Thursday, June 21, 2007

Walt, Mickey and Me-Paul Peterson



WALT, MICKEY AND ME is the title of the 1977 book by former child star Paul Peterson in which he says some less than flattering things about the Disney folks, then catches up with his former fellow mouseketeers. Last night my wife was flipping channels and briefly lit on one of the entertainment/gossip shows when she recognized Paul. Oddly, even thirty years after this book's publication, he was discussing what happened to his fellow mouseketeers as well as the members of the mid-seventies NEW MICKEY MOUSE CLUB which was just starting as the original book came out.
Paul Peterson himself had been fired from the original group after only a few weeks for "conduct unbecoming a mouse." If I recall correctly he punched out Mickey Rooney's kid. I first knew him as Donna Reed's son Jeff on my mom's favorite sitcom of the early sixties, THE DONNA REED SHOW. In retrospect, Herman and Lily Munster were a more realistic couple than Donna and her doctor husband but it was still fun. He didn't work too much as an actor after that, though, and eventually drifted into writing pulp novels. Although it wasn't easy, Paul managed to get through all the rough times associated with suddenly no longer being the flavor of the month child or teen star and decided to help other child stars and former child stars to do the same.

A Minor Consideration Website details the history and ongoing work of the impressive organization that Peterson eventually founded. For every former child star who gets in trouble, there are probably three more who don't just because they had Paul's group to help. Being a child star is something that will forever be alien to most of us and in a way it's easy to make fun off them because we weren't there. In most cases, their childhoods were sacrificed so they could be a star. It's like play to a child actor in a way but then when it goes away, they are quite literally lost. Usually without the best of education, all they know how to do is act or be cute and when those awkward years hit, it can be a nightmare to any teen. Not only that, many child stars become more self-conscious as teens and young adults and the natural acting talents they had shown early on often fade. As an example, Shirley Temple as a four year old was a talented actress. As a teen, she was cute, dull and lifeless and it looked like she was trying way to hard.

Outside of a few school plays, I was never a child actor but I always hated to hear horror stories about my TV friends--Anissa Jones, Trent Lehman, Dana Plato and so many others. Paul Peterson hated to hear them too and he's done something about it. Paul Peterson may not have lasted long as a mouseketeer but he's long-since become one of my real-life heroes. Thanks, Paul.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:33 PM

    I think Paul's a great guy, too. I respect him a lot for all that he does for child (and EX-child) stars.

    I'll never forget what he said once when he was trying to describe the plight of child stars to a TV interviewer. He said that child actors are too often thought of as "chattel. You know, like a cow, or a car..."

    How very, very sad. And true.

    John

    PS I know for a fact that he REALLY tried to help Dana Plato but for whatever reason she rejected all his efforts.

    John

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  2. I read this book back when it was out. It's not the bitter muckraking expose the back cover indicates, he's actually very fair to everyone, including Disney himself.

    He offers a lot of historic context, and a sweet interview with Annette.

    He calls fame the most powerful narcotic known to man, and recounts what happens to a bunch of 12 year olds when it goes away.

    He should write a sequel. The last time he checked in with the Mouseketeers they were in their 30s, having just survived the 60s and were settling into adult life.

    Now they're all senior citizens!

    If you can find a copy of this book, pick it up

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  3. It is really good that Paul has chosen to help others. I guess he survived which is a great testament to him.
    Many did not survive like Dana Plato(I know he held out the olive branch,Dana wanted to be helped but it not as simple as that, the dmaage was deep.).

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  4. I just found out about this book by seeing Paul being interviewed.He was one of the teen stars who lost their place on magazine covers by the Beatles.Like many of his contemporaries,his "falling out of favor" made him quite bitter.Don't get me wrong,I'm a huge fan of Paul's.I loved the Donna Reed Show and loved his hit "My Dad".It's sad that he never carried on with his acting;his looks and talent can't be denied.But,tastes change and his Donna Reed stereotype was his undoing.

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