Difference between revisions of "Category:Child Actors"

Revision as of 21:04, 25 September 2026

Child Actors (see Biography, Fiction, Cinema)

Bibliography; see Category:Children--Biblio (film subject)

Expertise : Actors -- Singers -- Child Actors -- Child Singers -- Film Composers -- Film Directors -- Scriptwriters

Genres : Feature Films -- Short Films -- TV Films -- TV mini-series -- Animated Feature Films -- Animated Short Films -- Documentaries Film-operas -- Film-plays -- Video Recordings

Overview

Child Actors & Second Temple Judaism

Second Temple Judaism has given to child actors two big roles--Child Jesus and Amahl.

Among the many child actors who have played the role of Child Jesus in films on the Life of Jesus, are Percy Dyer, Renato Visca, Harold Quintin Driscoll, Erik Ode, Richard Palmer, Lorenzo Monet, David Bravo, Matteo Bellina, Gianmarco Giovi, Brando Pacitto, and Adam Greaves-Neal.

The best role for trebles (in films or on the stage) is that of Amahl in the Menotti opera. Among the most notable interpreters are Chet Allen, James Sammarco, Bill McIver, Kirk Jordan and Kurt Yaghjian.

Apart for these two roles, not many opportunities have been offered to child actors. Some notable exceptions are Mickey Moore and Muriel McCormac featured by Cecil B. DeMille in 1927 as Child Mark and a Blind Girl respectively, Paola Tedesco featured as Salome by Pier Paolo Pasolini in 1964, and Juliette Caton featured as the Devil by Martin Scorsese in 1988.

Most notable movies

1900s

Dec 23, 1902 -- The Little Match Seller (Williamson), film -- Uncredited young girl -- This British short film is the very first cinematic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Little Match Girl. It is highly memorable for its pioneering use of double exposure (superimposition) to visualize the warm, comforting visions the child sees every time she strikes a match in the freezing cold.

Oct 17, 1903 -- Alice in Wonderland (Hepworth & Stow), film -- May Clark -- This is the historic first-ever film adaptation of Lewis Carroll's famous book. Produced in the United Kingdom, it was exceptionally long for its time (around 12 minutes). May Clark stars as a young Alice navigating early, groundbreaking special effects, such as growing and shrinking inside a room.

Jul 03, 1905 -- Rescued by Rover (Fitzhamon & Hepworth), film -- Barbara Hepworth & May Clark -- A massive milestone in cinema history for its innovative narrative continuity and film editing techniques. The plot centers on a baby girl (played by the producer's real-life infant daughter, Barbara Hepworth) who is kidnapped by a beggar and subsequently rescued by the family's heroic dog, Rover.

Jun 10, 1909 -- The Lonely Villa (Griffith), film -- Adele DeGarde & Gladys Egan -- A pioneering suspense thriller famous for perfecting the technique of parallel editing (cross-cutting). While a father rushes home, a mother and her three young daughters barricade themselves inside against thieves. The dramatic tension relies heavily on the authentic, frightened close-up performances of the children.

Jul 08, 1909 -- The Country Doctor (Griffith), film -- Gladys Egan -- This poignant Biograph Company drama features Gladys Egan as the gravely ill daughter of a local physician. The father faces an intense ethical dilemma when he is called away to save another community member. Egan's performance stands out as one of the earliest examples of naturalistic, deeply emotional dramatic acting by a child in American cinema.

Dec 13, 1909 -- A Corner in Wheat (Griffith), film -- Gladys Egan -- Considered an early silent masterpiece for its fierce social commentary against financial greed, the film highlights the devastating impact of wheat speculation on working-class families. Griffith uses children to emphasize poverty and starvation, with young Biograph star Gladys Egan delivering a powerful, visually striking performance.

1910s

Mar 15, 1910 -- The Actor's Children (O'Neil), film -- Orilla Smith & Yale Boss -- This American short drama is historically significant as the very first commercial release from the Thanhouser Film Corporation. It follows two young children of out-of-work actors who are evicted from their apartment and must use their own theatrical talents on the street to survive.

Dec 05, 1912 -- The New York Hat (Griffith), film -- Mary Pickford -- A celebrated short film showcasing the developing Hollywood "star system". Written by Anita Loos, it stars a 20-year-old Mary Pickford masterfully playing a impoverished teenage girl who becomes the target of small-town gossip when a minister buys her a fashionable hat left by her dying mother.

Mar 03, 1916 -- Little Mary Sunshine (King), film -- Baby Marie Osborne -- A massive commercial hit that launched five-year-old Marie Osborne as the world's very first major child movie star. The touching melodrama follows a neglected, wandering little girl who accidentally falls asleep in a car belonging to a despondent man, sparking a redemptive, heartwarming bond that transforms both of their lives.

Mar 05, 1917 -- The Poor Little Rich Girl (Tourneur), film -- Mary Pickford & Madge Evans -- A definitive silent masterpiece of the decade where Mary Pickford plays Gwendolyn, a lonely 11-year-old ignored by her wealthy parents and left to the care of neglectful servants. The film is visually famous for using oversized furniture sets to make the adult Pickford look authentically child-sized.

Nov 05, 1917 -- The Little Princess (Neilan), film -- Mary Pickford & ZaSu Pitts -- Mary Pickford delivers one of her signature performances as Sara Crewe, a wealthy, imaginative girl forced into harsh servitude at a strict boarding school after her father passes away. The acclaimed feature is celebrated for its elaborate, exotic fantasy dream sequences and its seamless use of oversized sets to make Pickford look authentically child-sized.

Jan 27, 1918 -- Tarzan of the Apes (Sidney), film -- Gordon Griffith -- The historic first-ever cinematic adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary character. Fourteen-year-old Gordon Griffith, one of the finest and most prolific child actors of the silent era, anchors the first half of the film as the young boy Tarzan, executing daring, athletic stunt work and swing sequences in the jungle before the character grows into adulthood.

Mar 31, 1918 -- The Blue Bird (Tourneur), film -- Tula Belle & Robin Macdougall -- A visually stunning, avant-garde fantasy masterpiece based on Maurice Maeterlinck's famous play. It stars genuine child actors Tula Belle and Robin Macdougall as a young brother and sister who embark on a magical, expressionistic dream journey to find the Blue Bird of Happiness.

