Being the smallest TV sibling was sometimes the biggest burden

The death of the youngest cast member of the Partridge Family, on top of news last week of the suicide of one of the young twins from Everybody Loves Raymond, shows how hard it can be as the youngest member of TV family

This 1970 photo released by courtesy of Sony Pictures Television shows, back row, from left, cast members, Shirley Jones, Dave Madden, David Cassidy, Susan Dey, and front row, from left, Brian Forster, Danny Bonaduce and Suzanne Crough of the television series, "The Partridge Family." (AP Photo/Copyright CPT Holdings Inc, Courtesy Sony Pictures Television)

THE Partridge Family was one of the most popular shows of the 1970s, making huge stars of its young cast — in particular David ­Cassidy, who became a fully fledged pop star.

Not so fortunate was Suzanne Crough, who played little tambourine-shaking Tracy in the sitcom.

Crough, who died on Monday aged 52, found it harder to make a go of things after the show finished in 1974. Although there were some roles, her acting career was over before she was 18.

Crough moved on, earning a university degree, marrying in 1986 and running a bookshop in California for several years before moving to Arizona with her ­husband. Apart from the occasional Partridge reunion she all but dropped off the entertainment ­industry map.

In struggling to forge an acting career after her show finished, Crough was like many other actors who played the baby of the family in a successful TV series.

Last week Sawyer Sweeten, who played one of the twin sons of Ray Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond, committed suicide.

Some have speculated this was due to the fact he had found it hard to get ­acting work after the sitcom ended in 2005.

Another former child star going off the rails is Jeremy Jackson, the youngest member of the 1990s hit Baywatch. Since finding fame as Hobie the on-screen son of Mitch (David Hasselhof), he has had some serious run-ins with the law. He was ­arrested in 2005 for setting up a meth lab, this year he was thrown out of a British edition of Celebrity Big Brother for groping another contestant and now he has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a man.

It is not just a recent phenomenon. Lauren Chapin, who played Kathy “Kitten” Anderson, the youngest cast member of Father Knows Best from 1954-60, had problems with her abusive parents while the show was still filming.

Poor tutoring while she was working left her badly prepared for school, she found it hard to find other acting roles, dropped out of school at 16, married and was ­divorced by 21. Diddled out of most of her TV earnings, which had been held in trust, she became addicted to drugs and turned to prostitution to pay for her habit.

At her lowest ebb she tried to cut off her own hand with a meat cleaver, was thrown into prison for forgery and contracted viral ­encephalitis. With two children to different fathers she finally turned her life around in 1979 by becoming a born-again Christian. She now manages other performers.

From 1978-86 Gary Coleman played Arnold, the younger of two black brothers adopted by a wealthy white man. Plagued by kidney disease, working long hours on the show and cheated out of a lot of his earnings by his ­parents, lawyers and managers, his career took a temporary dive when the show finished.

After a period of depression, drug abuse and an attempted suicide he found himself in demand for cameo appearances in the 1990s but had to supplement these with other jobs, including working as a security guard.

In separate incidents indicative of his problems he was charged with misappropriation, assault, ­disorderly conduct and domestic violence in a marriage that lasted only a year before he died at the age of 42 in 2010.

Brian Bonsall, who played cute little kid Andy in Family Ties from 1986-89, grew up to be a little less cute. After making his movie debut as a demonic child in Mikey in 1992, he had a handful of roles before quitting acting in 1995. He later formed a punk band, was ­arrested twice for assault and has had at least one drugs allegation.

Not all the stories are dismal. Susan Olsen, who made her name as little Cindy in The Brady Bunch, grew up to become a successful artist.

Ron Howard, who made his name as little Opie in The Andy Griffith Show (1960-68), went on to star as Richie Cunningham in the long-running hit Happy Days and is now an Academy Award-winning film director. 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Growing Pains: Jeremy Miller played Ben Seaver, became an alcoholic but recovered and is now a spokesman for a rehab centre.

My Three Sons: Barry Livingston played Ernie, continues to act but mostly in supporting roles.

Little House On The Prairie: Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush shared the role of Carrie the youngest Ingalls’ daughter. They both quit acting after the series.

Full House: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen shared the role of Michelle Tanner, youngest of the Tanner clan. Both went on to star in films and TV and direct-to-video shows, suffering problems with health and the law before focusing on their successful fashion label.

Originally published as Being the smallest TV sibling was sometimes the biggest burden