Friday, February 02, 2018

Blind Item #13 - The Dancing Boy - There Is A Picture

From a long ago friend of The Dancing Boy who got in touch with him after reading the blind.

I can confirm that I know the identity of the "dancing boy." He was a longtime childhood friend of mine, and I was the only one let in to visit him in the hospital back then. The studio people didn't really trust the parents, only his sister. She was one of those very Christian girls, selling no-sex-before-marriage in mega churches and on talk shows even before it was a thing. In fact, I think she pretty much helped to make it a thing. It was all bs of course, but he was afraid of her, and she kept him in line, which was what the producer and everyone wanted. You should've seen the letter she wrote him when he came out to her a couple years later. And because you know the world always seems to work in horrible and ironic ways, she went on to become known for her progressive activism. She founded a certain cause oriented mostly documentary film festival in the early 2000s annually visited by celebrities who want to up their profile on this issue (not LGBT or feminist, but people associated with it would be shocked by her past).

It's funny too because he actually went to high school with one of the _____________ (acting family siblings), and was thinking of confiding in the brother about some of his experiences in the business. At that time, the show was still on, and few people outside of it knew of his new interest in religion. So, my friend was pretty shocked when talking to him at a school party, and he started going off about Satan and being born again, and everything. It was like his sister all over again.

So, anyhow, I got in to see him in the hospital by pretending to be his sister. I was even able to smuggle in a point and shoot and take a picture so it wouldn't be forgotten. He looked so sad, bound to the bed, and groggy from whatever it was they were making him take. I'm actually a retired career Marine and I've seen some disturbing things, but this memory really left a mark on me. I've been keeping the negatives in a family safe deposit box since then, but a print of the picture is going to be made public in a documentary that I guess is going to be made alongside the movie. It's not all top secret or anything. I asked him.

PS Apparently there's a longstanding rumor that the studio has security camera footage of him running off the set in an on or off site vault. My friend believes one or more of them kept it for sick reasons.

258 comments:

1 – 200 of 258   Newer›   Newest»
Bklynbaby said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jayne Townsley said...

Does Lisa Whelchel have a brother?

Cary Gaul said...

Lisa has at least one brother, a pastor at some SoCal church, married with kids.

totaji said...

Phillip looks nothing like Ricky Schroeder

SDaly said...

Sounds like he went to high school with the Camerons.

MKL said...

I'm doubting it's someone related to Lisa. This blind makes it sound like she is no longer involved in the Christian speaker stuff (at least, not the fundy stuff) and is more liberal now. Lisa is still involved with very conservative organizations.

cc423 said...

Stephen Baldwin seems like a fit for the religious brother in the acting family.

lefthandscissors said...

The actor from an acting family with a show still on HAS to be Kirk Cameron.... aside from that, no clue.

Hmax17 said...

If Phillip McKeon, one of the last movies he did (straight to DVD) starred George Clooney and Gene Simmons

Don Kieballs said...

Kirk Cameron?

lefthandscissors said...

*with a show on at the time...

Jayne Townsley said...

She has two brothers that I can see. One, there isn't much online about...Cody Whelchel. He is the oldest of the two brothers but younger than Lisa.

Lisa was BIG with the no-sex-before-marriage thing back in the 80s.

She was also a Mouseketeer, which I didn't know.

I'm looking for film festival stuff.

Newbomb said...

I'm guessing Eric Roberts isn't the brother.

Doug said...

A career Marine who pretended to be the boy's sister? I'm confused.

Halloweenie said...

The test for a genius level 1Q should be wether or not you can figure out these types of blinds. I got nothing. Kirk Cameron's sister is not a leader in progressive politics at all she's very right wing just like he is.

Hmax17 said...

They were taught on set according to wiki

hairydawg said...

This friend of The Dancing Boy writes exactly like Himmm

ZantiMissKnit said...

Kirk Cameron as the brother of the "acting family siblings" who became a born again Christian. It's unclear which of the siblings the dancing boy went to school with.

SDaly said...

Halloweenie, it is the Dancing Boy's sister who makes progressive documentaries.

Separately the boy went to school with a member of an acting family, a brother of which had a show on the air and was very religious - that is who we are suggesting is Kirk Cameron.

Hanniam said...

Cameron siblings for the kids he went to school with.

Scoob said...

Cameron was home schooled on set during Growing Pains per his bio

Robbie said...

A woman can be a marine. Just saying.

Scoob said...

Other possible acting family siblings in HS at the time?

Baldwins? (massapequa LI)

who else fits the timeline...

Unknown said...

Thank you Robbie

Scoob said...

Tim Van Patten & Brian Setzer both went to school around the same time as the Baldwins at Massapequa High

I recall Tim being a cute blonde when he was a younger guy - possibility?

Lurky McLurkster said...

@ Doug [INSERT FACE PALM MEME HERE]

jes7o said...

Chatsworth High School lists Kirk and Candice Cameron as alumni

Doug said...

Thanks. Should have checked first.

ZantiMissKnit said...

Tim Van Patten would be too old, Scoob. The Dancing Boy would have to be someone born in the early- to mid-70s, per previous blinds (being around 13 and being asked to do a spoof on Tom Cruise's 'Risky Business' dance).

Mahogany1 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Halloweenie said...

