The "whatever happened to this actor/actress" thread. (1 Viewer)

[Inspector Hammer!]

Today, my boss and I were discussing actors that we just don't hear from anymore and what they might be doing now.

I thought it would be fun for the HTF membership to list some of their favorite, but misplaced, stars. And along the way possibly find out what they're up to these days.

The one actor I myself really miss is Steve Guttenberg. I loved him in the 80's in the Police Academy films and Short Circuit. I haven't heard hide nor hair from him in at least ten years.

 

[Holadem]

Not really a favorite, but apparently Joe Pesci has been abducted by aliens.

--
H

 

[Scott McGillivray]

It is odd when a rather popular actor seems to disappear for years at a time. One possible reason for this is that the actor has gone to Broadway to work on the stage.

When I acted with Judd Nelson, I asked him, in the nicest way possible, "Where the hell have you been?" He replied that, indeed, he had been doing a lot of stage work.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Cool, Scott, that your aquianted with Judd. I saw him in a cuple of made for tv films recently, although I think that they were a couple of years old though, they were called Cabin by the Lake and Cabin by the Lake 2.

I always had this really funny, or lame, idea in mind for a sequel to The Breakfast Club, where everyone gets back together after 20 years for a reunion, and it turns out that John Bender had become either a banker or some sort of corporate raider, proving everyone wrong!

As for Joe Pesci, the last I heard he was batteling some sort of illness, I think it was cancer actually, I could be wrong though.

 

[Brad Porter]

Egads, John! Are you the alter ego of HTF member Brian Kissinger?

Here's a list:

Kim Richards (the Witch Mountain movies, Meatballs Part II, Tuff Turf) - Hasn't done much that isn't related to the Witch Mountain franchise since 1990. Since she's an aunt of Nicky and Paris Hilton, she's got an easy comeback pathway - make an amateur porn film.

Lucy Deakins (The Boy Who Could Fly, The Great Outdoors) - She didn't have a huge career, but I liked her. She sneaked onto a "Law & Order" episode a few years ago, but otherwise has pursued other careers other than acting.

The Jacoby/Jayne family - Billy Jayne (Mikey from "Parker Lewis Can't Lose", Buddy from Just one of the Guys), Scott Jacoby (lots of stuff in the 70's and some horror flicks in the 80's but forever known to me as Bad Ronald), Robert Jayne (Iron Eagle, Melvin in Tremors), Laura Jacoby (mostly supporting roles and some TV) - I saw Billy in a Circuit City commercial and Bobby has been beating the dead horse that is the Tremors franchise, but otherwise these guys have lost whatever casting agent magic that got them all those roles.

Michelle Meyrink (Valley Girl, Revenge of the Nerds, Real Genius) - Eight movies in the 80's and then nothing. Where'd she go?

I could probably come up with more but I'm pretty sure several of you are already saying "Who?" with the existing list.

Brad

 

[DougFND]

I read recently that Joe Pesci had retired. I had been wondering about him since I took my daughter to see Shark Tale and he wasn't in it.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

"I always thought I'd had a pretty interesting life..." *quick flashback* "Oh my God! It's the actress who was the girl in Escape to Witch Mountain!"

couldn't resist a family guy reference.

In all honesty, I had NO idea that she was a Hilton aunt. I loved the witch mountain movies.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

What about Barrett Oliver, the kid from Neverending Story, DARYL and I think a couple other kids movies?

 

[Nick Sievers]

Guttenburg has been around, John. He even directed, wrote and starred in a film:

 

[Patrick H.]

As another child of the 80s here, I must confess that I have missed Molly Ringwald quite a bit. She's been off the radar for so long now, though, that nothing short of a Tarantino film or her assuming command of the Starship Enterprise could bring her back.

 

[Rob P S]

Madolyn Smith - (Urban Cowboy, Funny Farm, 2010, All of Me)

 

[Nate Anderson]

She had an amusing cameo in Not Another Teen Movie, which should be appreciated by anyone who was a fan of her 80's films.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Here's the answer to your question Brad.


Where are They Now? Michelle Meyrink

 

[Michael Reuben]

Not if you're a theater fan. She played Sally Bowles in the Sam Mendes-directed Broadway revival of Cabaret (although she wasn't the first), and she played the lead in How I Learned to Drive in both L.A. and NY (where she replaced Mary-Louise Parker), as well as the lead in a Broadway version of Enchanted April in 2003. Last summer she replaced Alyson Hannigan in the London stage production of When Harry Met Sally. Currently she's appearing with Jason Biggs off-Broadway in a play called Modern Orthodox, which didn't get good reviews but seems to be selling tickets.

M.

 

[todd s]

I actually heard this was up for discussion. They were discussing doing this and/or a Ferris Bueller sequel. With the characters 20 years later.

 

[Yee-Ming]

To tie up with the debates raging over in the Battlestar Galactica threads, how about Maren Jansen, who played Athena in the original series? She seems to have completely disappeared.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Brad,
now I KNOW i've got to get out more! I know who just about everyone is on your list! I can't decide if that's good or really sad.

Jesse,
I think the last thing i've ever seen Barret Oliver in was Caccoon The Return.

 

[JonZ]

Melissa Anne Moore
Rochelle Swanson
Shannon Whirry
Charlie Spradling
Sherilyn Fenn
Madchen Amick

 

[DougFND]

Currently in a recurring role on "ER".

 

[Jacob McCraw]

Most performer, especially actresses unfortunately, seem to enjoy a relatively short shelf life. Male actors seem to be given more latitude to age and to continue getting plum roles than their female counterparts. When a woman reaches a certain age she becomes a matronly figure where as some men just become all the more attractive. You then have 50 year old men being paired with 20 year female love interests, and it seems like the hot 20 year old actress of today becomes the has been 25 year old mother type or disappears completely. It makes me wonder if this phenomenon has anything to do with so many high profile actresses like Renee Zellweger, Natalie Portman, and Nicole Kidman always talking about retiring. It seems as if they want to get out before they are forced out. I can't tell if I've made a point here, but I'm pretty sure I started with one. I watch a lot of older movies and there will always be performers that catch my eye, but when I go to IMDB they only have 4 or 5 films to their credit. Are all of these people on stage somewhere now? Just a ramble.