May 11, 1919 -- Daddy-Long-Legs (Neilan), film -- Mary Pickford & Wesley Barry -- One of Mary Pickford's most financially successful comedy-dramas, which she also produced. Pickford stars as the rebellious, high-spirited orphan Judy Abbott, movingly portraying her journey from a harshly run orphanage to her years finding independence and education in college.

May 13, 1919 -- Broken Blossoms (Griffith), film -- Lillian Gish -- A landmark cinematic tragedy featuring 25-year-old Lillian Gish delivering a defining performance as Lucy Burrows, a severely abused 15-year-old girl living in the slums of London. Gish's expressive physical acting—such as using her fingers to force a smile onto her face—became iconic in film history.

1920s

Jan 16, 1921 -- The Kid (Chaplin), film -- Jackie Coogan -- This iconic silent comedy-drama marks Charlie Chaplin's first feature-length film as a director and propelled six-year-old Jackie Coogan into global stardom. Coogan delivers a deeply moving performance as an abandoned child raised by the Little Tramp, forming a legendary on-screen partnership built on survival, mischief, and a profound emotional bond.

Sep 15, 1921 -- Little Lord Fauntleroy (Green & Pickford), film -- Mary Pickford -- Continuing her trademark tradition of portraying young children well into adulthood, a 29-year-old Mary Pickford takes on the dual roles of a sweet-natured boy and his widowed mother. The film is celebrated for its stunning technical achievements and flawless double-exposure special effects that allowed Pickford to seamlessly share the screen with herself.

Sep 10, 1922 -- One Terrible Day (McGowan), film -- Jackie Condon & Ernie Morrison -- This foundational short film officially launched Hal Roach's legendary Our Gang (later known as The Little Rascals) comedy franchise. Breaking away from typical idealized movie children, it showcases real, everyday kids getting into comedic mischief on a chaotic country outing, and notably helped cement Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as the first Black child star in cinematic history.

Oct 30, 1922 -- Oliver Twist (Lloyd), film -- Jackie Coogan & Edouard Trebaol -- Capitalizing on his newfound fame, Jackie Coogan stars as Charles Dickens' famous titular orphan in this highly acclaimed adaptation alongside Lon Chaney as Fagin. Coogan's expressive acting anchors the gritty story as Oliver navigates a cruel workhouse, runs away to London, and falls into a pickpocketing street gang.

Jul 06, 1924 -- Captain January (Cline), film -- Baby Peggy -- A major commercial vehicle for three-year-old Peggy-Jean Montgomery, widely known as "Baby Peggy," Hollywood's other massive child superstar of the silent era. She plays a charming young girl who is rescued from a shipwreck and happily raised by a lonely lighthouse keeper, exhibiting a natural acting style that won the hearts of global audiences.

1930s

Nov 21, 1931 -- The Champ (Vidor), film -- Jackie Cooper -- A legendary Pre-Code sports drama that turned nine-year-old Jackie Cooper into the youngest Oscar nominee for Best Actor in history. Cooper delivers an incredibly emotional, heart-wrenching performance as Dink, a fiercely loyal boy who endlessly supports his washed-up, alcoholic boxer father.

May 01, 1934 -- Little Miss Marker (Hall), film -- Shirley Temple -- The breakout feature film that officially solidified six-year-old Shirley Temple as a certified Hollywood icon. Based on a Damon Runyon story, Temple plays an adorable, curly-haired toddler left as a "marker" collateral for a gambling debt with a group of cynical, hardened Broadway bookies whom she completely melts and reforms.

May 11, 1937 -- Captains Courageous (Fleming), film -- Freddie Bartholomew & Mickey Rooney -- A prestigious MGM adventure drama following the deep personal redemption of Harvey Cheyne, a spoiled, entitled 12-year-old millionaire's son who accidentally falls off a luxury steamship. Freddie Bartholomew brilliantly captures the boy's dramatic evolution from an arrogant brat to a humble, hardworking youth under the mentorship of a kind Portuguese fisherman.

Oct 15, 1937 -- Heidi (Dwan), film -- Shirley Temple & Marcia Mae Jones -- One of the most commercially successful and iconic vehicles of Shirley Temple's historic reign as Hollywood's number-one box office draw. In this heartwarming adaptation of Johanna Spyri's classic novel, Temple exhibits a rich emotional maturity as a plucky orphan who softens her gruff hermit grandfather before being wrongfully separated from him.

Aug 25, 1939 -- The Wizard of Oz (Fleming), film -- Judy Garland -- A universally revered cultural masterpiece and technical triumph celebrated for its revolutionary transition into vibrant three-strip Technicolor. A 16-year-old Judy Garland anchors the entire musical fantasy as Dorothy Gale, perfectly embodying the timeless, wide-eyed innocence of childhood longing as she journeys through a magical land to find her way home.

1940s

Oct 27, 1943 -- The Children Are Watching Us (De Sica), film -- Luciano De Ambrosis -- A pivotal precursor to Italian Neorealism that views a collapsing marriage entirely through the eyes of a four-year-old boy named Prico. Luciano De Ambrosis delivers a devastatingly quiet, heartbreaking performance as a vulnerable child shuffled between indifferent relatives and a boarding school following his mother's extramarital affair.

Nov 22, 1944 -- Meet Me in St. Louis (Minnelli), film -- Margaret O'Brien -- A landmark Technicolor musical masterpiece from MGM that seamlessly integrates its musical numbers into a nostalgic narrative. Seven-year-old Margaret O'Brien delivers an unforgettable, scene-stealing performance as "Tootie" Smith, a mischievous young girl fascinated by morbid Halloween games, earning a special Academy Juvenile Award for her extraordinary emotional range.

Dec 14, 1944 -- National Velvet (Brown), film -- Elizabeth Taylor & Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins -- A classic, high-spirited sports drama that catapulted a 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor to global stardom. Taylor is utterly convincing as Velvet Brown, a determined young girl in rural Sussex who wins a wild horse in a raffle and sacrifices everything to train it for England's prestigious Grand National race.

