Top 10 Most Invisible Kids in TV History

Jen Chaney — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:03:00 GMT

Television writers sometimes forget that kids are people, too. In fact, they sometimes forget about some kids altogether.

In many of our favorite TV series, especially family sitcoms, one member of the brood often seems extraneous. In some cases, the child simply plays a lesser role, rarely in the room during crucial conversations. In others (see Chuck Cunningham Syndrome), he or she disappears with absolutely no explanation.

I feel for these children, the forgotten offspring of sitcoms and dramas past. And that's why I honor them now with this list of Top 10 Most Invisible Kids in TV History.

10. Carrie Ingalls from "Little House on the Prairie"

She wasn't a rambunctious, braid-wearing attention hog like Laura. She didn't go blind like oldest sister Mary. And she wasn't baby Grace. No, cute little Carrie Ingalls, portrayed by twins Lindsay and Sydney Greenbush, mostly stayed in the background on "Little House on the Prairie." And on one of the very few episodes where she played a central role, she fell into a mine shaft. Half Pint? She wasn't even treated like a Quarter Pint. Please, let's pause for a moment to honor Carrie Ingalls by watching this highly random tribute, one of several (!) created by YouTubers with way too much time on their hands.

9. Debbie Pfeiffer from "The Wonder Years"

You probably forgot that Paul Pfeiffer, best friend of one Kevin Arnold, had a little sister. That's because Debbie, played by Torrey Ann Cook in what seems to be her one and only role, appeared in just a handful of episodes and was only rarely mentioned by her Carla-Healey-dating older sibling. Seriously, Winnie Cooper's brother Brian, who was killed in Vietnam in the pilot, got more shout-outs than the still living-and-breathing Debbie. She did get her one shining moment in 1990, though, when the episode "Little Debbie" -- in which Kevin takes her to her cotillion -- not only focused on her, but was even named in her honor. Revisit a portion of that fine installment below, which, I have to say, takes on layers of new meaning when you watch it in Spanish.

8. Kimberly Drummond from "Diff'rent Strokes"

Okay, Dana Plato's character wasn't invisible 100 percent of the time. But she was certainly irrelevant. Just listen to the theme song: "A man is born, he's a man of means/Then along come the two, they got nothing but their jeans..." Doesn't mention anything about a toothy, teenaged white daughter, does it? To be fair, Kimberly snagged the occasional significant storyline. But when Plato got pregnant and was removed from the show, Kimberly's sudden absence was explained by the fact that she was attending school in Europe. And that development cements Kimberly's status on the most invisible list. Fortunately, she -- and the (sadly) late Plato -- live on in our hearts via this video clip, in which Kimberly! Drummond! Sings!

7. The Twins from "Welcome Back, Kotter"

In season three, around the time ratings started to sink, Gabe and Julie Kotter became the parents to twin girls. Remember their names? According to Wikipedia, they were Robin and Rachel, which rings only a vague bell. Why? Because they were invisible. Hell, Julie and Mr. Kotter were invisible as far as I was concerned. This show was always about the Sweathogs and there was nothing Gabe Kaplan, the writers or even a sweet little pair of infants could do about that. I recall next to nothing about those kids, but the Barbarino Song? Know it by heart:

6. Maggie Simpson from "The Simpsons"

Every once in a while Maggie does something more than just sucking loudly on a pacifier. She once hit Homer in the head with a hammer as a result of exposure to violent cartoons. She apparently fosters a deep-seated resentment toward another Springfield infant who sports a unibrow. She shot Mr. Burns. And high-profile guest star Elizabeth Taylor was brought in to voice her first word: Daddy. Other than that, Maggie is relegated to second, or even third, fiddle during most episodes, to the point where I sometimes wonder exactly who is taking care of her. In their brilliance, though, "The Simpsons" writers sometimes acknowledge this, as in this exchange from season three, when Homer asks Marge why "both of their kids" can't do well in school at the same time.

Marge: We have three kids, Homer.

Homer: Maaarge, the dog doesn't count as a kid!

Marge: No, Maggie!

Homer: Oh yeah...

And now, a tribute video to Maggie, not brought to you by the people who paid homage to Carrie Ingalls:

5. Andrew Keaton From "Family Ties"

Whenever a boy is born during one season and, in the season that immediately follows, he's suddenly four-years-old, you know he's destined to be an Invisible TV Kid. So it was for Andrew Keaton, fourth child of Steven and Elise and younger brother of Alex, Mallory and Jennifer. Andy would pop up every once in a while and say something cute like "Alex is king!" But most of the time, as in the video clip below, he says something and gets the heck out of the Keaton kitchen as quickly as he can. Some, justified or not, blame poor little Brian Bonsall -- who eventually became big Brian Bonsall and recently got arrested for alleged assault -- for making "Family Ties" jump the shark. I blame the writers for inexplicably forcing a child to age several years between May sweeps and the subsequent fall TV season.

