Chris Petersen (born August 18, 1963) is an 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 (), li ...
. Beginning his career as a
child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in film, 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 associ ...
at the age of 12, he is best known for his roles in the feature films ''
When Every Day Was the Fourth of July
''When Every Day Was the Fourth of July'' is a 1978 American television film, made-for-television drama (film and television), drama film about a Jewish-American family in 1937 Bridgeport, Connecticut. Narrated in first person flashback, the stor ...
'', ''
The Swarm'' and ''
The Little Dragons
''The Little Dragons'' (also known as ''Karate Kids U.S.A.'' or simply ''Karate Kids'') is a 1980 American action adventure film about two young brothers who use their karate skills to rescue a friend after she is held captive for ransom. The film ...
''. Rising to prominence among teen audiences during the late 1970s and 1980s, he is also remembered for starring in various teen anthology series of the time including ''
ABC Afterschool Specials
''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controver ...
'', ''
CBS Afternoon Playhouse
''CBS Schoolbreak Special'' is an American anthology series for teenagers that aired on CBS from December 1978 to January 1996. The series began under the title ''CBS Afternoon Playhouse'', and was changed during the 1984–85 season. The concept ...
'' and ''
NBC Special Treat
''Special Treat'' (also known as ''NBC Special Treat'') is an American anthology series of television specials on NBC that were geared toward teenagers, similar to ''ABC Afterschool Special''. It debuted in 1975 and ran through the 1985–86 seas ...
'', as well as for his co-starring role on
Norman Lear's "interactive" situation comedy, ''
The Baxters
''The Baxters'' is a sitcom that aired in broadcast syndication from September 1979 to August 1981. The original American incarnation of the series aired locally from 1977 to 1979 on the Boston station WCVB; in 1979, Norman Lear took over produc ...
''.
Early life
Christopher P. Petersen was born on August 18, 1963 in
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' ...
, sometimes mistakenly credited professionally as "Chris Peterson".
His younger brother is former child actor
Pat Petersen
Patrick Petersen (December 3, 1959 – May 31, 2015) was an American long-distance runner who once held the American record for the marathon, when he ran 2:10:04 at the 1989 London Marathon It was a record that stood for 9 years, until it was fin ...
(born August 9, 1966
), who also appeared in a number of films and television series of the time, including the 1980 feature film ''
The Little Dragons
''The Little Dragons'' (also known as ''Karate Kids U.S.A.'' or simply ''Karate Kids'') is a 1980 American action adventure film about two young brothers who use their karate skills to rescue a friend after she is held captive for ransom. The film ...
''.
Career
Early career
Petersen began his television career in 1977 with a small featured role on the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
action-crime series ''
Starsky & Hutch
''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...
''. In the episode titled ''
The Psychic
''Sette note in nero'' () is a 1977 Italian giallo film directed by Lucio Fulci and co-written by him with Roberto Gianviti and Dardano Sacchetti. ''Sette note in nero'' stars Jennifer O'Neill, Gianni Garko, Marc Porel, and Ida Galli. The film i ...
'', Petersen made his television debut with a small role as "Ringo", one of two boys who are caught stealing tires from Starsky's
Ford Gran Torino
The Ford Torino is an automobile that was produced by Ford for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. It was a competitor in the intermediate market segment. The car was named after the city of Turin (''Torino'', in Italian), consider ...
.
In January 1978, Petersen had a guest-starring role on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
period drama ''
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 Midwestern United States, American M ...
''.
In the episode titled ''
The Rivals
''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 List of Maverick ...
'', Petersen played Jimmy Hill, a boy in
Walnut Grove, who Laura (
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1963) is an American actress, television director, producer, politician, and former president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Gilbert began her career as a child actress in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous co ...
) falls in love with and whose affections she feels she must compete for; ultimately resulting in what would be Laura's first kiss on the series.
