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Hollywood's forgotten children finally get to tell their own stories.

When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen (1989)

nostalgic excavationbittersweet glamourHollywood ghost stories

Overview

Documentary

A documentary about the careers of child stars of the '40s in Hollywood, featuring movie clips with Shirley Temple, Margaret O'Brien, and numerous others along with interviews.

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Content warning

Standout Aspects

Acting

Adults performing childhoods they barely survived.

Direction

Carter lets silence do the heavy lifting.

Editing

Jarring cuts between golden clips and gray reality.

Best for:Solo: Late-night rabbit hole for classic film obsessives.·Binge: Pair with old Shirley Temple clips for maximum devastation.·Rewatch: Deeper layers on repeat — catch what they didn't say.
Heads up:Emotional: Stories of parental exploitation and lost childhoods throughout.·Triggers: Discussions of childhood labor abuse and family estrangement.
D

Director

Dick Carter

ReleasedDec 2, 1989
Runtime1h 33m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Paceslow
Intensitymedium
Tonemixed
Feelheavy
WTTW/Chicago

Top Cast

Baby Peggy

Baby Peggy

Self (as Diana Serra Cary)

Jackie Cooper

Jackie Cooper

Self

Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall

Self

Hayley Mills

Hayley Mills

Self

Margaret O'Brien

Margaret O'Brien

Self

Mickey Rooney

Mickey Rooney

Self

Dean Stockwell

Dean Stockwell

Self

Angela Cartwright

Angela Cartwright

Self

Darryl Hickman

Darryl Hickman

Self

George McFarland

George McFarland

Self

Dickie Moore

Dickie Moore

Self

Tommy Rettig

Tommy Rettig

Self

Maureen Stapleton

Maureen Stapleton

Self

Jane Withers

Jane Withers

Self

Ask about When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Baby Peggy was one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood by age 5; by 7, she was working a fruit stand when her father blew the fortune.

Cultural

Released just as the '80s child star machine (Culkin, Feldman) was revving up — a warning nobody heeded.

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