Thanks for the info. Cdan ers helping cdaners is what it's all about no matter our various differences. LOL.

Boldblonde said...

I understood it as the Marine is a girl...

filmfanb said...

Kick Cameron is in the class of 1988

http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Chatsworth-High-School/2022?page=0

Scoob said...

@ZantiMissKnit - you're right the age doesn't work - good catch

@Ervin - Phillip McKeon def has that same look, and he was on a hit show in the 70's - played on "Alice" as her son -- he did a ton of modeling tho, and never really stopped acting after Alice... not sure the age fits either

Jayne Townsley said...

Could it be the Newport Beach Film Festival?

I know...sounds crazy but I'm following a crazy lead. Probably will go nowhere.

Nikki said...

Phillip McKeon would be too old for DB.

I was thinking Chad Allen, strict catholic background, the sister's background fits... the rest, not so sure.

Don Kieballs said...

Kirk Cameron's first starring role was at age 13 in Two Marriages and he only appeared in 1 episode instead of all of them. He did have other roles before, but this is what is on Wiki so I'll just go with it.
I'm actually not sure if he made the movie or not, according to the 1st blind it was a couple weeks into the shooting when the incident happened, so maybe they got enough to use for one episode. (I know it says flick, but I ignored that)

Buck Dancer said...

Roxy, I'm looking into film festival stuff too...but not coming up with much. The only mostly nonfiction fests founded in the early 2000s I can find are Big Sky and True/False, but it's not getting me any closer to figuring out who the sister is. Moondance was also founded in 2000 by a woman named Elizabeth English, but I don't think it's her...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_film_festivals

filmfanb said...

I am trying to look at the yearbook to see if Cameron did any of the productions and if they Dancing Boy was part of the theatre group but nothing. Think I gonna go down the who film festival route now.

Unknown said...

Adam Rich? He went to Chatsworth and close to same age as Kirk Cameron.

Moose said...

There's no connection (at least that I can find) between Welchel and documentaries.

filmfanb said...

Adam Rich would be a good guess given his image and lifestyle late 80s but....think his career was too good. Need to remember Dancing Boy really didnt do anything outside of adverts and theatre

Rosenthal said...

New Hampshire Film Festival - Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival - Durham North Carolina

Oak Cliff Film Festival - Location: Dallas, Texas

Hot Docs - Location: Toronto, Canada

AFI Docs Film Festival - Location: New York City, New York

American Documentary Film Festival - Location: Palm Springs, California

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival - Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas

Savannah Film Festival - Location: Savannah, Georgia

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival - Location: Missoula, Montana

New Orleans Film Festival - Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Anonymous said...

Can’t be Chad Allen because he worked quite steadily until he retired in 2015. Adam Rich was in Eight is enough so I don’t believe it to be him either.

SDaly said...

The Dancing boy wrote that he only did commercials and bit parts before the incident, and that his career was over after it happened, so I don't think this is someone who we would recognize by name - like Adam Rich.

Scoob said...

Chad Allen seems to fit so far... (real last name Lazzari) -- twin sister's name is Charity Lazzari -- quick linked in shows her connected to Catholic Charities and adoptions

Hence the catholic upbringing and her not being thrilled when he came out to her...

He grew up in the Long Beach area, but can't find any schools with him listed as Alumni

Unknown said...

Good point

M said...

Women can be Marines.

Anonymous said...

You guys are all off in the weeds. Ignoring the two most basic facts of the story.

Did nothing big from 7 to 13.

At 13, big break, movie role.

Some fame there, teen mags, etc.

Movie canceled due to his 'drug use' and 'attempted suicide'.

Couldn't get work again, career over.

ANYONE who had ANYTHING of note isn't him. We're looking for a nobody. Someone who had a very brief flash in specific outlets in the 80's for one movie that never even got released.

Jayne Townsley said...

I'm looking for the sister....

Unknown said...

I forgot that Dancing Boy only had one big break, but then that movie was never released, so forget Adam Rich.

Scoob said...

Adam Rich actually worked pretty steadily in the post "Eight Is Enough" days, didn't have a sudden drop-off... he also was in the headlines a good bit back then for problems with drugs and a run in or two with the law... he definitely didn't drop off the radar the way DB describes... so kind of doubting him as a fit

MKL said...

Agreed. I don't think we're going to figure out who DB is until DB himself or Enty outs him. Or that "drummer boy" movie. Who knows.

Perhaps we should look into who did the abusing?

LeahBryar said...

Is part of the original blind about Jeff Ballard? What I don't understand is that Adam Rich is still listed on his client list.

filmfanb said...

I agree MKL but despite there being three blinds on this now, all the clues lead to nowhere. Despite all the posts its been pretty vague and very little to go off of. Normally Enty gives us a little to work with but ....not sure what to take from this blind. Best route is looking for a women who was part of the no sex before marriage and did some interviews who then went on to form a film festival that isnt lgbt or feminest....so what we would be the other progressive fests

BestMan said...

Gyllenhaal
Cusack
Arquette

Possibles? Anyone fit?

BestMan said...

Nah...the Christian to progressive thing is throwing me.

PhyllisWhitweed said...

