I’ve always had a fascination with obscure stars that leave Hollywood and assimilate themselves with us “normal” folk. I believe it started when I was in San Diego minding my own business at a Holiday Inn lounge. I turned to my left and wouldn’t you know it, i was drink a beer next to Emerson Hart, the front man for the band Tonic. This was well after their popularity dipped to almost zero. So, just like the tactful jackass I am I said, “i liked that video when you were getting punched repeatedly…..remember that?” Who am I, Chris Farely? He was pleasant enough to say yes and thank you. I bought him a gin and quit while I was ahead. That meeting inspired me to keep the spotlight on more obscure stars that most people never think about.
Atreyu and what’s his face. I am going to start with Atreyu. His real name is Noah Hathaway and from what I gather on the Wiki world he can kick your ass six ways to Sunday. His hobbies range from tat’s to martial arts to professional motorcycle racing. In his younger days he was the prettiest boy I ever did see and on the playground being called Atreyu was not a compliment. I think Noah realized this and did a 180 when he turned 21.
Get the fuck outta here!
Good ‘ol what’s his face. Actually it’s Barret Oliver. He will always be immortalized in The Never Ending Story, D.A.R.Y.L., and Tim burton’s, Frankenweinie. At times I find myself quoting him when I am out to lunch with others. I take a bite of my sandwich, and with a half full mouth say, “No…not too much. We still have a long way to go.” If there is anyone who has not seen The Never Ending Story it leads to severe awkward looks. I think Barret is a professional photographer in LA now. Good for him. If you can’t be in the shot you can at least take it.
Danny Cooksey. This guy brings back so memories from his short time on Diff’rent Strokes as little Danny. The cute innocent kid that managed to get kidnapped by the family that recently lost their own son. To this day I don’t talk to strangers. Thanks Danny!
He was also in MacGuyver and sporting a mullet in Terminator 2. I guess he turned to metal when he grew out of his cute because he has been in and out of rock bands since the 90’s. Last I heard he was in a band called Lucy’s Milk and married to a make up artist. I hope he goes back to the bowl cut. It suites him.
Gotta love this guy. Dabney Coleman has been in so many films and TV series that if I had a dollar for all of them I wouldn’t be writing this in a coffee shop…it would be on a boat. A big one. He’s still cranking them out too which is pretty incredible because he was born in 1932. I’m surprised he retains his lines! His most memorable roles for me was Cloak and Dagger, Tootsie, Muppets Take Manhattan, War Games and Lilo and Stitch: the series (don’t ask). It seemed to me that he was always in the Airforce. Does that ring true with anyone else? I guess it’s his persona that screams, “I’m grumpy but I am a softy”.
Rick Ducommun is quite possibly my favorite actor of all times. It had a lot to do with his character Art Weingartner in the movie The Burbs. I am in the process of writing a tribute article and a web page to The Burbs. Seriously. But I digress, I love this dude. I wish he was in more films because you just can’t help but smile when he is talking. Or eating.
I have no idea what Rick is up to today. I guess he went back to Canada but I am always waiting for his comeback. You can do it Ricky!
Oh Danny Schneider! Best known for Ricky in the great 80’s movie, Better Off Dead and the fatty nerd that thought he was the smartest dick in Head Of The Class. He’s still working hard as a writer and producer for Nickelodeon. He also has a rare collection of Bakelite radios. Now you can sleep easy knowing that. He hasn’t aged that bad. He still looks the same. Check him out now.
(oh… I’m an asshole)
I have a lot more. I actually have a couple of index cards filled with names that I’ll write later today. This is fine for now and I better get back to work before I get sucked away into blogland. Hope you enjoyed my list of missed characters. I’ll leave you with this.
R.I.P. Roy. I hope there are bigger boats in Heaven!
1932-2008
Casserole of Disaster 
Hey! D.A.Y.R.L! I hadn’t thought of that movie in years.
And also, whenever I now watch Better Off Dead I think of that SNT where it seemed as though the bulk of us were watching it together. Is it sad that I feel as though that was an event in my life on the same level as when I see people in real life? Probably.
You must stop with these! Atreyu was my first “crush” on any boy ever. You’re right…he was pretty. 🙂 Never Ending Story…wow. Still one of my favorite movies. Although, to this day, I can never make out the name of the kids mother that he shouts into the storm. But I DO remember the Princess babe w/ the single grain of sand in her palm, tear rolling down her cheek as she cries “Bastian, please…say…my…name!”. Wow, so powerful. I’m adding that to my Netflix cue immediately. *sigh*
Hmm.. Atreyu still looks rather, uh, “pretty” to me. An armful of tats does not a macho guy make.
Danny Cooksey. I wonder what ever happened to him. I’m guessing nothing good, because there seems to have been a curse put on the cast of Diff’rent Strokes. Dana Plato died from drugs, Todd Bridges has a criminal history, and Gary Coleman…well, need I say more?
Thank goodness Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) left the show for The Facts of Life spin-off. They seem to have turned out okay!
You’re younger than me, so I’m not familiar with these stars other than Ric Ducomen. I remember him from “The Burbs”…
“Satan is good…Satan is our pal”
Funny how we think alike Billy. .I used a bastardized Cheif Brodie quote in my post today.
Goodbye Roy; we hardly knew ye…..
LK
Yeah, Billy, but whatever happened to the wolf from The Neverending Story? I always thought he was the better actor. Great post, sorry I’ve been so absent.
Danny Cooksey. I always thought he was so gross. Poor little red haired boy. I remember he was in the Macy’s parade at the height of his fame. His hair was a cross between a bowl cut and a mullet and he sang a country song. Why did all child stars have to have that curled under bowl cut? He was also in Salute Your Shorts. I think that was when he had the Joe Dirt mullet. What a hottie.
Yeah, unfortunately I don’t think all the tats in the world could save you from The Nothing. I bet he’s still scared of quicksand.
Thanks so much for the mention of Rick Ducommun! The Burbs is amazing! Where else can you see Art Weingartner, Bruce Dern’s nutjob military guy character, Forrest Gump, Princess Leigha, and one of the Corey’s all in the same movie? Classic!
“Now they know that we know that they know that we know!”
“You gotta goose these people once in a while!”
Thanks for dropping by DJD!
OMG Bill speaking of where people went, where have you been? I sent you e-mails and called you a few times and didn’t get any response and now I feel like some kind of crazy stalker.
Holy shit! The great Mystie commented on my site! My head is huge right now.
I responded but it was sent back as a non recipiant. I’m sorry hon! I should have just commented back on Crown Combo.
I was smitten when I got them. 🙂
Yeah I don’t know what the heck is up with my email lately, a couple people said they were getting error messages, but I don’t understand why because I don’t even have so much as a spam filter set up. But I guess it’s a fair trade off since every time I call your phone it just tells me your mailbox is full. 😛
You should feel Honored, Will-Bill! Mystie left a Comment!
Woo!
Anywho.
Danny Cooske!y- coud never remember his real name. I always called him Budnick. Even when he was in Terminator, I was all like “It’s Budnick!” And he even played the same character and everything.
At least Cooskey didn’t go the way of “Donkey Lips”- pedding his fat-man nips for energy drinks during the Super Bowl.