Georg Olden (born January 14, 1968) is a retired American
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...
,
model and
musical theatre performer. Beginning his career as a professional
child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...
and
model at the age of ten, Olden is best known for his television roles; as "Drag" in the ''
ABC Weekend Special'': ''
The Joke's On Mr. Little'' and as "Robbie Stuart" on the 1980s
TBS sitcom ''
Rocky Road''. Rising to prominence as a
teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups.
By region Asia
East Asia possess ...
in the mid-1980s, Olden is also known for his feature film roles; as "Piper" in the teen comedy ''
Bad Manners
Bad Manners are an English two-tone and ska band led by frontman Buster Bloodvessel. Early appearances included ''Top of the Pops'' and the live film documentary, '' Dance Craze'' (1981).
They were at their most popular during the early 1 ...
'' (aka: ''
Growing Pains
''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the ...
'') and as one of the teenage bullies in the science fiction adventure ''
Explorers''.
Early life
Olden was born Georg Olden, Jr. on January 14, 1968, in
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North ...
, the son of renowned graphic designer
Georg Olden and professional stage actress and singer Terri Phillips Baker.
His father died when he was seven
and he grew up spending his summers traveling the country with his mother as she appeared in numerous roadshow engagements and stage plays. In a 1986 interview, Olden recounted his early childhood saying "I think we ended up seeing just about all of the U.S.A. except
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...
and
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
." Although an accomplished stage performer, Baker did not want her son to enter show business and discouraged him from embarking on a career within the entertainment industry.
Career
Early career
In 1978, at the age of ten, Olden heard about a local theatrical production of the musical ''
Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age Musical theatre, stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre ...
'' that was looking for boys. He asked his mother to allow him to audition and, in spite of some misgivings, she eventually consented on the condition that he could audition for the part, but if he didn't get the role, he would agree not to pursue a career in show business. If he did get the part, she would accept it as fate and would allow him to pursue an acting career. After a series of auditions to evaluate his acting, singing and dancing abilities, Olden landed the title role and immediately began rehearsals for a full-scale production of the musical at the famed
Aquarius Theatre in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
, which co-starred comic
Dick Shawn.
Over the next several years, Olden continued to work as a
child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...
and
model, appearing in numerous national commercials and print advertorials until making the transition to television in 1981 with a guest-starring role on the situation comedy ''
Flo''.
On September 22, 1981, Olden appeared in the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
musical-comedy special ''
How to Eat Like a Child – And Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-up'', based on the best-selling book by
Delia Ephron
Delia Ephron ( ; born July 12, 1944) is an American bestselling author, screenwriter, and playwright.
Life and career
Ephron was born in New York City, the second eldest of four daughters of screenwriters Phoebe and Henry Ephron. Her movies i ...
.
In the satirical special, Olden appeared opposite
Dick Van Dyke
Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. His award-winning career has spanned seven decades in film, television, and stage.
Van Dyke began his career as an entertainer on radio and telev ...
(as the token "grown-up"), as well as other future child stars
Corey Feldman
Corey Scott Feldman (born July 16, 1971) is an American actor and musician. As a youth, he became well known for roles in the 1980s in films such as '' Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'' (1984), ''Gremlins'' (1984), ''The Goonies'' (1985), a ...
and
Billy Jacoby.
In his review of the special, ''
Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries.
Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by Tr ...
'' television critic, Bill Carter singled Olden out, writing "The main kid, called George in the show, has a kind of chip-on-the-shoulder mien; but he sings as sweetly as a choirboy.
On February 6, 1982, Olden appeared in his first starring role in
ABC's popular Saturday morning anthology series, ''
The ABC Weekend Special''.
In the special episode titled ''
The Joke's On Mr. Little'', Olden starred as "Drag", a mischievous boy who, disappointed when his beloved teacher moves away and is replaced by the refined Mr. Lester Little (
Richard Sanders), begins to plot with his best friend "Streeter" (
K. C. Martel) to target the new teacher for a series of embarrassing practical jokes, only to ultimately learn a "valuable lesson" about himself.
Later that same year, Olden followed up with guest-starring television roles, appearing on the daytime soap opera ''
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
'' and an episode of ''
Little House on the Prairie
The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Kansas, ...
'' titled ''
He Was Only Twelve''.
Teen idol
In May 1983, Olden made his feature film debut with a small, but memorable role in the action-adventure drama, ''
Breathless''.
In the film, Olden played a young skateboarder who debates the merits of the
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
with Jesse Lujack (
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...
) at a news-stand on the streets of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
.
In November of that same year, Olden had a small role in the
CBS tear-jerker ''Two Kinds of Love''. In the television drama, Olden played Jonas, a bully who antagonizes the film's lead (
Ricky Schroder) as he struggles to cope with a troublesome family life.
In October 1984, Olden starred in the teen comedy ''
Bad Manners
Bad Manners are an English two-tone and ska band led by frontman Buster Bloodvessel. Early appearances included ''Top of the Pops'' and the live film documentary, '' Dance Craze'' (1981).
They were at their most popular during the early 1 ...
'' (aka: ''
Growing Pains
''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the ...
'').