Catholics are never "born again." And the Allen/Lazzari kids were twins, so why would the sister have power over the brother, also why wouldn't they have attended the same school? Can't be Kirk cuz his sister is much younger than him.

Hanniam said...

Festivals that fit the timeline and general description broadly:
International Buddhist Film Festival
Planet in Focus (maybe, started in 1999)
Blissfest333 (also 1999, so maybe not)
Kids First! (Would this be surprising? Maybe. The rules are fairly progressive)
San Francisco Sex Worker Film & Art Fest
American Conservation Film Festival
Urban Mediamakers Film Festival
International Ocean Film Festival (would have to be founder’s wife, Laurie)
Sierra Nevada Film Festival (possibly too small?)
Reel Work Labor Film Festival (nothing about celebrity attendance)
Mental Health Film Fest (not mostly documentary)
Marda Loop Justice Film Fest (too plebeian and Canadian?)

Now to narrow it down more by celeb attendance, female founder, and proportion of documentaries.








Sara, Making It Work said...

If you're going to look up the film fests, remember they would be founded:
-in early 2000's
- by woman born around 1970, maybe a bit before who
-from
-progressive but not feminist/ LGBT, so possibly environmental, anti-poverty, anti-war? Probably not religious. And not strictly documentary.

Sara, Making It Work said...

Supposed to say founder is from California. Don't know how it got cut off

Guesser said...

This needs to be straightened out. His sister was very Christian, later became more progressive in the early 00's. She is associated with a movie festival that supports a liberal cause. Don't go by last names,they may be changed. Kirk Cameron sounds just like the other actor, and reminded him of how his sister was at the time. The best clue is likely the film festival, since there are only so many. It sounds like his sister had some level of fame. Still leaning toward Chad Allen,with red herrings.

pkelly491 said...

Do people ever actually read blinds before they post, or do they always completely miss things.

I'll map it out:

Dancing Boy (born early 70s) - blonde boy, up-and-coming child actor in 80s, finally got big break, was assaulted ran off set, and project was canned.

Dancing Boy sister - Likely older, was pro-abstinence, religious speaker, turned into a progressive who founded a documentary film festival that celebrities go to about a certain cause. Hard to tell how famous she is, could just be locally known, possibly more than that.

Acting Family Sibling #1 - Went to school with Dancing Boy, sounds like approx. the same age. Male. Has at least one sibling who was also a decently known actor. Was on a show that was still on when they were in HS together (likely late 80s) but people didn't know about his religious fanaticism until later. THIS SOUNDS LIKE KIRK CAMERON

Again people, you probably will NEVER have heard of the Dancing Boy when or if he is revealed. This is not someone we know. He was blackballed after the incident in question. Possibly we have heard of the sister and definitely we have heard of the acting family. I think our best places to start looking are 1) film festivals that support a certain cause, and 2) Chatsworth High School in the late 80s, since I the one character I am closest to certain about (still probably below 50%) is the acting family being the Camerons.

Hanniam said...

And about a “cause” + mostly documentary. I’ve got a list of cause fests, includes docs, founded at the right time and am now narrowing it by founder, doc prevalence, and celeb presence.

JrJ said...

Acting families: Jason/Justine Bateman? Robyn/Jason Lively?

Anonymous said...

Zing!

Countervail said...

This might be chasing straws, but in the original item, Dancing Boy said when agent found him he was excited to be on TV and also "of course all the pizza, soda, and toys."

Could it be someone who had a pizza chain commercial when he was 7 or so? Showbiz Pizza? Ring any bells?

Guesser said...

The sister must be older,why else is she the only visitor? The parents would want to visit, since he is a minor. Or did he get declared a ward of the state? Why would the studio decide who sees him? They would let someone in pretending to be his sister in the 1980's? Either some big red herrings, or BS.

swatymyers said...

How about Corky Pigeon? Was on Silver Spoons, looks like Ricky Schroeder. Was in national commercials. Born in 1970 which makes him Cameron-ish in age and while I can't find what high school he graduated from IMDB does mention him attending a Christian high school. Not much acting after 1987.

Lurky McLurkster said...

Interesting, Countervail. Maybe DB = The Noid????

HeatherI said...

The celebrity cause is probably something Animal Rights oriented that would not conflict with ultra Christian values. Or maybe environment-oriented. Are there any PETA-centric film fests? It was founded in 1980.

filmfanb said...

So I signed up to look through the year book of kirk cameron. There are a handful of guys that look like Ricky, one stood and did look like him but couldn't find anything else after that.

cheesy said...

Kirk Cameron seems like a good guess. I think the assumption of the "Dancing Boy" is that he was 13 around 1986 (born around 1973), making him a little younger than Kirk and a little older than Candace. They have 2 other sisters though, so might be one of them.

I was thinking of an actress as the sister of "Dancing Boy", but that's not specified in the blind.

Countervail said...

It wouldn't have anything to do with Gary Goddard would it? Mark Driscoll?

SDaly said...

Melissa Cameron was born in 1974, so it could be her.

Unknown said...

I did find a Moondance Film Festival founded in 2000 by someone named Elizabeth English, but I can’t find anything more about her. It did have some big names associated with it.

Unknown said...

Don't forget the movie he is currently making with "a Christian, a virgin, and a deceiver" is based on a real murder case that caused widespread Satanic Panic in Missoula, Montana in 1974.

