Ricky Schroeder was the iconic "cute kid" of the 1980s. With his cherubic round face, baby blue eyes, and dimpled cheeks, he looked like a Campbell's Soup kid, or Richie Rich before his muscle spurt -- perfect for heart-wrenching roles on movies-of-the-week like Something So Right and A Reason to Live. In 1982, at age 12, Ricky was cast as a poor little rich boy on Silver Spoons -- his dad (Joel Higgins) is the fabulously wealthy owner of a toy company, so they live in a mansion that looks like a giant toy store. Ricky has a series of same-sex chums, many of whom went on to teen idol careers -- Anthony Starke, Jason Bateman as a bad boy, Billy Jacoby as another bad boy, Corky Pigeon as a nerd, Bobby Fite as a cowboy, and finally Alfonso Ribeiro, who grew into a bodybuilding hunk.
By 1987, Ricky was 17, muscular, and no longer cherubic, so Silver Spoons ended. Ricky renamed himself Rick, dropped the "e" from his last name (it merely signifies an umlaut in German), and started a massive re-invention campaign.
Rick has remained very active in moves and on tv. In 2008 he made headlines by playing what was probably the first openly gay character on a tv science fiction series, Major Bill Keene on The Andromeda Strain.
Though he is a long-term Republican, a member of the NRA, and a Mormon, three groups not known for their gay-friendliness, Rick is not at all homophobic.
There is a celebrity hookup story about Ricky on Tales of West Hollywood
Although I loved Jason Bateman on the show, I spent many nights in the early 1980s fantasizing about Bobby Fite. He looked like a 12yo Brad Pitt (before anyone had ever heard of Brad Pitt) and his Texas accent and skin-tight wranglers drove me wild. Ricky Schroeder did absolutely nothing for me at all, but I remember one episode where Ricky has to dress up as a girl (it's a long story) and Bobby Fite's character finds him so irresistible that he ignores the girl he's brought to the party and begins making a series of sexual advances for Ricky (as a gay kid having had absolutely no representation in mainstream culture whatsoever, this was my ideal fantasy brought to life). If you haven't seen it, you can find it on YouTube by searching "Silver Spoons Season 1 Episode 14 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World". Part 2 is where the action begins, but I highly recommend starting with Part 1 for the full experience (and backstory as to how/why he's dressed as a girl).
ReplyDeleteI also seem to recall a 'Happy Days' episode which was similar. Richie and Potsie are trying to join a fraternity (or something like that) and must go to a dance in drag. The Fonz (who somehow doesn't recognize them) becomes smitten and starts putting the moves on Richie. Apparently back in the 1970s and 1980s this type of homoerotic scenario was the only one deemed appropriate for children and was extremely hot stuff as far as I was concerned.
I remember that episode...Ricky even looked beautiful in drag.
Deletethanks, for your comments, I am gonna look up that episode. I was the world's biggest Ricky Schroder fan as a child and now follow him on facebook. I have seen every episode now I am gonna go back and look at this one.
ReplyDeleteI heard his marriage was coming to a close. Any updates on that? I always thought he was bi, honestly. In everything he does, including but not limited to SILVER SPOONS (that show probably helped a lot of gen X/early gen Y kids figure out whether they liked boys or girls), there's either a shirtless scene or physical contact with another guy.
ReplyDeleteHe's a Republican, a Mormon, and a member of the NRA. If he is gay, he's got a lot of conflicts going on. But I don't think I want to ask.
DeletePolitics, schmolitics; I've wondered the same thing about Helen Reddy, honestly.
Delete1983 here. I have vague memories of 80s TV other than kids' shows and things I saw as reruns later. This is an important point: I once saw White Shadow on Nick at Nite. I wasn't even born when it was in. Family Channel had 60s Batman when I was a kid. (In fact, my parents lived in the country, so they didn't see 60s Batman either!)
DeleteShows I remember watching in the 80s that weren't cartoons or Nickelodeon:
Small Wonder
Webster (not Diff'rent Strokes, though)
Mr Belvedere
Charles in Charge
Cheers
The Cosby Show
The Price is Right
Wheel of Fortune
Cosby seemed to be on in every waiting room in the country. My pediatrician had it on. My parents' internist had it on. The hospital had it on. The dentist had it on.
I don't remember beefcake, or cheesecake for that matter.
I more remember 80s movies than 80s TV. And I distinctly remember having a thing for fantasy.
It's funny, because I see gun control as a wypipo issue. It reinvented itself as "If we ban guns, racist white cops will stop killing us!" in the Obama years, even more so when desperately trying to find one reason the Hillary Dolezal isn't a Republican, but there's no reason to believe the only people allowed to have guns won't continue discharging them in people who don't share their (chromatic) values other than the unfounded assumption that they're reasonable people.
DeleteRicky was and is perfection. I was in love with him before I even knew I had a thing for guys. Talent, brains, and beauty!
ReplyDeletehey Boomer, just fyi, the celeb hookup link currently leads to the cole/dylan sprouse story.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll fix it
DeleteUmlaut? Well, I suppose shredders are the most badass-sounding office equipment.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget that it was Rick Schroder who bailed out that rampage murderer teenage boy (won't mention his name) who killed two protesters in Wisconsin last year and then continued to stalk the streets over-and-under rifle in hand. Why? Because that is what people like cute little Ricky Schroder do.
ReplyDeleteRick did some passionate PSAs against child molestation, almost a crusade, it seemed to me. Though I don't remember Hollywood being mentioned, I always figured that men must have come on to him during his "Silver Spoons" days and that it disgusted him. I kind of wrote off him having any gay experiences in his youth, so I am surprised to read here that he is gay friendly.
ReplyDeleteYou know a boy as cute as Ricky probably had offers from the casting couch- he manage to survive and prosper as an adult performer and despite his right wing politics that is something to celebrate
DeleteYall overlook his sweet, sharing character on the outstanding 2 or ( 3-) part miniseries Lonesome Dove. It should be required viewing. He plays a cowboy boy whose father refuses to admit he sired the boy. A Highmore Homosassa
ReplyDeleteTried to finish writing this post just now but it disappeared. So...Here we go again, but I'll shorten it. Schroder was in the outstanding miniseries Lonesome Dove (great McMurtry book, and fabulous actors). There is a homoerotic sequence in which the ironically fatherless boy (RS character) bonds very nicely with a young handsome Irish immigrant lad who has joined up with the cattle rustle gang (actually the good guys) and when the Irish boy is horribly killed by water moccasins the RC character cries in such a way that any homo type like me will understand that it is a lover's sort of reaction to the tragic death. Even though the two boys' love may have been "innocent" it was love nonetheless!!!! I cried along with RS!!
ReplyDelete