The Wonder Years


This show has really stood the test of time. I think one of the reasons that is true is because of the kids themselves. All were strong actors. I’ve worked with a lot of kids that were actors and not all of them turned out well.

The producers on the show made sure that the kids spent as much time in school as they possibly could. They wanted to make sure that the kids had as normal a life as they could while making a TV series. That worked well in my favor.

They didn’t bring me in just to do “stunts”, they brought me in ANY time they felt like if the actor wasn’t required to be in the shot, they’d hire a stuntman…and that was me a lot of the time.

I remember being on set for Fred Savage’s birthday when he turned 16. His parents gave him a car. Not a brand-new car. A relatively-classic, Ford Mustang. It actually needed some work and new paint. His parents were smart enough not to spoil him. His salary per week was more than most adults made in a year, but his family recognized the value of giving him a ‘normal’ life.

I stunt-doubled for Josh Saviano who played ‘Paul’ on the show. He went on to become an entertainment attorney. , Fred is still an actor, and he’s also a successful director and producer, too. Danica McKellar did some more acting and modeling, but she’s a well-regarded author that wrote a wonderful book that encourages girls to become involved in science and mathematics.

Obviously, the ‘stunts’ on this show were far from James-Bond-level,  but I’m still proud of the work I did on this show because it was a good show with good people and nice stories.