Donna Pounds, murdered April 14th, 1974, was thought to be "The Christian", and 5 year old Siobhan McGuinness, who was murdered February 5th of that year was considered to be "The Virgin".

selenakyle said...

OG CDAN reader here, used to comment often, now just lurk...

Coming out of hiding to say Corky Pidgeon looked VERY much like Ricky Schroeder.

filmfanb said...

I think Corky has a lot of credits under his belt. The person we are looking for didnt.

Sarah said...

On IMDB it says Corky was named after a fallen Marine.

Interesting.

Sarah said...

Oh, and he evidently was/is a tap dancer.

Hence the Dancing Boy?

Beyond EMF said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sal Salington said...

Animal rights, human rights, environment. That's about it for non-lgbt non-feminist causes that celebs would show up for to "raise their profile" on the issue. Something with broad support, not a niche issue.

Beyond EMF said...

@swatymyers Corky's a good guess. Plays drums. Acting timeline is too long, though.

Ricky & Corky :-)
http://c8.alamy.com/comp/BP6XY6/ricky-schroder-corky-pigeon-bobby-fite-silver-spoons-1983-BP6XY6.jpg

Makeupbylizz said...

Corky is a dancer and became a drummer after he stopped acting in 1987 from imdb...but he’s married to “a beautiful wife”

Evvie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hanniam said...

Following up my own comment with the results. None of the Cause- oriented non-feminist/LGBT film rests founded between 1999-2005 fit the blind. The closest was the San Francisco Sex Workers Film & Art Fest (that would be surprising, yes?) but the listed founder is definitely not her. So if she was involved, it was behind the scenes. All of the others are either too small, have no celeb presence at all, are not mostly documentary, or are not cause-based.

I did not check cause-based fests that are Christian or conservative in nature. I also eliminated fests based around a specific race assuming she would be as likely Very Caucasian as her brother. I also skipped general documentary fests because the blind said cause-based.

So, either the time of founding, public involvement of sister in founding, description of fest as mostly doc, or description of fest as cause-oriented has to be off, or it is all a red herring/publicity stunt as some suspect.

Itttt said...

“Dancing Boy”/Little Drummer Boy, are you “Brian” in this commercial?

https://youtu.be/gJuQHbzBANI

(my old man worked on this commercial btw 😂)

Queen of Pith said...

Artivist? Founded in 2003

Two of the founders are women: Diaky Diaz, Bettina Wolff


Artivist’s advisory board includes Congressman Dennis Kucinich, actor James Cromwell, actor/director James Haven, and Senator Barbara Boxer.[9] Past honorees include Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Claes Nobel,[2] James Cromwell, Mira Sorvino, Ed Begley, Jr., Tippi Hedren, Mike Farrell, France Nuyen, Joaquin Phoenix, Daryl Hannah, and Matthew McConaughey, among others.[3][10]

Hanniam said...

@filmfanb what was the name?

filmfanb said...

Lance pifer but I cant find anything on him

Starry-eyed said...

LOL OMG yes, an ex marine who is a woman.

It's like that old story... a young man is rushed into a hospital, badly wounded. The surgeon says "I can't operate on him, he's my son". The surgeon wasn't his dad, so who was it?

HIS MUM.

T. W. said...

Neither Kirk Cameron nor Chad Allen are Dancing Boy. Kirk's career was not ruined because he ran off set. Chad Allen was outed on the front cover of the National Enquirer.

The only person I can think of is Danny Pintauro. National Enquirer claimed he was molested on set and then you rarely saw his character on Who's The Boss. If not Danny then I don't know.

Hanniam said...

Artivist founders appear to be the wrong race to be likely (full) sisters for a Rick Schroeder lookalike.

Wantsapphires said...

These blinds give me a headache

Wantsapphires said...

Was it anyone from star search? A tap dancing boy? Just throwing that out...

Oh, don, i had to find all the vehicles but there was a motorcycle in front of a car, so i had to tap those too because I could see the fender and it decided I failed.ll.

CrazyBitch said...

According to IMDB his last acting gig was Ghoulies IV in 1994...not exactly a steady acting career

Wantsapphires said...

Wno is this kid? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W7XaGTgESxk

Beyond EMF said...

San Diego Film Festival
Founded in 2001 by Robin Laatz

Raepresenting the concerns of the American Indian, the Military, the Environment, and  issues of  Social Impact in film.

MeliticusBee said...

Corky did hot wheels and Mattel commercials.
Went to Elsinore high school, graduated 1988
Real name was William Hugh Parker

filmfanb said...

@BeyondEMF she also did work with Kidsfest according to Lindkin. That would certain shock some of the people associated with it given she stood by and watched this go down.

Countervail said...

Robin Laatz says she's from Pittsburgh on her Facebook. I think this person would have to be California.

Hanniam said...

@filmfanb I’m not finding much either. I keep coming up against Daren Pfeifer (Hollywood Undead former drummer) and even thought it might be him for a bit, but he’s married. Chris Ashworth keeps coming up for a reason I can’t fathom, too. So frustrating. I’m thinking DB either changed his name or wasn’t in Chatsworth at the same time as Kirk, but rather Candace. That would explain him being surprised by Kirk’s born againishness if he’s the one DB tried to talk to.

filmfanb said...