Apr 02, 1946 -- Shoeshine (De Sica), film -- Franco Interlenghi & Rinaldo Smordoni -- A tragic and blistering masterpiece of Italian Neorealism that follows two young street boys in Rome working as shoeshine partners. Their dreams of buying a horse shatter when they get entangled in a petty crime ring and are sent to a harsh juvenile prison, brutally exploring the destruction of childhood innocence in a fractured post-WWII society.

Dec 18, 1946 -- The Yearling (Brown), film -- Claude Jarman Jr. -- A beautifully shot, heart-wrenching Technicolor adaptation of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Twelve-year-old Claude Jarman Jr. gives a deeply poignant breakout performance as Jody Baxter, a lonely pioneer boy in the 1870s Florida scrublands who must make a devastating coming-of-age choice regarding his beloved pet deer.

May 02, 1947 -- Miracle on 34th Street (Seaton), film -- Natalie Wood -- A universally beloved Christmas classic that captures a masterful performance by eight-year-old Natalie Wood. Wood brilliantly plays Susan Walker, a highly sophisticated and skeptical young girl raised not to believe in fairy tales or Santa Claus, whose cynicism is slowly melted by a kind old man claiming to be the real Kris Kringle.

Jun 22, 1948 -- Oliver Twist (Lean), film -- John Howard Davies -- A seminal British drama celebrated for its atmospheric, noir-influenced Gothic visual style recreating the grim reality of Victorian London slums. Nine-year-old John Howard Davies gives a beautifully innocent, touching performance as the titular orphan navigating a cruel workhouse before falling into a dangerous pickpocketing street gang

Nov 24, 1948 -- Bicycle Thieves (De Sica), film -- Enzo Staiola -- A universally revered cinematic masterpiece shot on location in post-war Rome. Eight-year-old Enzo Staiola anchors the film's moral compass as Bruno, walking tirelessly alongside his desperate, impoverished father through the city streets in a frantic search for a stolen bicycle crucial to their survival.

May 17, 1949 -- The Window (Tetzlaff), film -- Bobby Driscoll -- A gripping, suspenseful film noir shot on location in New York City. Nine-year-old Bobby Driscoll delivers a masterclass in terror as Tommy, a young boy notorious for telling tall tales who witnesses a real murder but cannot get his parents or the police to believe him, leaving him entirely at the mercy of the killers.

1950s

Dec 27, 1951 -- Bellissima (Visconti), film -- Tina Apicella -- A brilliant satire of the film industry shot at Rome's iconic Cinecittà studios. Six-year-old Tina Apicella plays Maria, a working-class girl pushed relentlessly by her obsessed, fiercely protective mother (Anna Magnani) into a ruthless Hollywood-style screen test, resulting in a crushing look at the loss of childhood innocence.

Dec 17, 1952 -- Forbidden Games (Clément), film -- Brigitte Fossey & Georges Poujouly -- A heartbreaking classic and masterpiece of French cinema that explores the psychological coping mechanisms of children during wartime. Six-year-old Brigitte Fossey delivers a legendary, astonishingly raw performance as a young Parisian girl orphaned during a Nazi air raid who builds a secret cemetery for dead animals with a local peasant boy to process her grief.

Apr 23, 1953 -- Shane (Stevens), film -- Brandon deWilde -- A legendary and visually stunning Technicolor Western that elevates the genre into a serious-minded exploration of frontier civilization versus violence. Ten-year-old Brandon deWilde delivers an unforgettable, Oscar-nominated performance as Joey Starrett, a wide-eyed homestead boy who develops a deep fascination and heroic idolization for a mysterious, soft-spoken former gunfighter.

Jul 26, 1955 -- The Night of the Hunter (Laughton), film -- Billy Chapin & Sally Jane Bruce -- A critically revered, visually astonishing Southern Gothic thriller heavily influenced by German Expressionism. Child actors Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce anchor the film's nightmarish, fairy-tale atmosphere as two terrified siblings fleeing down a river to escape a sinister, money-hungry serial killer posing as a righteous preacher.

Sep 12, 1956 -- The Bad Seed (LeRoy), film -- Patty McCormack -- A chilling psychological horror-thriller adapted from a successful Broadway play that served as a definitive precursor to the "evil child" cinematic subgenre. Eleven-year-old Patty McCormack delivers a tour-de-force, Oscar-nominated performance as Rhoda Penmark, an impeccably polite, pigtailed eight-year-old girl whose mother slowly uncovers the horrific truth that her daughter is a manipulative, cold-blooded killer.

Oct 03, 1956 -- The Red Balloon (Lamorisse), film -- Pascal Lamorisse -- A universally adored, visually enchanting cinematic fable filmed in the Belleville neighborhood of Paris. With almost no spoken dialogue, young Pascal Lamorisse beautifully anchors the fantasy short film as a lonely boy who discovers a sentient, bright red balloon that follows him through the grey city streets, winning the Palme d'Or and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Dec 25, 1957 -- Old Yeller (Stevenson), film -- Kevin Corcoran & Tommy Kirk -- A defining and deeply sentimental post-Civil War coming-of-age Western produced by Walt Disney. While teenage Tommy Kirk forms the central bond with the heroic stray dog, young Kevin Corcoran stands out as his mischievous little brother Arliss, grounding the film's emotional frontier stakes before it builds to its legendary, heart-wrenching climax.

May 04, 1959 -- The 400 Blows (Truffaut), film -- Jean-Pierre Léaud -- A universally acclaimed masterpiece and a foundational cornerstone of the French New Wave movement. In a deeply sensitive, semi-autobiographical debut, adolescent Jean-Pierre Léaud delivers an iconic, raw performance as Antoine Doinel, a misunderstood Parisian youth navigating severe parental neglect, rigid school authority, and petty street crime.

1960s

May 18, 1962 -- Mamma Roma (Pasolini), film -- Ettore Garofolo -- A deeply gritty, poetic drama filmed on the dusty outskirts of Rome. Non-professional adolescent actor Ettore Garofolo plays Tommaso, a naive and volatile teenage boy whose fiercely protective mother (Anna Magnani), a former streetwalker, tries desperately to provide him with a respectable, middle-class life, leading to an incredibly raw and heartbreaking tragic climax.

