Hollywood Days - Growing Pains

Pin It Now! I booked the part of Cheryl Murray on "Growing Pains" within a month of landing the part on "The Wonder Years." Two of my favorite shows. "On Growing Pains" I was to play opposite Ben (Jeremy Miller) and Luke (Leonardi DiCaprio). I knew Jeremy from charity events. We both were very involved with Athletes and Entertainers for Kids. One year he was their national teen spokesperson and I took on that role the following year. Here is a photo of us at an AEFK event.

Leo had guest starred on "The New Lassie" although I didn't have any scenes with him. In fact, I think that might have been an episode I was written out of because I was sick. I can't remember if I actually met him when he was on Lassie, but we ended up in the same acting class so I knew him before I got the part on "Growing Pains."

We rehearsed for three days and the taped the show on the fourth day - in front of a live studio audience. I only had one brief scene with Kirk Cameron (Who I had previously kind of stalked in - my hopes to marry him. And I say "kind of" only because I was really an innocent, teeny bopper and not some whack job. Really, I promise. You know you would have done the same if you had his address is 1988.). By this point (a whopping three years later), I had fallen out of love with him. Not for anything he had done in the (nonexistent) relationship. I had just moved on. I had a real boyfriend from my hometown and I was over Kirk. He had moved on as well and was dating Chelsea Noble. The women he really married. Nevertheless, it was cool to work with him and meet him. I was truly living out my childhood dreams.

I was excited about Kirk's faith and suggested to he and Chelsea that we should say a little prayer before we taped the show. I think they were a little taken aback. First, I was only sixteen years old. Second, how many actors on their show had initiated that before? My guess is zero. I don't remember what was said in the prayer or if we had much conversation surrounding it, but we all prayed together in Kirk's trailer before we did the show.

On a side note, I did not ask him if he ever gotten my handwritten letter that I had given his dad. At this point, I was mortified that I had even done that. But I did notice that he was wearing the green friendship bracelet that I had made him. Kidding, kidding.

And as I recall, my guardians (the couple I lived with while I was down there) did say something to Kirk regarding my previous crush on him. I remember being really embarrassed because I think they said something about my marriage plans. But I've healed from all things Kirk related and am now able to talk about it. So I can help others.

This is the only photo I have from my "Growing Pains" experience. A polaroid taken by the wardrobe department.

Our imovie is glitchy so right now I can't upload more scenes from the "Growing Pains" episode. When my superstar techie husband fixes it I will post stuff. For now -- here is the clip from a scene with Leonardo that I posted a few months ago.

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