Ya. I am close to giving up. Keep hitting walls with this.

Countervail said...

Is it weird that Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is in MISSOULA MONTANA? Started in 2003 but I can't find much information about its beginnings.

Hanniam said...

@filmfanbI take it back. LancePifer who went to Chatsworth (b 1970) is a photographer. He’s also a little on the old side. Do you have access to Chatsworth yearbooks more contemporary with Candace?

swatymyers said...

Thanks for the add’l details on Corky CDAN. This is the first time I’ve speculated in a blind and I feel like I might actually be on to something? May be wishful thinking :)

filmfanb said...

There are a ton of them on http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/ You need to sign up but they dont verify. Didnt have enough time to go through all the year books

filmfanb said...

Irony is Kevin Spacey went to Chatsworth too....

Queen of Pith said...

Ah. You are right.

Nubian princess said...

I can't make this work. Following for updates

Hanniam said...

Browsing through the 1989 Chatsworth yearbook (which I think is too early for the timeline but it’s at my outer edge) and man there are a lot of celebs and celeb siblings from this High School. Oh hai, Xander and twin!

My.answer.is.xyz said...

Yea i went through that yearbook too. Would need the 93 or 94 yearbook but can’t find any online. Apparently you can get them in the school library.

Sharon Mitchell said...

Married with children, and the guy in the blind came out.

Raging Bunnies said...

This was my thought

swatymyers said...

I didn’t realize the Cameron’s were neighbors with Adam Rich: “We lived in the same apartment building as Adam Rich’s (“Eight Is Enough”) family. For years, Adam’s mother Fran encouraged me to get my children in the business saying that I should really take my kids in to see her agent, Iris Burton. I trusted Fran and her opinion. Finally, I agreed not thinking that anything would ever become of it. A few days later Iris Burton was our agent. Today, however, I would encourage parents to interview the agent just as much as the agent is interviewing them and their child. Find the one that you feel good about representing your child.”

Carlene said...

@wantsapphires He is a Schroeder look alike!

Unknown said...

Corky Pigeon is happily married with a daughter according to IMDb. Isn't Dancing Boy supposedly out gay?

Hanniam said...

@myanswer Yeah, I found a few guys with a good Schroederesque appearance, but they were seniors, and that feels a few years too old for the timeline we have established by Rick Shroeder’s career along with DB’s age. He would have been a sophomore at most in 1989, and I’m worn out on looking at tiny pictures. So if you looked through the whole thing, I’ll pass on that.

I hope we solve this before the compulsion to visit the Chatsworth or Herrick Library gets too strong. But Herrick is the most likely resource for any surviving promotional materials for DB’s canceled multimillion dollar film.

Raging Bunnies said...

He was in Young Riders ...

Wantsapphires said...

Carlene, I know! Its from a thing called "Barbie Dance Club"

Your vs. You're said...

@pkelly491

Thanks for mapping out the blind.

Just wishing that more readers who post comments would actually read the blinds for ALL details and not just throw names out there that clearly don't fit.

My.answer.is.xyz said...

Based on the original blind, I place him graduating in 93 or 94 which means he would’ve been a freshman 89 or 90 and the freshman class isn’t included in the 89 yearbook. Tho I did look at all the pics and no one really stood out.

cheesy said...

Yeah, I don't understand why people keep throwing out famous names. The guy is probably totally unknown. With the new blind, the best chance is finding out who the sister is to find "Dancing Boy", and maybe find the director that tried to abuse him. I'm going back to the second blind to see if there is anything there.

Unknown said...

From a 1984 interview with People magazine-
Iris Burton said “ I hate to say it, but kids are pieces of meat. I’ve never had anything but filet mignon. I’ve never had hamburger. My kids are choice meat”.

I think this attitude pretty much sums up why there were so many issues with kids in Hollywood.

AVG said...

One of the things going on at the time that sounds like it could be what the sister was promoting was the Silver Ring Thing. Maybe something can be dug up there on a female spokesperson? There was a Meg Meeker, but her bio doesn't say much about background.

totaji said...

Is it really a nobody? All this fuss to get people to figure it out, when he knows that nobody knows it?

JGC said...

The purity ring/ True Love Waits movement didn't start until the early 1990's, so DB's sister would have been someone who was an abstinence advocate in the 1980's and early 90's to fit the timeline. I looked up when the True Love Waits movement started and it was 92/93.

Beyond EMF said...

I started giving more thought to DB's sister. Clearly she was a recognized individual to be on talks shows and at mega churches, and the studio people/producer looked to her to control her brother. I searched for girls that would have been featured talk show guests in the 80s, not necessarily an actress. The first name to show up is Lisa Whelchel, who became a born again Christian at the age of 10.

Lisa Whelchel is the elder sister of James "Cody" Whelchel Jr., and elder half-sister of Casey Justice Coleman (a pastor from CHATSWORTH, CA)

Justice's Freedom Church (San Fernando Valley Freedom Foursquare Church) in CHATSWORTH, CA.
https://www.foursquare.org/news/article/justice_coleman_raising_up_leaders

Maybe there's something here. Justice is too young to be the dancing boy, but maybe James Cody Whelchel, who appeared on The Facts of Life, but has no IMDB credits. He's was born in 1967 and lives in Fr. Worth, TX.