May 23, 1962 -- The Miracle Worker (Penn), film -- Patty Duke -- A powerful and intensely physical biographical drama depicting the early education of Helen Keller. Sixteen-year-old Patty Duke delivers a tour-de-force, Academy Award-winning performance as the young blind and deaf Helen, capturing her feral isolation and emotional breakthrough under the fierce tutelage of her teacher, Annie Sullivan.

Dec 25, 1962 -- To Kill a Mockingbird (Mulligan), film -- Mary Badham & Phillip Alford -- A universally revered cinematic masterpiece adapted from Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about racial injustice in the American South. Nine-year-old Mary Badham gives an extraordinarily naturalistic, Oscar-nominated performance as the tomboyish Scout Finch, whose innocent perspective frames her father Atticus's moral crusade.

Oct 21, 1964 -- My Fair Lady (Cukor), film -- None -- A lavish, universally acclaimed Technicolor musical adaptation of the Broadway smash hit and George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. While the film is a masterclass in set design and musical storytelling following Eliza Doolittle's transformation, it contains no significant child actors, standing out instead for its sweeping adult performances and eight Academy Awards.

Mar 02, 1965 -- The Sound of Music (Wise), film -- Charmian Carr & Heather Menzies & Nicholas Hammond & Duane Chase & Angela Cartwright & Debbie Turner & Kym Karath -- One of the most commercially successful and beloved musical films of all time, set against the backdrop of WWII-era Austria. The seven Von Trapp children, ranging from teenagers to toddlers, form the emotional heart of the film as their strict, grief-stricken household is transformed by music and love.

Dec 19, 1968 -- Oliver! (Reed), film -- Mark Lester & Jack Wild -- A vibrant and grand British musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale that went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Eleven-year-old Mark Lester perfectly captures the angelic innocence of the titular orphan Oliver Twist, while Jack Wild delivers a legendary, Oscar-nominated performance as the charismatic street thief, the Artful Dodger.

1970s

Jun 30, 1971 -- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (Stuart), film -- Peter Ostrum, Julie Dawn Cole, Denise Nickerson, Paris Themmen & Michael Bollner -- A whimsical and slightly dark musical fantasy adapted from Roald Dahl's classic novel. Genuine child actors portray the five lucky golden ticket winners, with Peter Ostrum delivering a grounding performance as the honest, destitute Charlie Bucket navigating a world of pure imagination.

Apr 09, 1973 -- Paper Moon (Bogdanovich), film -- Tatum O'Neal -- A critically acclaimed Great Depression-era comedy-drama shot in striking black-and-white. Nine-year-old Tatum O'Neal makes a historic cinematic debut as the sharp, cigarette-smoking orphan Addie Loggins, performing alongside her real-life father Ryan O'Neal and winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress to become the youngest competitive Oscar winner in history.

Dec 18, 1973 -- Amarcord (Fellini), film -- Bruno Zanin -- An episodic, deeply nostalgic, and surreal semi-autobiographical comedy masterpiece set in the 1930s coastal town of Rimini. Bruno Zanin anchors a colorful ensemble cast as Titta, an unruly and hormone-driven teenage boy navigating the eccentricities of his family, high school, and town life under the shadow of Italian Fascism.

Dec 26, 1973 -- The Exorcist (Friedkin), film -- Linda Blair -- A massive cultural phenomenon and landmark supernatural horror masterpiece that became the first horror film nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. A 12-year-old Linda Blair delivers a terrifying, physically demanding, and iconic performance as Regan MacNeil, a sweet young girl who undergoes a horrific physical transformation when she becomes possessed by a demonic entity.

Apr 07, 1976 -- The Bad News Bears (Ritchie), film -- Tatum O'Neal, Jackie Earle Haley, Alfred W. Lutter & Chris Barnes -- A gritty and cynical Little League sports comedy celebrated for its honest, foul-mouthed humor and subversion of standard underdog tropes. Tatum O'Neal anchors the band of misfits as the gifted 12-year-old pitcher Amanda Whurlitzer, recruited by a beer-guzzling coach to help turn the losing baseball team around.

May 21, 1976 -- 1900 (Bertolucci), film -- Roberto Maccanti & Paolo Pavesi -- An epic, five-hour multi-generational historical saga filmed in Bernardo Bertolucci's ancestral region of Emilia. The monumental story begins at the turn of the century, utilizing young actors Roberto Maccanti and Paolo Pavesi to beautifully portray the foundational childhood friendship of two boys born on the same day—one a wealthy landowner's grandson, the other a peasant—before class warfare divides them.

May 27, 1976 -- Bugsy Malone (Parker), film -- Scott Baio, Jodie Foster, John Cassisi & Florrie Dugger -- A stylized, tongue-in-cheek British-American gangster musical comedy that serves as the feature directorial debut of Alan Parker. The film is entirely unique for its ensemble cast composed exclusively of child and teenage actors playing adult 1920s Prohibition-era mobsters, using whipped-cream "splurge guns" instead of real weapons.

May 03, 1979 -- The Tin Drum (Schlöndorff), film -- David Bennent -- A visionary, Oscar-winning West German anti-war masterpiece based on Günter Grass's Nobel Prize-winning novel. Twelve-year-old David Bennent delivers an astonishing, fiercely intense performance as Oskar Matzerath, a brilliant boy who willfully arrests his own physical development as a bizarre protest against the rise of the Nazi regime and the hypocrisy of the adult world.

Dec 19, 1979 -- Kramer vs. Kramer (Benton), film -- Justin Henry -- A multi-Academy Award-winning legal drama that captured the shifting cultural landscape of divorce, parenting, and gender roles in late 1970s America. Seven-year-old Justin Henry delivers an incredibly naturalistic and heartbreaking performance as Billy Kramer, becoming the youngest person ever nominated for a competitive Oscar (Best Supporting Actor).

