Kids From Stephen King Movies: Where Are They Now?

Being given a kid's role in a Stephen King movie adaptation is usually a tough gig. Why? Sure you get to play a part created by the finest horror writer in the history of horror writing, but you will forever be remembered by those that you meet as "that utterly terrifying kid who haunted my dreams". Here's 15 of them, most of which tick that nightmarish box, but some of which landed parts that didn't involve being a murderer. Sweet dreams, either way...

(Images: Rex, IMDb, Twitter)

DANNY LLOYD (DANNY TORRANCE, THE SHINING)

Sadly Danny only had one role after The Shining, his appearance as 'Young Liddy' in the 1982 made-for-TV movie, Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy. Kubrick was able to film all of Lloyd's scenes without the six-year-old actor realising he was in a horror movie. It was actually Danny's idea to have his character move his finger, creepily, when he spoke. He tried to keep acting but missed out on roles and, after being a pig farmer, became professor of biology at a community college in Elizabethtown, Kentucky in 2007. He has since moved on to teach in Missouri.

LOUISE AND LISA BURNS (THE GRADY TWINS, THE SHINING)

These two still haunt our dreams at least once a fortnight. Post-Shining neither of them acted again with Lisa (left in the movie scene, right in the red cardigan) studying literature at university and Louise becoming a microbiologist. The image on the right was taken when they were guests at the British Film Institute, in January. 

MIKO HUGHES (GAGE CREED, PET SEMATARY)

Post-Pet Semetary he was in Kindergarten Cop, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Spawn, Mercury Rising and Apollo 13. He has been a series regular, recurring character or guest star on many a TV series including Baywatch, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. After a break in his career he re-emerged in the science fiction hit Roswell, was in one episode of Hey Arnold! and three episodes of Boston Public. he had an uncredited stint in Tropic Thunder in which he played a DJ. He has Chickasaw Native American ancestry and his first name means 'Chief'. Everyone should have a friend called Chief. 

Recent photo: Twitter

DANNY PINTAURO (TAD TRENTON, CUJO)

Having dodged a rabid St Bernard in the Stephen King novel adaptation, Pintauro starred as Jonathan Bower in ABC sitcom Who's the Boss? from 1984 to 1992. Screen acting roles became few and far between after that, with Pintauro finding work in stage productions like The Velocity of Gary and Mommie Queerest. More recently he has worked as a Tupperware sales representative and as of 2013 he was managing a restaurant in Vegas.

SETH GREEN (RICHIE TOZIER, IT)

You know what? Seth Green's done alright. He's pretty much got the monopoly on jobs over on Adult Swim's Robot Chicken, being creator, exec producer, writer, director and most-frequent voice, while his on-screen resume includes movies Airborne, The Italian Job, Party Monster, Can't Hardly Wait, Without a Paddle and all three Austin Powers films. plus he does the voice for Chris Griffin in Family Guy. Hell, you know who Seth Green is, this is a waste of everyone's time. Let's move on...

BRANDON CRANE (BEN HANSCOM, IT)

Let's get something sorted, right off the bat. These days Brandon's a web developer and, at the time of writing, his own website is overdue. Come on, Bran. To be fair, though, he can dine out on tales of child acting in It, The Wonder Years and, wait for it, Magnum P.I.! His last serious acting role was a year after It and since then, when he's not been shirking his own website building responsibilities, he's owned several companies including Solid Fuel Creative. 

DREW BARRYMORE (CHARLIE McGEE, FIRESTARTER)

Did you know Drew Barrymore appeared in a dog food advert when she was 11 months old? Us neither. Post-E.T. she had a troubled childhood but bagged a cameo in Batman Forever before her Scream cameo and appearance in The Wedding Singer in 1998. She starred in Charlie's Angels which was produced by her own company, Flower Films and when the production of Donnie Darko was threatened, Flower Films came forward with the finances.

She's worked for the UN, directed Whip It and is currently shooting Miss You Already for which Toni Collete has shaved her head.

