TV Tango Search

Search

|              FREE: Ask a TV Expert
   TelevisionCakeAd

Class Clowns with Caps & Gowns: 10 Child Sitcom Stars Who Got College Degrees

Cason Murphy - September 11, 2009

Ucla_fountain_400x400

   
   
It's September - and the symphony of electronic pencil sharpeners starting up means only one thing: school is back in session.  All across the country, a new pack of college freshman already have (or soon will) trade in their TV Guides for textbooks at one of the nation's institutions of higher learning.  And every so often, one of TV's child stars makes the all-important announcement of which university they will be gracing with their presence come Fall.

Many times, the distractions and freedom at college prove to be too much for these cooped-up celebs…but in the interest of inspiration and enlightenment, we are flipping back through the yearbook pages to look at 10 scholastic sitcom stars that nabbed some impressive degrees and what they have (or in some cases, haven't) done with them since.

   
   

Mayim Bialik


aka: Blossom Russo on Blossom (NBC, 1991-1995)

 

College Degree: UCLA, 2005 - PhD in Neuroscience

 

What She's Doing Now: Neuroscience, schmeuroscience. This former funky fashion plate failed to impress Stacy and Clinton on an episode of What Not to Wear this past season, but they gave her a "whoa"-inspiring makeover. Her new look didn't last long though -- she was recently seen on Saving Grace as a Hasidic Jew in traditional clothing.

 

Most Likely To: Become BFF With Tori Spelling & Kate Gosselin. With her twosome of toddlers around, Mayim might need a new baby-making, star-powered "momtourage" that can sympathize with her super-stuffed schedule of playdates, press junkets and diaper runs.

 

Mindy Cohn

aka: Natalie Green on The Facts of Life (NBC, 1979-1988)

 

College Degree: Loyola Marymount College, 1995 - Bachelors of Arts in Cultural Anthropology

 

What She's Doing Now: Even though she hasn't been on-screen in a while, it doesn't take the crew of the "Mystery Machine" to figure this one out - Mindy swapped Eastland School's blue blazers for Velma Dinkley's orange sweater, taking over the voice of the groovy gumshoe for What's New, Scooby Doo? Jinkies! However, She has clued into how to use her fame for good - her post-Facts philanthropy includes co-founding the weSpark cancer support network.

 

Most Likely To: Create a Celebrity Diet Craze. Having played the token "fat girl" for years, Mindy might shape up and muscle her way into late-night informercials for her revolutionary seed-based weight loss program - "Flax of Life."

 

Sara Gilbert

aka: Darlene Conner-Healy on Roseanne (ABC, 1988-1997)

 

College Degree: Yale, 1997 - Graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Art with an emphasis on Photography

 

What She's Doing Now: Although she's shaken things up with her liberal lifestyle, Sara has managed to strike one of the most normal balances between her celebrity, charity and sanity. Still, going vegan back in 2008 hasn't quelled this PETA-member's voracious appetite for meaty roles on successful shows like 24, ER and lately The Big Bang Theory.

 

Most Likely To: Write a Titillating Tell-All Book. Sara's break-out show provided plenty of controversy on-air, so we can only imagine the sordid stories she could tell about the hormonally-charged teenage Conner siblings when the cameras weren't live. Miss Gilbert, we are copyrighting the title "Life Through Roseanne-Colored Glasses."

 

Missy Gold

aka: Katie Gatling on Benson (ABC, 1979-1986)

 

College Degree: California School of Professional Psychology, 1995 - PhD in Psychology

 

What She's Doing Now: If silence is golden, then she is truly living up to her last name - having dropped out of the limelight and traded in her less-than-professional first name (as well as the rest of the perks of her childhood fame) for "Dr. Melissa Gold" and her own private psychiatric practice in Maine. Unlike her older sister Tracey, Dr. Gold has completely left showbiz, so you'll have to catch a Benson marathon to see her on the small screen again.

 

Most Likely To: Become a Prominent Political Psychologist. Years of hanging around conservative Governor Gatling's mansion on Benson would give Dr. Gold plenty of insight into former governor Sarah Palin's psyche.

 

Danica McKellar

aka: Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years (ABC, 1988-1993)

 

College Degree: UCLA, 1998 - Graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

 

What She's Doing Now: Sure, Danica appealed to her male admirers' lowest common denominators by subtracting a few layers of clothing in Stuff Magazine, but two New York Times bestselling math workbooks multiplied her fan base of middle-school girls. Still, TV is her constant -- she's the math correspondent for the Science Channel's tech show Brink.