4. Owen Salinger from "Party of Five"

Let's face it: This show should have been called "Party of Four." Because unlike the other Salingers -- Charlie, Bailey, Julia and Claudia -- baby Owen was rarely invited to the party. During the first season, he was integral, mainly because they needed a reason to hire nanny Kirsten. But as the show moved on, the infant took a backseat to such important developments as Charlie leaving Kirsten at the altar and Bailey's alcohol problem. The only member of the Salinger family more neglected was the poor bulldog Thurber, who, as far as we know, remains a stray somewhere on the streets of San Francisco. Now enjoy the Bodeans-tastic opener to "Party of Five" and count the number of seconds Owen is featured. Don't worry, you should only need one hand.

3. Judy Winslow from "Family Matters"

Almost everyone in the Winslow family was overshadowed by the nerd hurricane that was Steve Urkell. But no one got it worse than the youngest child, Judy, who was a benchwarmer throughout much of her time on the sitcom until -- in a move that goes down in "TGIF" lore -- the character was booted from the show completely. After the fourth season, siblings Laura and Eddie would forge on without Judy, who was never mentioned again. "Did they do that?" Oh yes, Urkel, they did. The actress who played Judy, Jaimee Foxworth, went on to appear in adult films and, more recently, on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew." As for the whereabouts of Judy, that remains an "unsolved mystery":

2. Ben Geller from "Friends"

Some might say the more invisible child on this show was Emma, daughter of Ross and Rachel. But I gotta go Ben because, having been born to Ross and his ex-wife Carol in the first season's finale, he suffered from many more years of neglect. He did appear in several episodes, spending time with his dad and also being babysat by his Aunt Monica as well as Joey and Chandler. But let's tell it like it is: Ross was kind of a deadbeat dad. He spent far more time cheating on Rachel (I know, I know -- they were on a break), getting his teeth bleached and hooking up with his students than he did parenting poor Ben. When the tow-headed child finally did get his father's attention, he (as played by Cole Sprouse) had to endure the prospect of looking at David Schwimmer dressed in an armadillo suit (see below).

1. Chuck Cunningham from "Happy Days"

As the Godfather of Invisible TV Children, this guy had to rank No. 1. Older brother of Richie and Joanie, Chuck was a basketball-dribbling fixture, albeit a minor one, during the show's first season. Then he disappeared, never to be seen from or mentioned again during the nine additional years of the series' run. By vanishing -- and during his brief tenure, being played by two actors, Gavan O'Herlihy and Randolph Roberts -- Chuck set the stage for future disappearing acts and cast changes on other TV shows. As a result, he became a pop culture icon. In keeping with the shroud of mystery that surrounds him, I could not track down a single Internet video of Chuck Cunningham. And really, isn't that as it should be?

Undoubtedly, I have forgotten a few of TV's invisible kids. Make sure we all remember by noting any oversights and posting the accompanying memorial tributes in the comments sections. Together, we can make these children feel whole again.

Rich or Rehab: Where is Danny Cooksey Today?

Jen Chaney — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:02:00 GMT

Once upon a time, Gary Coleman starred in the delightful sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes." He was cute. He was sassy. He said, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout?" a lot.

Then something happened: Gary Coleman started to get older and a little less cute. (This would be a brief pitstop for Coleman on the path to flat-out wacky adult). "Strokes" needed to resuscitate the adorableness factor, so the producers brought in a ringer: A tyke named Danny Cooksey. He played the role of Sam, the son of divorcee Maggie (Dixie Carter) who became a half-brother to Coleman's Arnold and Todd Bridges's Willis when Maggie and Mr. Drummond got married. Cooksey was cute. He was sassy. He said, "Hey, Mr. D!" a lot.

All this ringing only vague bells? Watch this semi-fuzzy intro to the show from the Cooksey years and see if the magic comes flooding back.

So whatever happened to Danny Cooksey? Well, after "Diff'rent Strokes," he guest starred on some TV shows here and there, did voice work for a few animated shows and scored a part in 1991's "Terminator 2." Today, he is a member of the rock band Arbuckle, provides the voices for characters in recent video games like "Meet the Robinsons" and "Medal of Honor: Airborne," is married to a make-up artist named Amber and is the father of young daughter Zoe. This is what he looks like:

By all appearances, he's leading a more normal, stable life than Coleman. Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

Rich or Rehab appears every Tuesday morning on Strollerderby.

Photos: Sitcoms Online and retrojunk.com

Strollerderby : "Diff'rent Strokes"

Top 10 Most Invisible Kids in TV History

Rich or Rehab: Where is Danny Cooksey Today?