Child stars, whether endowed with dimpled smiles, soulful eyes, contagious personalities or stellar acting chops, have captivated audiences’ imaginations since the invention of celluloid.
From Depression-era sweetheart Shirley Temple to Home Alone’s lovable Macaulay Culkin, these talented boys regularly deliver box office gold, and they’re some of Hollywood’s most important actors. They seem to lead enchanted lives, blessed with fortune, fame, and adoring fans. For some, success is full of adventures and limitless opportunities … but for many, fame comes with grueling schedules, addiction, abuse, and emotional breakdowns.
Popular childish stars of each year
Below, Stacker sifted through movie databases, movie stories, celebrity bios, and digital archives to compile this list of popular pint-sized actors from 1919-2021.