Teen career
In March 1978, Petersen landed his first film role in the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
television movie, ''
When Every Day Was the Fourth of July
''When Every Day Was the Fourth of July'' is a 1978 American television film, made-for-television drama (film and television), drama film about a Jewish-American family in 1937 Bridgeport, Connecticut. Narrated in first person flashback, the stor ...
''.
In the film, Petersen starred as Danny Cooper (later portrayed by fellow child star
Ronnie Scribner
Ronnie Scribner (born July 23, 1966) is an American former actor. Beginning his career as a professional child actor and model at the age of 11, Scribner is perhaps best known for his role as the child vampire Ralphie Glick in the 1979 CBS mini ...
in the
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
), a boy growing up in a small
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
town in 1937 who, along with his sister (
Katy Kurtzman
Katy Kurtzman (born September 16, 1965) is an American actress and modelist.
Biography
Kurtzman was born in Washington, D.C. on September 16, 1965, and began her career as a child actress. In 1977, Michael Landon cast Kurtzman as stuttering Ann ...
), must find a way to exonerate the town's gentle misfit after he is accused of a murder.
Later that same month, Petersen co-starred on the popular children's anthology series ''
The ABC Afterschool Special
''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controver ...
''.
In ''
The Rag Tag Champs'', Petersen played Pat McCleod, one of the players on a troubled baseball team in need of a qualified coach.
In July of that year, Petersen appeared in his first feature film role in
Irwin Allen's camp disaster-thriller, ''
The Swarm''. In the film, Petersen had a featured role as "Hal", one of the boys who fire-bomb a hive of killer bees that are attacking the residents in their small
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
town.
In December 1978, Petersen followed up with the lead role in a 5-part mini-series presentation of ''
CBS Afternoon Playhouse
''CBS Schoolbreak Special'' is an American anthology series for teenagers that aired on CBS from December 1978 to January 1996. The series began under the title ''CBS Afternoon Playhouse'', and was changed during the 1984–85 season. The concept ...
''.
The series, an anthology showcase primarily aimed at
adolescents
Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...
, was
CBS's answer to the ''
ABC Afterschool Special
''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presen ...
''. In the special presentation titled ''Joey and Redhawk'', Petersen played the titular role of Joey, a 14-year-old from
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
who learns to survive in the
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
with the help of an
apache
The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...
he meets named Redhawk (Guillermo San Juan).
Advertised as an "afternoon mini-series for young people", the feature-length story debuted on Monday December 4, 1978, with a 30-minute installment airing each day through Friday December 8, 1978, and also featured an early co-starring appearance by
Eric Stoltz
Eric Cameron Stoltz (born September 30, 1961) is an American actor, director and producer. He played the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film ''Mask'', which earned him the nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Support ...
as well as a teenage
Danny Bonaduce
Dante Daniel Bonaduce (born August 13, 1959) is an American radio personality, actor, television personality, and professional wrestler. Bonaduce is the son of veteran TV writer and producer Joseph Bonaduce (''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', '' One Da ...
.
In March 1979, Petersen appeared on the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
action-adventure series ''
The Incredible Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...
''.
In the episode titled ''
No Escape'', Petersen guest-starred as Steve, a young teen who encounters "The Hulk" (
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documentar ...
) in an all-night laundromat and runs out frightened without his clothes.
In September 1979, Petersen landed one of the lead roles on the
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning ''All in the Famil ...
situation comedy ''
The Baxters
''The Baxters'' is a sitcom that aired in broadcast syndication from September 1979 to August 1981. The original American incarnation of the series aired locally from 1977 to 1979 on the Boston station WCVB; in 1979, Norman Lear took over produc ...
''.
On the series, Petersen co-starred as Jonah Baxter, the teenage son of a middle-class suburban family living in
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
.
The series was the first "
interactive
Across the many fields concerned with interactivity, including information science, computer science, human-computer interaction, communication, and industrial design, there is little agreement over the meaning of the term "interactivity", but mo ...