What other young woman comes to mind who would have been talking about purity on talk shows in the 80s, and yet would have had some degree of authority with studio people?

AVG said...

@Beyond, In looking at articles at the time, I don't know that she would have had to have been well-known on her own to be booked. There was a lot of interest in the movement, so they had founders on spokespeople on shows like Sally Jessy.

More Cowbell said...

I like the Lisa W guess, but I'm having trouble finding a film festival she started. Also, I think she's know to do Christian things and still doing Christian things, so I think everyone would know about her background if she started a progressive film festival.

Unknown said...

If it is Corky, I find it a little strange that he started an acting school for adolescents.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-canyon-lake-former-child-star-plans-acting-school-2008aug21-story.html

Unknown said...

Corky Pigeon, 38, "did the punk rock thing" as a drummer with his Cali band, the Gain, but he's focused on acting again---and so is his daughter, Taylor Nicole, 4. "No advice," says Dad. "But if she's not having fun, that's it."

Unknown said...

My point is, if he had such a traumatic time, would he really be asking little kids including his own daughter to join in the fray?

Beyond EMF said...

@AVG, I'm sure you're right. DB's friend did make it sound like she was a frequent spokesgirl for purity. “True Love Waits” seems to have started in the early 90s, which is late for the timeline.

I realize a Whelchel brother wouldn't have needed to be discovered by an agent, Lisa's agent would have just brought him on.

Beyond EMF said...

Good point @More Cowbell. Still leaves the question:

What young woman comes to mind who would have been talking about purity on talk shows in the 80s, and yet would have had some degree of authority with studio people?

Jen said...

Yeah going by the timeline, it's a 1979/80 discovery (The Champ had just come out), commercials and bit parts through the early and mid-80s, a 1986/87 film that he ran off the set of at age 13. Pedo director. Film was canceled, but he had been in teen mags for publicity. Has a sister with a strong personality who founded a progressive film fest in early 2000s. Actor couldn't function for "a couple of years" (between 1986-1991-ish, maybe), stayed medicated until a talk therapist took him off the meds. High school would be in the late 80s/early 90s. Currently working on a film called Little Drummer Boy about taxicab confessions involving the Catholic Church or something like that.

I'm ashamed to say how much time I've spent looking through old Bop magazine covers and canceled late 80's films.

John Doe said...

I would have to do a deep dive to figure out this one, the clues are so vague.

This story is both bizarre and sad. The part about him being all excited about getting a movie role and being on the set while all these people working there were staring at him out of pity---knowing the fate that lied ahead for him. So these people just sit there in silence knowing that a child is about to be sexually assaulted and they say and do nothing. How wonderful. I am beginning to wonder if there is ANY actor or actress (even one single one) who isn't raped or in some way forced to subject themselves to the sexual predation that goes on in Hollywood.

This particular blind blew my mind. I'm still not sure that I understand it. A 13 year old boy gets offered a part in a movie that is being directed by an up and coming 'genre' director (which in the 1980s probably meant Horror). They try to assault him on the set but he escapes and runs away and ends up running through some traffic to try to get away, and they say he was attempting to commit suicide then commit him to an asylum of some kind where they kept pumping him with mind altering drugs. And while there he meets another person who they apparently did the same thing to.

What the hell...

More Cowbell said...

@Beyond EMF,

I can't think of any "virginity spokesperson" for that time. Since it said she was on talk shows, maybe the best way to approach it is to look through 1980's talk-show episodes.

This one has me so stumped, and I really want us to get to the bottom of it!

More Cowbell said...

Has anyone made progress on the LITTLE DRUMMER BOY movie in development?

SteveD said...

Lisa Whelchel has continued to be a fundamentalist advocate up to the present. The Boy's Sister has to be someone who left that behind in the 90's or earlier.

More Cowbell said...

Also, I've looked through sooo many Tiger Beat covers from the 80s. Only thing I came up with is that Kirk Cameron was a way bigger deal than I remember. :)

More Cowbell said...

@SteveD,
Agree with you. The sister somehow reinvented herself without many others remembering her past. If her brother "came out" as gay, instead of coming out with the truth of the past, a film festival focused on the AIDS cause or "tolerance" would probably be the most ironic.
I'm still confused if DB came out as gay, or came out with the abuse truth.

Jen said...

There isn't anything about Little Drummer Boy out there right now.

Regarding the teen mag covers, I had forgotten how the Monkees came around again in the mid-80s. What a creepy time. Junkie hair bands and 40+ year old men featured in magazines geared toward tweens and young teen girls. Totally bizarre.

Hanniam said...

@Jen That’s great work compiling. Those are the guidelines I’m working with too, but now I wonder if those years he couldn’t function would alter the timeline of his HS years since the film would have been 8th grade or so.

We may need to look as late as class of 96.

My.answer.is.xyz said...

Also...I get the feeling that his sister is not an actress. I could be wrong but based on how he was discovered and the limited exposure he got...just doesn’t seem as tho she’s an actress or had weight as an actress.

Hanniam said...

Sister’s talk show appearances were probably on something like 700 Club or Bob Larson. Larson had one directed specifically at teens.

cheesy said...

