A shame, isn't it? Here are, from left, Rory O'Brien, Jay North and Ron Howard, appearing as the Trolls and performing a song called "Going Ape Over You" in December 1964. At least, it was for a good cause (a variety show special for the March of Dimes). After a stint as a child star, North had a brief turn as a teen idol. Ron Howard is an Oscar-winning director.
Leif Garrett is shown here performing with his band, Godspeed, at the Rhino RetroFest in Santa Monica, Calif., Aug. 14, 1999. In the '70s, teen magazines and their readers couldn't get enough of him. even though he never had a hit TV series or starred in a hit movie. He did, however, make music, including the disco-flavored ditty "I Was Made For Dancing."
Andy Gibb, shown here on May 30, 1977, had three no. 1 songs in a row between May 1977 and April 1978. By 1981, he had had a total of nine hit songs in the Top 40. He died on March 10, 1988, just five days after turning 30. Although he had struggled with drug addiction during his lifetime, the official cause of death was listed as an inflammatory heart virus.
Lesley Gore, discovered by none other than Quincy Jones, exploded onto the teen music scene in 1963 with "It's My Party" and rode the wave of fame for about four years. Since then, she has continued to write and sing songs; in the '80s and '90s, she often toured with Lou Christie. True fans will remember her stint as Catwoman's assistant on the old "Batman" TV series.
The late Troy Donahue poses in this 1959 Warner Bros. Pictures promotional photo. Donahue, a blond, blue-eyed teen heartthrob of the 1950s and '60s, played Sandra Dee's young lover in 1959's "A Summer Place," a role that made him a teen matinee star.
Shelley Fabares, shown here at the Screen Actors Guild Awards Feb. 22, 2004, played the daughter on "The Donna Reed Show" from 1958 to 1963 and during this time recorded the dreamy No. 1 hit "Johnny Angel." She went on to become a minor movie star, but a very popular presence on series television. She has been married since 1984 to actor Mike Farrell of "MASH" fame.
"The Donna Reed Show" spawned another teen star: Paul Petersen, here holding up a picture of himself as a teen idol, surrounded by show business memorabilia at his home office in 1999. Petersen founded the nonprofit organization A Minor Consideration, which serves as an advocate for childhood stars and athletes.
After her run as the world's most popular Mouseketeer, the Walt Disney studio groomed Annette Funicello for continued stardom. Here, in 1959, the 16-year-old Annette is shown posing during a typically well-covered stop at New York's former Idlewild Airport. (The name of the airport was later changed in memory of President John F. Kennedy.)
Here's Annette performing in August 1964 with the Kingsmen during the filming of a movie called "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini." After she finished work on that film, she took a year off to prepare for the birth of her first child. Currently, Annette, who has been battling multiple sclerosis for a number of years, lives in retirement.
Former dreamboat and popular Funicello co-star Frankie Avalon poses between dancers dressed as a hot dog and a cola in the parking lot of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Pasadena, Calif., July 11, 1996. (The event was staged by American Movie Classics to promote a new show.)
Rick Springfield, '80s rocker and former soap opera star, performs at Grand Casino-Mille Lacs, near Onamia, Minn. March 20, 2004. Springfield, best known for his song "Jessie's Girl, "just had released an album called "shock/denial/anger/acceptance."
Even during the height of his fame, as one a high-school student in the TV series "Beverly Hills 90210," actor Luke Perry took a lot of wisecracks for the tiny lines around his eyes and receding hairline. Here, he was posing during an interview in New York, June 29, 2001, in connection with his role in the Broadway revival "The Rocky Horror Show."
On the cusp of the '50s and '60s, Fabian was a big deal, churning out hit records such as "Turn Me Loose" and cultivating a borderline "bad boy" image. Eventually, he segued into acting and, later, producing, and in 2002, he got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, when he signed autographs for well-wishers.
Jewel, left, stands next to Brenda Lee after Lee was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame March 18, 2002. Lee attained teen fame with such songs as "I'm Sorry," "Break It To Me Gently" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
When all is said and done, most former teen idols wind up embracing their status in the world of nostalgia. Here, David Cassidy seems to having no problem accepting his award as the Hippest Fashion (Male) for the role of Keith Partridge in "The Partridge Family" at the TV Land Awards Sunday, March 2, 2003. The awards show honors stars of classic television shows.