MovieChat Forums > Kings Row (1942) Discussion > Child actors in this movie

Child actors in this movie


I was looking up the bios of the Kings Row cast here on the IMDb, and thought it rather ironic that the two male leads both lived to a ripe old age, one going on to become President of the United States and the other staying in a prolific career in movies and TV, while the two child actors who played their characters as boys both died in their thirties. Scotty Beckett, who played Young Parris, went on to a life of drug abuse and committed suicide after repeated attempts (not atypical of many child actors throughout the ages) while Douglas Croft, who played Young Drake, quit acting at the age of 20, slipped into obscurity and died at 37.

Ann E. Todd (Young Randy) is the only one of the child castmembers whose whereabouts are known, and the actresses who played the other central characters as girls (Mary Thomas as Young Cassandra and Joan Duvalle as Young Louise) slipped into obscurity early on as well. None of the five named child actors can be said to have had a lasting and successful adult career in film.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that there was a curse, but there sure was a lot of unfulfilled potential!

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Most child actors dont go on to much of an adult acting career, as they lack the qualities as adults that made them successful child actors. Scotty Beckett actually had acting talent as an adult, but couldnt stay off the drugs. He was one of the Little Rascals, I believe.

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I am so glad to find someone who remembers the Stu Erwin show I thought I was the Only one--I loved this show when I was a kid, I remember Jackie and
Willie Best. there used to be a channel called Nostalgia - and I recorded some of these shows , but when I moved I lost the tape.

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It is very sad that the two young lead actors died so young. I wonder about the little McIntosh boy who cried so well on cue when the mean doctor was hurting his dad. Anyone know what happened to him? I thought he did a tremendous job with his part in the movie...

viktik

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Anne E. Todd is alive and well and living in Northern California. She left showbiz to follow her love of music and eventually founded her own publishing company. She is now retired, a proud and content mother and grandmother.

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Douglas Croft and Scotty Beckett really had a cottage industry playing younger versions of male stars:

Croft:
Ronald Reagan in KINGS ROW
Gary Cooper in THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES
James Cagney in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
Glenn Ford in FLIGHT LIEUTENANT
Sheppard Strudwick in REMEMBER THE DAY
(he was also the screen's first "Robin" in the 1943 Batman serial)

Beckett:
Robert Cummings in KINGS ROW
Larry Parks in THE JOLSON STORY
Louis Hayward in MY SON, MY SON
Don Ameche in HEAVEN CAN WAIT
William Gargan in THE DEVIL'S PARTY
Robert Young in WHOM THE GODS DESTROY
and Jon Hall twice --
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES
ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS

"Howdy, Bub"

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