 

Most Likely To: Win Both the Abel Prize and an Emmy. While at UCLA, Danica co-authored the "Chayes-McKellar-Winn" theorem. That's not enough to win the Abel Prize, but I dare you to name an actor who's closer! And that Emmy? Maybe she'll be an exec producer for a PBS special based on her book, Math Doesn't Suck.

 

Danny Pintauro

aka: Jonathan Bower on Who's the Boss? (ABC, 1984-1992)

 

College Degree: Stanford University, 1998 - Bachelor of Arts in Drama and English

 

What He's Doing Now: Casual fans of this previously precocious preteen will know about the National Enquirer's quest to "out" him back in 1997, but 10 years since, posting explicit photos on an online gay dating site has been Danny's biggest…ahem, career move.

 

Most Likely To: Self-Leak a Spicy Sex Tape. Following in the faintly-famous footsteps of Saved by the Bell's Dustin Diamond, Danny would probably happily distribute a DVD of his dirty deeds, but TMZ would probably only be interested if it was a raunchy rendezvous with Growing Pains' teen-heartthrob-turned-Bible-thumper Kirk Cameron.

 

Keshia Knight Pulliam

aka: Rudith "Rudy" Huxtable on The Cosby Show (NBC, 1984-1992)

 

College Degree: Spelman College, 2001 - Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

 

What She's Doing Now: After a string of sightings on "celebreality" shows, Keshia's career got a new breath of life from Tyler Perry --  the "Jerry Bruckheimer of TBS" -- when she managed to steal a spot on his House of Payne as a sexy swindler-turned-daughter-in-law of the family.

 

Most Likely To: Exact Revenge on a Former Cast Member. Can't you just picture Keshia trying to convince Malcolm Jamal-Warner to be the Jeff Gillooly to her Tonya Harding as the two of them wait outside a studio over on the Disney lot to pay back Raven Symone for replacing her as the "cute Cosby Kid"?

 

Benjamin Salisbury

aka: Brighton Sheffield on The Nanny (CBS, 1993-1999)

 

College Degree: American University in Washington, D.C., 2003 - Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism

 

What He's Doing Now: After his real-life stint as an intern for former Democratic House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt in 1999, he returned to TV to play a docent in an episode of Numb3rs and to star in commercials for Domino's Fudgems and BMW. He is currently the Game Entertainment Supervisor for the Los Angeles Kings.

 

Most Likely To: Be a Tour Guide at Universal Studios. He immersed himself in the role of docent on Numb3rs, he practiced voice projection on commercials, and he learned how to organize people with the Kings. Combine those skills with his background in TV and movies, and you have the perfect tour guide. Oh wait…he already did that. Seriously.

 

Fred Savage

aka: Kevin Arnold on The Wonder Years (ABC, 1988-1993)

 

College Degree: Stanford University, 1999 - Bachelor of Arts in English

 

What He's Doing Now: Fred puts the business in show business by acting, producing, and directing. He's been behind the camera for multiple episodes of the just-for-teenagers Phil of the Future (Disney), the just-for-teenaged-minded It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX), and the not-for-teenagers Party Down (Starz).

 

Most Likely To: Direct Something on Cinemax. Just look at his resume. Fred's recent series were on Nickelodeon, then FX, and then Starz. His next one has to be on a cable channel with fewer programs than Starz. Plus, what other network would show The Wonder Years Reunion: Kevin & Winnie's Midnight Rendezvous?

 

Jaleel White

aka: Steven Q. Urkel/Stefan Urquelle on Family Matters (ABC, 1989-1997; CBS 1997-1998)

 

College Degree: UCLA, 2001 - Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television

 

What He's Doing Now: Neither lending his voice to the animated antics of Sonic the Hedgehog nor an internet-churned fake suicide hoax in 2006 have been able to resuscitate Jaleel's career - which peaked at age 17...and forever preserved in the artificially-flavored strawberry and banana rings of Urkel-O's cereal, no less.

 

Most Likely To: Replace Billy Mays as a Pitchman. Picture this. Jaleel demonstrates how OxiClean detergent always rinses clean, and then finishes with Urkel's catchphrase, "Did I do that?" He can use that ending when hawking any product -- Kaboom, Hercules Hooks, or Mighty Mendit. Plus, if Jaleel uses Urkel's voice, he'll be as annoying as Billy was!

 

Did we flunk out by leaving your favorite college-bound TV star off of our class roster? (And there are quite a few who didn't make the grade.) Don't put us on academic probation - leave us a comment and let us know!

 

Cason Murphy started in the entertainment business at the age of three when he "picked a rabbit out of his hat" during a tap recital - and hasn't had the good sense to get out yet. When he's not selling his soul to academia at UCLA's School of Theater, Film & Television, he is making good use of his DVR.