ABSTRACT
The previous chapter identifi ed child stars as abnormal in relation to the constructed ideal tenets of Western childhood due both to their unusual childhood experiences and to their association with precocious sexuality and the commercialisation of childhood. This chapter explores the specifi c history of the child star in more detail by tracing the social, cultural, and economic infl uences which contributed to the emergence of the group as a distinct and culturally signifi cant phenomenon in the twentieth century. As it would be beyond the scope of this chapter, and indeed the book, to include reference to every child who has performed in a professional capacity on stage or screen, what follows is a selective cross-section of child stars, including the most famous (or infamous) from each era.