1980s

Jun 11, 1982 -- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Spielberg), film -- Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore & Robert MacNaughton -- A universally adored science fantasy masterpiece that tracks the secret, profound emotional bond between a lonely suburban boy and a stranded alien. Shot in rough chronological order to ensure authentic emotional reactions, the film captures the absolute essence of childhood innocence, wonder, and heavy goodbyes.

Apr 06, 1984 -- The NeverEnding Story (Petersen), film -- Barret Oliver, Noah Hathaway & Tami Stronach -- A sweeping international fantasy classic adapted from Michael Ende's famous novel that brilliantly utilizes a meta "book within a book" narrative. The young cast beautifully explores themes of childhood grief, escapism, and the raw power of human imagination as a young boy reads his way into saving a collapsing magical kingdom.

Jun 07, 1985 -- The Goonies (Donner), film -- Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Jeff Cohen & Ke Huy Quan -- The definitive, high-energy 1980s ensemble adventure comedy produced by Steven Spielberg. It showcases a charismatic, fast-talking group of neighborhood misfit kids who follow an ancient pirate map into booby-trapped subterranean caverns to unearth a hidden fortune and save their family homes.

Aug 08, 1986 -- Stand by Me (Reiner), film -- Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman & Jerry O'Connell -- A deeply nostalgic, bittersweet coming-of-age drama based on Stephen King's novella The Body. The plot tracks four young friends hiking down Oregon railroad tracks in search of a missing boy's body, serving as an emotionally raw, critically acclaimed exploration of childhood trauma, mortality, and unmatched friendship.

Oct 18, 1987 -- Au Revoir les Enfants (Malle), film -- Gaspard Manesse & Raphael Fejtö -- A deeply moving, autobiographical Holocaust drama directed by Louis Malle. Young actors Gaspard Manesse and Raphael Fejtö deliver profoundly authentic and quiet performances as two brilliant boys attending a Catholic boarding school in occupied France who form a secret, intellectual bond before the devastating reality of the Nazi regime shatters their sanctuary.

Dec 09, 1987 -- Empire of the Sun (Spielberg), film -- Christian Bale -- An epic, deeply moving WWII coming-of-age drama showcasing 12-year-old Christian Bale in his legendary, critically acclaimed breakout debut performance. Bale plays a wealthy, privileged British boy living in Shanghai who becomes separated from his parents and must rely on pure wit to survive years inside a harsh Japanese internment camp.

Nov 17, 1988 -- Cinema Paradiso (Tornatore), film -- Salvatore Cascio -- A magnificent, Oscar-winning tribute to the magic of the movies shot in the Sicilian village of Palazzo Adriano. Eight-year-old Salvatore Cascio delivers a luminous, globally beloved performance as "Totò," a mischievous altar boy who forms a life-altering bond with an aging movie house projectionist.

Aug 16, 1989 -- Uncle Buck (Hughes), film -- Macaulay Culkin, Gaby Hoffmann & Jean Louisa Kelly -- A commercial blockbuster comedy written and directed by John Hughes that highlights brilliant, snappy comedic chemistry between John Candy and a sharp young cast. Six-year-old Macaulay Culkin steals the show with his fast-paced, interrogation-style dialogue, directly paving the way for his mega-stardom in Home Alone the following year.

1990s

Feb 16, 1990 -- The Witches (Roeg), film -- Jasen Fisher -- A dark, eccentric British fantasy film produced by Jim Henson that serves as a beloved adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic novel. Child actor Jasen Fisher delivers an engaging and highly physical performance as Luke, a brave young boy who uncovers a terrifying secret coven of witches and must stop them even after being physically transformed into a mouse.

Nov 16, 1990 -- Home Alone (Columbus), film -- Macaulay Culkin -- A massive cultural and box office phenomenon that turned eight-year-old Macaulay Culkin into a global superstar. Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, an accidental latchkey kid who must single-handedly defend his suburban home from a pair of bumbling burglars using an array of inventive, painful homemade booby traps.

Jul 03, 1991 -- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Cameron), film -- Edward Furlong -- A revolutionary science-fiction action blockbuster celebrated for ushering in modern CGI filmmaking. In his acting debut, 13-year-old Edward Furlong plays the rebellious future leader of humanity, John Connor, who is protected by a reprogrammed cyborg while forming a unique father-figure relationship with the machine.

Mar 04, 1992 -- The Stolen Children (Amelio), film -- Giuseppe Ieracitano & Valentina Scalici -- A highly acclaimed, gritty neo-neorealist drama that won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. Non-professional child actors Giuseppe Ieracitano and Valentina Scalici give raw, profoundly authentic performances as two traumatized, neglected siblings escorted across Italy on an unauthorized cross-country journey by a sympathetic carabiniere.

Aug 05, 1994 -- The Little Rascals (Spheeris), film -- Bug Hall, Travis Tedford & Brittany Ashton Holmes -- A playful, modernized feature-length adaptation of Hal Roach's classic Our Gang shorts. The production relied entirely on a charismatic young ensemble cast, capturing pure childhood innocence and slapstick humor as the members of an anti-girl clubhouse attempt to sabotage a young romance.

May 10, 1995 -- A Little Princess (Cuarón), film -- Liesel Matthews -- Alfonso Cuarón's critically acclaimed, visually exquisite American directorial debut. Eleven-year-old Liesel Matthews stars as Sara Crewe, a wealthy, imaginative girl who is forced into a life of harsh servitude at a strict boarding school during WWI, relying on her resilient inner dignity and storytelling to survive.

Aug 02, 1996 -- Matilda (DeVito), film -- Mara Wilson -- A beloved, dark yet whimsical adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic book. Nine-year-old Mara Wilson delivers an iconic performance as Matilda Wormwood, an exceptionally brilliant and neglected child prodigy who discovers she possesses psychokinetic abilities, using them to stand up against her abusive parents and a tyrannical school principal.

Dec 20, 1997 -- Life Is Beautiful (Benigni), film -- Giorgio Cantarini -- A deeply moving, multi-Oscar-winning tragedy filmed across Arezzo and Rome. Five-year-old Giorgio Cantarini plays Giosué, a young boy protected from the grim horrors of a Nazi concentration camp by his fiercely devoted father, who uses his vibrant imagination to convince the boy that their internment is merely a complex game with a real tank as the prize.