I still can't figure out how there isn't a trace of info on a movie that got canceled after shooting for a couple of weeks, costing the studio millions. A movie that was big enough that the unknown star was featured in teen magazines before shooting began. He is 13, runs into the streets in his underwear, he is hospitalized, and the movie is shutdown citing his drug use. It was reported in trades/publications, discussing his bad boy behavior, and we can't find a trace of a story. The mid-80s weren't like today as far as access to info, but this story should be easy to find if all of this is true.

Jojo said...

I really despise this blind. I have wasted hours researching and have NOTHING to show for it!!!! And that's not counting the time spent on the first two. ENTY when you reveal, I want to know all the players PLEASE!
Name of the actor
Name of the movie
Name of his sister
Name of the institutionalized "up and coming" actress
Name of the documentary or movie "lil-drummer-boy"
NAME of creepy producer/director
I know not likely, but I had to ask!

Lucindasays said...

I lived in LA in the 90's and met this woman who could be the sister.. she gained her "Christian platform" when she auditioned for a soap opera at the age of 17 and won the role. She ended up turning the part down when she discovered that her story arc would include an affair with a married man, a pregnancy, and then abortion. She was interviewed on Christian television and radio shows like Focus on the Family for not compromising her convictions and promoting sexual purity. She was also in a few magazines too and has co-authored several books. The part that doesn't quite line up is the documentary part. She did "Real Fear," and other docu-series on Youtube. She has four younger brothers. Charity Allen Winters. I could be way off but... it made me think of her.

Anonymous said...
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Sarah said...

Brian Svrusis looks the part. Can’t find anything on a sister...

Unknown said...

Genre director - Joe Dante? I think he started in the mid 80’s.

Jeezlouise said...

Long shot but could the dancing boy be Jesse Tyler Ferguson???

-no film or tv credits until early 2000’s

From his Wikipedia page:
-At age eight he decided to become an actor, and joined the Albuquerque Children's Theater, where he was a member for six years.

-Graduated catholic high school: St. Pius X High School (Albuquerque) in ‘94

-He then worked as a dancer/singer at Cliff's Amusement Park.

-Neil Patrick Harris went to his rival high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico at same time. Not from acting family or born again but Doogie Howser was on tv then.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/jesse-tyler-ferguson-25-things-you-dont-know-about-me-2014267/amp/

Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Tyler_Ferguson

Beyond EMF said...

Have been down way too many rabbit holes searching female founders/co-founders.
If someone else would like to cross check. Select the sort icon at top of "date" column.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_documentary_film_festivals

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_film_festivals_in_North_and_Central_America

Snappy Dragon said...

I found a National Enquirer with Drew Barrymore on the cover and the headline reads “E.T. Star Attempts Suicide By Slashing Wrists” it was in1985. She could be the girl he met at the psychiatric ward.

Beyond EMF said...

@Hanniam, wow, Bob Larson was a piece of work.

"During the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Bob Larson repeatedly debated, interviewed, and confronted Satanists, during the period known as the Satanic panic. On two separate occasions he hosted Zeena LaVey."

Not quite the purity spokesgirl we're looking for, but its amazing she was on all these talk shows.

"As the Church of Satan's spokesperson, Zeena LeVay appeared on The Phil Donahue Show, Nightline with Ted Koppel, Entertainment Tonight, The Late Show, Sally Jessy Raphael Show and Secrets & Mysteries."

Theresa said...

"so what we would be the other progressive fests"

Perhaps she became a pro-choice/pro-abortion advocate?


Unknown said...

@lucindasays Very good guess!

Farmgirl said...

Nice to see you again selena!
A blast from the past!

HBDad said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
HBDad said...

Charity is 42, her brothers might be caleb allen 30, kelvin winters 41, gregory winters 46, christian allen 24. The only brother it could of been is kelvin williams, who is also associated with daniel j sandberg.

HBDad said...

kelvin d winters, not kelvin williams (typo)

Lucindasays said...

kelvin is her husband. she did do modeling too as a young person so it's not out of the question a brother would. She spoke at a lot of churches back in the day too. I think I remembered that she performed for royalty too. it's kinda a weird choice to do "Real Fear" if your a christian.

Court b said...

Uh yeah...woman can vote now too.

Lucindasays said...

not what i meant... it's just so diff. from her original platform...

Anonymous said...

Zeena LaVey appearing had more to do with her being a very attractive (at the time) blonde woman, not her religious views.

Natasha said...

Bob Larson had a radio show that was popular with my office... mainly to laugh our heads off at!

And yes, for a brief time a trio of forty year olds ruled MTV. Crazy days.

SteveD said...

There are memes pointing out that Zeena was a dead ringer for Taylor Swift when she was young. LOL.

Court b said...

Can I be honest, I was a bartender for 15 years, worked in trendy bars, corner bars, high end, ghetto, punk rock, old people,I worked in every kind of bar. And everyone has a story about being treated inappropriately at some point...rape, molestation, it's rampant. The stories I heard from people...it seems like something happened to everyone. I thought nothing had happen to me til I was in my thirties. I had back surgery, and after, I had a situation, that made me flash back, and all sorts of childhood memories just came flooding back. The things I had chosen to forget, or didn't understand at the time... It's scary how many people are affected by this bs

Beyond EMF said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
J said...

