 |
| Heather O'Rourke on Happy Days. |
At what age can kids really act? I know that there are film and television performers who start as babies or toddlers, but at that age, they're really only capable of mimicry and obedience. (Remember those Funny or Die videos with Will Ferrell being bullied by a small child?) The experts say that we start to develop empathy between the ages of three and five, and I think that's crucial to the profession of acting. After all, how can you ever portray someone else until you realize that other people have thoughts and feelings, too?
Actress Heather O'Rourke was just six years old when she started working on Happy Days and seven when her run of episodes ended in 1983. That's just a little younger than Tatum O'Neal, who won an Oscar for Paper Moon (1973) at 10, and Justin Henry, who was nominated at 8 for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). Though not an award-winner, Heather was already a showbiz veteran by the time she got to Happy Days, having starred in the original Poltergeist (1982). I think she would have been capable of giving a naturalistic, believable performance on Happy Days if afforded the opportunity.
Very young characters present a unique challenge to both writers and directors. How do you portray these characters realistically and get the best performance out of the actors? For the most part, Happy Days takes the safest route with Heather O'Rourke and turns her into a typical sitcom child, Her character, precocious little Heather Pfister, hits her marks, says her lines loudly and clearly, and seemingly has a quip for every occasion.
This week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, we're reviewing the Season 10 episode "Babysitting," which is arguably the biggest showcase that Heather O'Rourke has ever had on the show. (It's also one of her last appearances.) Is this the episode where Heather finally emerges as a real human being and not just another smartalecky showbiz automaton? Find out by clicking the play button below.