Aug 06, 1999 -- The Sixth Sense (Shyamalan), film -- Haley Joel Osment -- A critically revered psychological thriller famous for its monumental twist ending. Eleven-year-old Haley Joel Osment delivers a masterclass in dramatic acting as Cole Sear, a deeply troubled boy haunted by terrifying supernatural visions of dead people, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor

2000s

May 19, 2000 -- Billy Elliot (Daldry), film -- Jamie Bell -- A critically revered British coming-of-age drama set against the gritty backdrop of the violent 1984 UK miners' strike. In a historic breakout debut, 13-year-old Jamie Bell delivers a powerhouse, deeply expressive performance as a working-class boy who discovers an unexpected passion for ballet, making him the youngest person ever to win the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Nov 04, 2001 -- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Columbus), film -- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint & Emma Watson -- A massive global commercial success that launched one of the most successful franchises in cinema history. The young trio brilliantly embodies J.K. Rowling's beloved characters, capturing the wonder, friendship, and heavy responsibility of a young boy discovering his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday.

May 14, 2003 -- I'm Not Scared (Salvatores), film -- Giuseppe Cristiano & Mattia Di Pierro -- A tense and visually stunning psychological thriller filmed across the sun-drenched, golden wheat fields of Basilicata. Ten-year-old Giuseppe Cristiano gives a brilliant performance as Michele, a young boy who accidentally discovers a terrified, blindfolded child held captive in a hidden underground pit, leading him to unearth a horrific, dark secret harbored by the adults in his small village.

Mar 17, 2004 -- The Chorus (Barratier), film -- Jean-Baptiste Maunier -- A sweeping and massively successful musical drama that became a cultural phenomenon in France. Set in a bleak, strict boarding school for troubled boys in 1949, the film features a standout, breakout vocal performance from Jean-Baptiste Maunier as Pierre Morhange, a fiercely defensive rebel with the angelic voice of a prodigy who is reformed through choral music.

Dec 07, 2005 -- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Adamson), film -- Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley & Anna Popplewell -- A grand, epic fantasy blockbuster that beautifully balances cutting-edge CGI with authentic emotional depth. The four young leads deliver highly grounded performances as the Pevensie siblings, who accidentally stumble through a magical wardrobe portal into a mythical land locked in eternal winter.

Jan 20, 2006 -- Little Miss Sunshine (Dayton & Faris), film -- Abigail Breslin -- A landmark independent tragicomedy that became a massive box office hit and critical darling. A seven-year-old Abigail Breslin steals the show with her deeply endearing and Oscar-nominated breakout performance as Olive Hoover, a sweet girl who brings her deeply dysfunctional family together on a chaotic road trip.

Dec 11, 2007 -- The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Herman), film -- Asa Butterfield & Jack Scanlon -- A devastating and deeply moving historical drama exploring the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp through the naive eyes of childhood. Eight-year-old Asa Butterfield delivers a profoundly innocent performance as Bruno, the camp commandant's son, who strikes up a forbidden fence-line friendship with a captive Jewish boy.

Aug 28, 2009 -- The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (Craven), film -- Max Records -- A visually striking and dark urban fantasy adventure based on Maurice Sendak's classic picture book Where the Wild Things Are. Nine-year-old Max Records anchors the entire film as Max, a lonely, rambunctious boy who runs away from home in a wolf costume to become the crowned king of a mystical island inhabited by giant, emotionally complex creatures.

2010s

May 18, 2011 -- The Kid with a Bike (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne), film -- Thomas Doret -- A gritty, emotionally direct French-Belgian co-production that serves as a modern spiritual successor to Bicycle Thieves. Newcomer Thomas Doret gives a powerful, physically explosive performance as Cyril, a turbulent 12-year-old boy abandoned by his father who aggressively searches for his lost bicycle while desperately clinging to the kindness of a local hairdresser.

Nov 23, 2011 -- Hugo (Scorsese), film -- Asa Butterfield & Chloë Grace Moretz -- Martin Scorsese's visually stunning love letter to early cinema and 3D technology. Based on Brian Selznick's novel, it stars Asa Butterfield as a twelve-year-old orphan secretly maintaining the clocks at a Parisian railway station who unravels a mechanical mystery surrounding a broken automaton.

Jun 27, 2012 -- Beasts of the Southern Wild (Zeitlin), film -- Quvenzhané Wallis -- An extraordinary magical realism drama that made six-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis the youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee in history. Wallis plays Hushpuppy, a fiercely resilient girl living in an isolated Louisiana bayou community who must find the courage to navigate environmental collapse and her father's fading health.

Jul 11, 2014 -- Boyhood (Linklater), film -- Ellar Coltrane & Lorelei Linklater -- A monumental, unprecedented cinematic experiment written and directed by Richard Linklater. Shot in short bursts over a twelve-year span with the exact same cast, it charts the intimate, realistic evolution of a young Texas boy growing from a six-year-old dreamer into an independent young adult.

Oct 16, 2015 -- Room (Abrahamson), film -- Jacob Tremblay -- A deeply poignant and claustrophobic adaptation of Emma Donoghue's novel. Seven-year-old Jacob Tremblay delivers a masterclass performance as Jack, a five-year-old boy who escapes a lifelong captivity in a tiny garden shed and must experience the overwhelming sensory reality of the outside world for the very first time.

Dec 10, 2015 -- Heidi (Gsponer), film -- Anuk Steffen -- A beautifully shot, highly acclaimed German-Swiss period drama that became the most successful Swiss film at the international box office. Young newcomer Anuk Steffen gives a remarkably naturalistic, luminous performance as the spirited orphan Heidi, capturing her profound love for the freedom of mountain life and her touching emotional bond with her gruff grandfather.

Oct 06, 2017 -- The Florida Project (Baker), film -- Brooklynn Prince & Valeria Cotto -- A vibrant yet gritty slice-of-life masterpiece directed by Sean Baker. Shot largely on 35mm film, it brilliantly follows the joyful, blissfully ignorant summertime adventures of a precocious six-year-old girl living with her struggling mother at a budget motel just outside the gates of Walt Disney World.