I guess we will just have to wait for the documentary... #MoneyOverJustice

Original Unknown skeptic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Unknown skeptic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Unknown skeptic said...

Yes they both went there he went to regular school for quite a while you have to remember he didn't hit it big with Growing Pains until 15 at which time he was almost finished with High School. They both also attended Nevada avenue elementary. I attended elementary school with Candace before I moved out of the area.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

Definitely could be sounds like he could have gone to school with either Melissa or Bridget and then was talking to Kirk at a party and was surprised find out he was born again. He wasn't always a looney religious guy.

jeol said...

maybe paula white is the sister

sandy2319 said...

Could they be talking about one of the Lawerence brothers, very religious and Joey was on Blossum in the *80s?

Original Unknown skeptic said...

Not true I went to elementary school with Candace, Judi Barsi also attended or school. Candace was the grade above me and Judi the grade below me. My older sisters attended the same school as Bridgette and Melissa Cameron until my sisters transferred to a magnet school. We lived down the street from them and my mom used to babysit them before Kirk hit it big with Growing Pains. They were not super religious back then just normal. Kirk did not attend school on set until Growing Pains. Candace not until way later. She was still attending my school when she was filming Some Kind of Wonderful.
Kirk attended regular High school until he was at least 15. Either way sounds like the person went to school with one of the Cameron siblings most likely Melissa and/or Bridgette.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

The dancing boy's sister is the leader of progressive politics.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

By the age has to be Melissa or Bridgette or both.

Jojo said...

The thing that gets me is why was there's so much buzz around that first movie? Was it a sequel? Why did tiger beat assume he'd be big?

Original Unknown skeptic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Unknown skeptic said...

He didn't start Growing Pains until 15 and remember Dancing boy went to school with the siblings not the actor. Kirk attended regular school for a long time. This sounds like Cameron. This person most likely attended school with Bridgette and/or Melissa and saw Kirk at a party.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

Not religious

Original Unknown skeptic said...

It's most likely Melissa and or Bridgette.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

Kirk Cameron would be the guess for the family the kid attended school with. He has two other sisters who are closer to his age.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

The blind says it's something that would seem out of character for her seeing as how she used to be so Christian.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

Elsinore high school is in Riverside this person would have had to go to school in the San Fernando valley. The Cameron's lived in West Hills.

Original Unknown skeptic said...

If you google Dancing Boy the first thing that comes up is something about Dancing Bous who are sexually abused in Afghanistan. They are forced to dress as girls and dance at parties for old men after which they are sexually abused. Disturbing shit. So maybe the title of this blind has nothing to do with the person being a dancer or anything like that but refers to that practice.
Also remember the "Dancing boy" will not be known at best he had some local articles, tiger beats, and he said a tabloid article about causing a film to collapse for being a mess but other than that it's not a name we'll know. Other than that I think the best way to find out who he is is to find out the sister, and director and work backward.

Unknown said...

@Beyond EMF Lisa Welchel sounds like the woman who is being described... My research landed me on dead end trails. I came up with a woman named Barbara Ehrenreich.. But then noticed many inconsistencies... Enty could you reveal this person already?!?!?!

Sher said...

I think the film festival is Wild & Scenic in Nevada City- attended by celebrities. Woman Co-founder has a younger brother who looked just like Ricky Schroeder (omg, pretty darn close! even today!), and is gay. They lived in Thousand Oaks then and seem to be just the right ages.
They both live in Nevada City now.

The only thing that doesnt fit is that the dad worked for an entertainment company. Not directly in the TV/movie dept, but the original blind made it sound like the parents were not at all connected to the biz. Also, nothing came up about a movie or notable acting alumni at his HS. So, it feels wrong to write the name of a non-celebrity person who may not be in this blind at all, but you can find it.

Sher said...

Also, (and I may be reading too much into it) his FB page has a recent post with a photo of a cat coming out of a bag. Coincidence?

J Scheib said...

Lisa W was a homeschool mom living a quiet life in Texas and writing parenting books. Definitely not her. No progressive filmmaking happening there. She is now a life coach and still speaks at churches.

PotPourri said...

got lots of brother/sister duos, but don't think any fit...Jimmy McNichol and Kristy McNichol, Jason and Justine Batemen, Joan and John Cusack

Happymostofthetime said...

The Phoenix kids all started on television.

Beyond EMF said...

@Sher The Wild & Scenic FF appears to have been started in 1983.

SDaly said...

The sister really sounds like Charity Winters, from IMDB

"Travelled the country for many years throughout her teen and college years as a "national youth speaker" and proponent of "True Love Waits" and "Just say NO!" youth campaigns"

"Additionally, in following her life-long passion for social justice & aid work, Charity began hosting for a variety of philanthropic organizations in documentary projects & TV specials."

Says she is the oldest of 5 children, and if her brother looks like her, he would fit the description as well.

Foofoole said...

@Beyond EMF the original SYRCL was started in 1983. The film festival started in 2001

Your vs. You're said...

HI @OrignialUnknownSkeptic

It's so refreshing to see some of the comments posted by the more "reasonable" thinkers and fact finders.

(BTW... I, too, was very touched by your personal story about suicide in another blind.)

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