Before the contemporary era of streaming youtube stars, teen idols usually got their start on tv, playing cute kids or dreamy teens in "family-friendly" sitcoms and dramas. The problem is, you never know which cute kid or dreamy teen will take off.
In 1990, Gregory Harrison, looking for a new vehicle after his successful intergenerational doctor show
Trapper John, MD, starred in
The Family Man, a lead in to the hit
Hogan Family. He plays a widower who invites his opinionated father-in-law to help him raise his passel of kids, including John Buchanan, Scott Weinger, and Matthew Brooks. Surely one of them would be the next big teen idol.
Nope. 22 episodes, tanked.
Scot Weinger went on to voice Aladdin.
How about
Getting By (1993-94), an interracial
Kate and Allie clone with two former sitcom stars (Cindy Williams, Telma Hopkins) as single mothers who move in with each other? Two teen idols in training, Merlin Santana and Deon Richmond. It lasted for a whopping 31 episodes.
Ok,
Second Noah (1996-97), with Daniel Hugh Kelly looking for a new vehicle after his successful intergenerational buddy-bonding
Hardcastle and McCormick (1983-1986) and a couple of failed series, as a writer with a passel of adopted kids and cute animals, including Jason Marsden, Jeffrey Licon, and the twins Jon and Jeremy Torgeson.
Only the Torgeson twins got a glimmer of teen idol attention, although Jeffrey Licon became popular later in
The Brothers Garcia, and Jason Marsden (top photo) became an adult beefcake star.
21 episodes.
In 1998, William Ragsdale, last seen on Herman's Head, became yet another widower in
Brother's Keeper, forced to take in his bad-boy football-player brother. His son was played by Justin Cooper, who still didn't take off as either cute kid or teen idol.
See also:
The Torgerson Twins