2020s

Nov 06, 2020 -- The Life Ahead (Ponti), film -- Ibrahima Gueye & Sophia Loren -- A poignant and gritty contemporary drama streaming on Netflix shot entirely in the seaside city of Bari. Twelve-year-old newcomer Ibrahima Gueye delivers a masterclass breakout performance as Momo, a cynical Senegalese orphan who forms an unlikely, deeply moving intergenerational bond after being taken in by a fierce Holocaust survivor.

Dec 25, 2020 -- Soul (Docter & Powers), film -- None -- A critically adored, Oscar-winning animated masterpiece that explores the deep existential meaning of life, passion, and human connection. Although it features a middle-aged protagonist and contains no primary child actors, the narrative revolves heavily around a cynical, unborn soul named 22 who must experience the simple joys of a child's sensory world on Earth to find her purpose.

Jun 02, 2021 -- Petite Maman (Sciamma), film -- Joséphine Sanz & Gabrielle Sanz -- A magical, exquisitely gentle fantasy drama that relies entirely on its spectacular young leads. Real-life identical twin sisters Joséphine and Gabrielle Sanz deliver highly naturalistic, deeply touching performances as an eight-year-old girl mourning her grandmother who ventures into the woods and strikes up a friendship with a mysterious peer who turns out to be her own mother as a young child.

Sep 02, 2021 -- C'mon C'mon (Mills), film -- Woody Norman -- A tender, humanist drama shot in exquisite black-and-white. Eleven-year-old British child actor Woody Norman delivers a brilliant, highly acclaimed breakout performance as Jesse, an energetic, emotionally intelligent boy who forms a transformative intergenerational bond with his radio journalist uncle during a cross-country trip across America.

Feb 11, 2022 -- The Quiet Girl (Bairéad), film -- Catherine Clinch -- A critically revered coming-of-age drama that made history as the first Irish-language film nominated for an Academy Award. Newcomer Catherine Clinch gives a spellbinding, deeply moving performance as Cáit, a quiet, neglected nine-year-old girl who opens up and beautifully blossoms when she is sent to live with loving foster parents for a summer in rural Ireland.

May 21, 2022 -- Aftersun (Wells), film -- Frankie Corio -- A melancholic, masterfully crafted indie drama celebrated as one of the best films of the decade. Ten-year-old Frankie Corio delivers a luminous and naturalistic performance as Sophie, a sharp eleven-year-old girl enjoying a rare, sun-washed vacation at a Turkish resort with her loving father while entirely unaware of his secret, heavy emotional struggles with depression.

Oct 05, 2022 -- Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (Warchus), film -- Alisha Weir -- A high-energy, vibrant cinematic adaptation of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning stage musical. Twelve-year-old Alisha Weir delivers a tour-de-force performance as the telekinetic child prodigy Matilda Wormwood, leading a fiercely talented young ensemble cast in a triumphant musical revolution against their tyrannical school principal.

Sep 08, 2024 -- The Wild Robot (Sanders), film -- Kit Connor -- An instantly classic, visually spectacular animated feature that fuses CGI with a hand-painted digital sketch aesthetic. The plot centers on a shipwrecked robot who must override her programming to adapt to nature and raise an orphaned gosling named Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor as a youth), creating a profound and deeply emotional exploration of parenthood, growth, and survival.

Oct 20, 2024 -- The Children's Train (Comencini), film -- Christian Cervone -- A sweeping, emotionally gripping historical drama streaming on Netflix that explores Italy's post-WWII "Happiness Trains" initiative. Newcomer Christian Cervone gives a brilliant performance as Amerigo, a seven-year-old boy sent from the severe poverty of Naples to live with a host family in the north, sparking a bittersweet journey of musical self-discovery and identity.

Most Famous Child Actors

Born in the 1880s

Benoit Duval (1881-...) FRA

Born in the 1890s

Tom Williamson (1891- ) GBR
Jack Pickford (1896- ) CAN
Adele DeGarde (1899- ) USA

Born in the 1900s

Gladys Egan (1900-1985) USA
Marie Eline (1902-1981) USA
Maria Fromet (1902-1967) FRA
Lewis Sargent (1903- ) USA
Wesley Barry (1907-1994) USA
Gordon Griffith (1907-1958) USA
Georgie Stone (1909-2010) USA

Born in the 1910s

Marie Osborne (1911-2010) USA
Jean Forest (1912-1980) FRA
Ernst Morrison (1912-1989) USA
Jackie Coogan (1914-1984) USA
Philippe De Lacy (1917-1995) FRA
Diana Serra Cary (1918-2020) USA

Born in the 1920s

Robert Lynen (1920-1944) FRA
Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) USA
Billy Mauch (1921-2006) & Bobby Mauch (1921-2007) USA
Jackie Cooper (1922-2011) USA
Freddie Bartholomew (1924-1992) GBR
Sabu (1924-1963) IND
Bobby Breen (1927-2016) CAN
Carl Switzer (1927-1959) USA
Roddy McDowall (1928-1998) GBR
Shirley Temple (1928-2014) USA

Born in the 1930s

Johnny Sheffield (1931-2010) USA
Peggy Ann Garner (1932-1984) USA
Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) GBR
Claude Jarman (1934) USA
Dean Stockwell (1936-2021) USA
Bobby Driscoll (1937-1968) USA
Ivan Jandl (1937-1987) CZE
Margaret O'Brien (1937) USA
Natalie Wood (1938-1981) USA
Enzo Staiola (1939) ITA

Born in the 1940s

Tommy Rettig (1941-1996) USA
Brandon De Wilde (1942-1972) USA
Lee Aaker (1943-2021) USA
Billy Chapin (1943-2016) USA
Patty McCormack (1945) USA
Nikolaj Burljaev (1946-2021) RUS
Johnny Crawford (1946) USA
Patty Duke (1946-2016) USA
Hayley Mills (1946) GBR
Martin Stephens (1948) GBR