JERRY O'CONNELL (VERN TESSIO, STAND BY ME)

For us, the highlight of Jerry O'Connell's career was this brilliant parody of that infamous Tom Cruise video, but he has of course done much bigger things. Post Stand By Me, which was of course adapted from King novella The Body, O'Connell starred in the Canadian science fiction sitcom My Secret Identity from 1988 to 1991. He has since gone on to star in Jerry Maguire, Body Shots, Mission to Mars, Tomcats, Scream 2, and Kangaroo Jack. O'Connell enrolled in Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles in August 2009, but later dropped out and returned to acting full-time.

COREY FELDMAN (TEDDY DUCHAMP, STAND BY ME)

Where's Corey been? Wearing t-shirts like that, that's where. 

Post-Stand By Me he was in The Lost Boys and The Burbs. Feldman famously provided Donatello's voice in the first and third live-action films of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while Adam Carl filled in for the second movie during Feldman's much-publicised stint in rehab. He's found steady work if sometimes of questionable quality (Lost Boys II), whenever he's been looking for it, and is also the lead singer for the ska band Truth Movement. Feldman has expressed interest in appearing in the long-rumoured Goonies sequel. 

JOHN FRANKLIN (ISAAC CHRONER, CHILDREN OF THE CORN)

Another one straight from the chillingly cold stare school of child horror acting, John went on to provide the voice for Chucky in 1988's Child's Play, and famously played Cousin Itt in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values. 

In 1999, he reprised his debut role as Isaac, in Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return, co-writing the script with his cousin Tim Sulka and he's currently in California having stated: "After the events of 9/11, I saw the shallowness of showbiz and felt a great desire to leave a greater legacy than just being Cousin Itt. Teaching seemed to be a perfect fit for my theatrical talents and to touch many lives."

WILL WHEATON (GORDIE LACHANCE, STAND BY ME)

What's Will been up to? Amassing an army of 2.7 million Twitter followers, that's what. On top of that he plays a fictionalised version of himself in runaway success sitcom The Big Bang Theory. His movie CV includes Toy Soldiers, Flubber, Neverland and pivotally Sharknado 2: The Second One. He also played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation and once wore a t-shirt of himself, which is always funny in our book. 

REECE THOMPSON (YOUNG BEAVER, DREAMCATCHER)

Thompson provided voices on animated shows Infinite Ryvius, MegaMan NT Warrior, InuYasha and Master Keaton (no, us neither) before his first major live-action role in 2002 Canadian children's TV series I Love Mummy. On the title alone he probably got grief at school for it. 

His first film appearance was indeed Dreamcatcher before, in 2004, playing Jinto in three episodes of Stargate Atlantis. Thompson also had small film roles in 2004's Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 and 2005's The Sandlot 2. In 2006, he made a guest appearance on Smallville and had a recurring role in the short-lived ABC Family series Three Moons Over Milford. His first major film role was Hal Hefner in 2007's Rocket Science which was well-received, earning a Grand Jury Prize nomination at Sundance.

Alas, he's not really struck movie gold as of yet. Watch this space.

Actually, don't watch this space, we won't be updating it, truth be known. 

NATHAN GAMBLE (BILLY DRAYTON, THE MIST)

What's the best way to follow up appearing in Babel and The Mist? That's correct, a role in The Dark Knight playing Commissioner Gordon's son! Roles in Marley & Me and Dolphin Tale where arguably less cool but TV appearances in NCIS: Los Angeles and CSI have kept the readies coming in. Now just 16, things are looking rather bright for Nathan. 

ANTON YELCHIN (BOBBY GARFIELD, HEARTS OF ATLANTIS)

You could say things have gone alright for Yelchin, too, since his turn in Hearts Of Atlantis at the age of 12. Let's have a look: Alpha Dog, Charlie Bartlett, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Fright Night, Movie 43, Star Trek Into Darkness, not all crackers but big, big movies, plus he's got three more feature films either in the can or currently shooting. Well played, Anton, well played.

JASMINE JESSICA ANTHONY (KATIE ENSLIN, 1408)

Another child star worthy of a cap doff, she made her movie debut in Catch Me If You Can before 1408, but has been a mainstay on TV screens in big name shows like Star Trek: Enterprise, My Name Is Earl, Monk and Ugly Betty before being cast as Amy Calloway in ABC drama Commander in Chief.