Set in an orphanage called "The Home of the Bleeding Heart", Olden played "Piper", the ring-leader of a group of teenage delinquents who escape from their oppressive orphanage to rescue a fellow "inmate", irreverently wreaking havoc on suburbia every step along the way. While not impressed with what he deemed to be a cynical and contrived storyline, ''
Boston Phoenix
''The Phoenix'' (stylized as ''The Phœnix'') was the name of several alternative weekly periodicals published in the United States of America by Phoenix Media/Communications Group of Boston, Massachusetts, including the ''Portland Phoenix'' and ...
'' critic
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for '' Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...
praised Olden as one of the film's young stand-out stars, writing – "Georg Olden has a charisma and physical grace far beyond his years
..a scampish, freckle-faced punk with the eyes of a lynx and the smile of a future matinee idol."
In December 1984, Olden appeared in the gangster spoof comedy film, ''
Johnny Dangerously
''Johnny Dangerously'' is a 1984 American crime comedy film, and a parody of 1930s crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling.
The film stars Michael Keaton as an honest, goodhearted man who turns to a life of crime to finance hi ...
'', portraying a young
Joe Piscopo
Joseph Charles John Piscopo ( ; born June 17, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and conservative radio talk show host. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1980 to 1984, where he played a variety of recurring characters. His f ...
.
In July 1985, he was once again cast as the "bully" in
Joe Dante
Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably '' Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies with ...
's science fiction fantasy adventure ''
Explorers''.
In the film, Olden played one in a gang of teenage boys led by Steve Jackson (
Bobby Fite
Robert Nelson Fite (born October 22, 1968) is an American former film and television actor. Beginning his professional career as a child actor and model at the age of six, Fite is perhaps best known for his recurring role as J.T. Martin on the N ...
) who torment the film's protagonists, Ben Crandall (
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an American actor and film director. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. Hawke has directed three feature films, three off-Broadway plays, and a doc ...
) and Wolfgang Müller (
River Phoenix
River Jude Phoenix (; August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an American actor, musician and activist.
Phoenix grew up in an itinerant family, as the older brother of Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Liberty Phoenix, and Summer Phoenix. He ...
).
While not considered a commercial success at the time, the film was the feature film debut of both
Hawke and
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, and has become something of a cult favorite among fans of 80s sci-fi cinema.
On September 2, 1985, Olden debuted in his co-starring role on the
WTBS situation comedy ''
Rocky Road''.
On the series, Olden played Robbie Stuart, a typical "girl crazy" teenager who, along with his two sisters, inherits an ice cream parlor on the
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach (Chumash: ''Pismuʔ'') is a city in the southern portion of San Luis Obispo County, in the Central Coast area of California, United States. The estimated population was 8,072 at the 2020 census, up from 7,655 in the 2010 census. It ...
boardwalk from his recently deceased parents.
Filmed in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
, the series launched Olden as a popular
teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups.
By region Asia
East Asia possess ...
of the day, with pinups and articles appearing in numerous teen magazines such as ''
Tiger Beat
''Tiger Beat'' is an American internet teen fan magazine originally published by The Laufer Company, and marketed primarily to adolescent girls. The magazine had a paper edition that was sold at stores until December 2018.
History and profile
...
'', ''
Teen Beat
''Teen Beat'' is an American magazine geared towards teenaged readers, published from 1967–c. 2007.
Over its history, the magazine had multiple teen idols on its cover, including John Travolta, David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Menudo, Michael J ...
'' and ''
16 Magazine
''16'' was a fan magazine published in New York City.
Origins
Founded in 1956, the first issue of ''16'' hit the newsstands in May 1957, with Elvis Presley on the cover.
However, its longtime editor-in-chief, former fashion model and subscrip ...
'' among others. In July 1986, ''Teen Idol Mania!'' described Olden when introducing him to their readers – "'Gorgeous Georg' Olden, the boy with the incredible, edible eyes."
''Rocky Road'' ran for three seasons and Olden earned two
Youth in Film Award nominations for his work on the series.
Later career
After ''Rocky Road'' ended, Olden continued to make occasional guest-starring appearances on television. In October 1987, he appeared in an episode of ''
Highway to Heaven
''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Vi ...
'' titled ''
I Was a Middle Aged Werewolf'' and in 1990, he made two appearances on the critically acclaimed teen medical drama ''
Doogie Howser, M.D.
''Doogie Howser, M.D.'' is an American medical sitcom that ran for four seasons on ABC from September 19, 1989, to March 24, 1993, totaling 97 episodes. Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, the show stars Neil Patrick Harris in the ...
''. In 1994, Olden once again appeared with
Ricky Schroder, this time as "Lou" in the dramatic television movie ''
To My Daughter with Love''.
In 2005, after more than 10 years out of show business, Olden returned to acting with a small role as Devan Burnett in the teen buddy comedy ''
Suits on the Loose''.
Personal life
While working as a professional actor, Olden attended
Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School (usually abbreviated as Beverly or as BHHS) is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills, Moreno High School, is a small alternative school located on B ...
, beginning in 1982 and graduating in 1986.
After leaving show business, Olden left Hollywood and moved to the
Dallas–Fort Worth area working in real estate as a realtor at
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage where his specialties included home marketing, buyer representation, and investor strategies.
As of 2011, Olden continued to work in real estate and was living in the
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is the principal city of the Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, with a population of 99,178 at the time of the 2020 U ...
, area.
Filmography
Awards
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olden, Georg
1968 births
Male actors from New York (state)
American male child actors
American child models
American male film actors
American male television actors
Living people
Male actors from Oregon
Beverly Hills High School alumni
People from Tarrytown, New York