Dakota Fanning

At seven years old, Dakota Fanning made her show business debut in the film I Am Sam. She continued in movie roles, including Uptown Girls, The Cat in the Hat, and War of the Worlds, while still a child.

Acting success has persevered to follow her through movies and TV, including The Alienist, The First Lady, Ripley, and her latest The Sun Never Sets.

Nickelodeon Kid Stars

Just like The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon spawned its fair share of young stars, including Jamie Lynn Spears, Miranda Cosgrove, and Emma Roberts. Spears' first TV series was All That before being cast as the lead in Zoey 101. She left the business for a while but returned with her latest credit being Sweet Magnolias.

With her first gig at the age of five as the voice of Lana Lane in Smallville, Miranda Cosgrove became a regular on Drake & Josh before starring in iCarly, a role which she reprised in 2021.

While Unfabulous made Emma Roberts a star, she also had many additional TV and film credits, along with music videos as a child. She has continuously worked with one of her most recent series being American Horror Story.

2010s Child Stars

Willow Smith

Willow Smith made her acting debut at seven years of age when she starred across from her dad, Will Smith, in I Am Legend.

She followed up in TV and movies before she released her first single, "I Whip My Hair," at age 10. Both her acting and music careers have been continuous to this day, with Smith being nominated for numerous awards due to her talent.

Alana Thompson

Beginning her career on Toddlers and Tiaras at 6 years old, Alana Thompson became so popular that she was given her own reality series, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

She has kept going on reality TV, appearing on The Masked Singer and Dancing with the Stars. Since 2017, she has been featured in Mama June: From Not to Hot and Mama June: Family Crisis.

Marsai Martin

Starting with a commercial at age five, Marsai Martin had her career launched when she was cast as Diane Johnson in Blackish. Winning numerous acting awards, Martin also voiced Aggro in Dragons Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky. Her latest acting credit a voice-over on Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy.

Finn Wolfhard

Although best known for his role as Mike Wheeler on Stranger Things, Finn Wolfhard was also the voice of Player in Carmen Sandiego, as well as numerous other acting and voice-over gigs, including The 100, Supernatural, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. He currently has several other projects in the works.

Chloe Grace Moretz

Breaking into the industry in 2004 with two guest shots on The Guardian, along with numerous TV and film appearances, it wasn't until the 2010 film Kick-Ass that Chloe Grace Moretz's career skyrocketed.

Many more films and TV shows have followed, including the role of Flynne Fisher in The Peripheral.

2020s Child Stars

As this decade unfolds, it's too soon to pick who the top child stars will be, although there are many shining young faces who are already on their way.

• Ava Louise Murchinson has appeared in Jane, Accused, and Reacher.
• Elisha Williams has entertained fans on The Wonder Years while also voicing Bingo in Puppy Dog Paws and Flash Fierson in Firebuds.
• Honor Davis-Pye is keeping very busy in movies, including The Ghost Within, The Surgeon, and Decrypted.
• Christian Convey has been making his mark with performances in the TV series Sweet Tooth and movies like Cocaine Bear and Frankenstein.
• Also, keep an eye out for Lexi Janicek, known for The Really Loud House and The People We Hate at the Wedding.

Although it may seem like there are lots of kids listed above, they are only a fraction of all of the young talents that have wowed audiences over the decades. As time goes on, more and more young faces will continue to amaze audiences with their entertaining performances.

How about you? Do you have a favorite child star? If so, please let me know in the comments below.

Sources:

https://ew.com/gallery/26-successful-child-stars/

http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Academy-Awards-Crime-Films/Child-Actors-EARLY-CHILD-STARS.html

https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/the-brady-bunch-spinoffs-153793

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls036823613/

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls021096350/

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls071842043/

https://stacker.com/stories/celebrities/popular-child-stars-year-you-were-born