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
" of its kind, wherein the first half of each 30-minute episode presented a vignette dramatizing the events in the lives of the Baxter family, and the second half was an "instant analysis"
talk show
A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...
segment, giving a live studio audience and guests an opportunity to express their opinions about the topic being presented that week.
Although credited by several online sources as "Chris Peterson", this is simply a misspelling and he was credited properly on the show.
The series was produced 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)
* Hollywood, ...
for the 1979–80 season before production was moved to
Ontario, Canada
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
and an entirely new Baxter family was introduced, played by an all new cast.
In March 1980, Petersen appeared in a co-starring role on an episode of ''
The NBC Special Treat'', yet another anthology series showcasing adolescent
teleplays
A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series. In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play, or an ...
akin to the ''
ABC Afterschool Specials
''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controver ...
''.
In the episode titled ''The House at 12 Rose Street'', Chris starred alongside fellow child actor
Moosie Drier
Gary Drier, known professionally as Moosie Drier (born August 6, 1964) is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his roles as Adam Landers in ''Oh, God! (film), Oh, God!'' and Riley on ''Kids Incorporated''. Drier had regula ...
, as one of the boys in an all-white suburban neighborhood when the first African-American family moves in.
In July 1980, Petersen appeared in what would be his first and only starring feature film role in the action-comedy, ''
The Little Dragons
''The Little Dragons'' (also known as ''Karate Kids U.S.A.'' or simply ''Karate Kids'') is a 1980 American action adventure film about two young brothers who use their karate skills to rescue a friend after she is held captive for ransom. The film ...
'' (also known as ''
Karate Kids U.S.A.'').
The film co-starred both Chris and his younger brother
Pat as brothers Zack and Woody, two young
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
students who set out to rescue a new friend after she is
kidnapped
Kidnapped may refer to:
* subject to the crime of kidnapping
Literature
* ''Kidnapped'' (novel), an 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson
* ''Kidnapped'' (comics), a 2007 graphic novel adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novel by Alan Grant and Ca ...
and held for ransom by a woman (
Ann Sothern
Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920 ...
) and her two bumbling sons.
Although most online sources list the film as being released in 1980,
the Petersen brothers appear to be notably younger than in their various other roles during that same year.
Indicated by their youthful appearance and hairstyles, the film appears to have been filmed sometime between 1977 and 1978.
Later career
After finishing his year on ''
The Baxters
''The Baxters'' is a sitcom that aired in broadcast syndication from September 1979 to August 1981. The original American incarnation of the series aired locally from 1977 to 1979 on the Boston station WCVB; in 1979, Norman Lear took over produc ...
'', just as his brother Pat was rising to prominence as Michael Fairgate on the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
primetime drama ''
Knots Landing
''Knots Landing'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially centered on the lives of ...
'', Chris Petersen's acting career was coming to its end.
In October 1981, he had a small role on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
mystery-crime drama ''
Quincy, M.E.
''Quincy, M.E.'' (also called ''Quincy'') is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that aired on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County medic ...
''.
In the episode titled ''
Memories of Allison'', Petersen appeared as one of the students attending a high school "career day"; his character simply credited as "Boy".
The following month (November 1981), Petersen made what would be his final on-screen acting appearance, in an episode of ''
M*A*S*H
''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker.
The ...
'',
titled "
Wheelers and Dealers". Petersen appeared in a small role as one of three young recruits whom
B. J. Hunnicutt
This is a list of characters from the ''M*A*S*H'' franchise, covering the various fictional characters appearing in the novel '' MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors'' and its sequels, the 1970 film adaptation of the novel, and the televis ...
challenges to a game of
pinball
Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...
; this time simply credited as "Second Recruit".
Filmography
References
Bibliography
* Holmstrom, John. ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995''. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 347.
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petersen, Chris
1963 births
Male actors from Los Angeles
American male child actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
Living people