Born in the 1950s

Mary Badham (1952) USA
Ron Howard (1954) USA
Bill Mumy (1954) USA
Karen Dotrice (1955) GBR
Matthew Garber (1956-1977) GBR
Peter Ostrum (1957) USA
Kevin Hooks (1958) USA
Mark Lester (1958) GBR
Johnny Whitaker (1959) USA

Awards

See Academy Juvenile Award (1934-1960)

Shirley Temple (1934) - Deanna Durbin (1938) - Judy Garland (1939) - Margaret O'Brien (1944) - Peggy Ann Garner (1945) - Claude Jarman (1946) - Ivan Jandl (1948) - Bobby Driscoll (1949) - Jon Whiteley / Vincent Winter (1954) - Hayley Mills (1960)

See Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film

Dennis Christopher (1979) - Justin Henry (1980) - Ricky Schroder (1981) - Henry Thomas (1982) - C. Thomas Howell (1983) - Anthony Michael Hall (1984) - Sean Astin (1985) - Peter Billingsley (1986) - River Phoenix / Fred Savage / Patrick Dempsey / Corey Feldman (1987) - Christian Bale / Corey Feldman / Corey Haim / Lukas Haas (1988) - Sean Astin (1989) - Macaulay Culkin (1990) - Ethan Randall (1991) - Elijah Wood (1992) - Edward Furlong / Jason James Richter / Mason Gamble (1993) - Brad Renfro (1994) - Wil Horneff (1995) - Lucas Black (1996) - Blake Heron / Kevin Zegers (1997) - Miko Hughes (1998) - Haley Joel Osment (1999) - Rob Brown (2000) - Anton Yelchin (2001) - Tyler Hoechlin (2002) - Jeremy Sumpter (2003) - Jamie Bell (2004) - Josh Hutcherson (2005) - Logan Lerman (2006) - Josh Hutcherson (2007) - Nate Hartley (2008) - Max Records (2009) - Jaden Smith (2010) - Dakota Goyo (2011) - Tom Holland (2012) - Miles Elliot (2013) - Reese Hartwig (2014) - Jared Breeze / Steele Stebbins / Michael Grant (2015) - Julian Feder (2016) - Jacob Tremblay (2017) - Christopher Convery (2018) - Christian Convery (2019)

See Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film (1978-present)

Diane Lane (1979) - Diane Lane (1980) - Kristy McNichol (1981) - Aileen Quinn (1982) - Roxana Zal (1983) - Molly Ringwald (1984) - Meredith Salenger (1985) - Laura Jacoby (1986) - Lisa Bonet / Maia Brewton / Christa Denton / Lea Thompson (1987) - Mayim Bialik / Kristy Swanson / Hayley Taylor-Block (1988) - Winona Ryder (1989) - Robin Weisman (1990) - Thora Birch (1991) - Alisan Porter (1992) - Thora Birch / Ariana Richards / Christina Vidal (1993) - Anna Chlumsky (1994) - Anna Chlumsky (1995) - Michelle Trachtenberg (1996) - Mara Wilson (1997) - Lindsay Lohan / Jena Malone (1998) - Kimberly J. Brown (1999) - Elizabeth Huett (2000) - Scarlett Johansson / Emma Watson (2001) - Alexa Vega (2002) - Jenna Boyd (2003) - Emmy Rossum (2004) - Dakota Fanning (2005) - Keke Palmer (2006) - AnnaSophia Robb (2007) - Dakota Fanning (2008) - Abigail Breslin (2009) - Hailee Steinfeld (2010) - Chloë Grace Moretz (2011) - Kathryn Newton / Quvenzhané Wallis (2012) - Sophie Nelisse / Loreto Peralta (2013) - Quvenzhané Wallis (2014) - Quinn McColgan / Liv Southard (2015) - Sofia Rosinsky (2016) - Savannah Liles (2017) - Chalet Lizette Brannan (2018) - Lexy Kolker (2019)

See Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor (1984-present)

Noah Hathaway (1984) - Barret Oliver (1985) - Carrie Henn (1986) - Kirk Cameron (1987) - Fred Savage (1988) - Adán Jodorowsky (1989/90) - Edward Furlong (1991) - Scott Weinger (1992) - Elijah Wood (1993) - Kirsten Dunst (1994) - Christina Ricci (1995) - Lucas Black (1996) - Jena Malone (1997) - Tobey Maguire (1998) - Haley Joel Osment (1999) - Devon Sawa (2000) - Haley Joel Osment (2001) - Tyler Hoechlin (2002) - Jeremy Sumpter (2003) - Emmy Rossum (2004) - Dakota Fanning (2005) - Ivana Baquero (2006) - Freddie Highmore (2007) - Jaden Smith (2008) - Saoirse Ronan (2009) - Chloë Grace Moretz (2010) - Joel Courtney (2011) - Suraj Sharma (2012) - Chloë Grace Moretz (2013) - Mackenzie Foy (2014) - Ty Simpkins (2015) - Tom Holland (2016) - Tom Holland (2017) - Tom Holland (2018/2019) - Kyliegh Curran (2019/2020) - Finn Wolfhard (2021/2022)

See Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer (1996-present)

Jonathan Lipnicki (1996) - Jurnee Smollett (1997) - Ian Michael Smith (1998) - Haley Joel Osment (1999) - Jamie Bell (2000) - Dakota Fanning (2001) - Kieran Culkin (2002) - Keisha Castle-Hughes (2003) - Freddie Highmore / Emmy Rossum (2004) - Freddie Highmore / Dakota Fanning (2005) - Paul Dano / Abigail Breslin (2006) - Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada / Nikki Blonsky (2007) - Dev Patel (2008) - Saoirse Ronan (2009) - Hailee Steinfeld (2010) - Thomas Horn (2011) - Quvenzhané Wallis (2012) - Adèle Exarchopoulos (2013) - Ellar Coltrane (2014) - Jacob Tremblay (2015) - Lucas Hedges (2016) - Brooklynn Prince (2017) - Elsie Fisher (2018) - Roman Griffin Davis (2019) - Alan Kim (2020) - Jude Hill (2021) - Gabriel LaBelle (2022)

External links

The Sky Kid: Young Talent in Music and the Arts

Subcategories

This category has the following 200 subcategories, out of 268 total.

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