18 Actors Who Played One or Two Roles and Disappeared
After landing a role or two, some people either have a change of heart or simply move on. These are some of the things that have happened to people we once knew as actors. It's also a poignant reminder of the pressures of fame, especially on children.
George Lazenby
Most famous role: James Bond, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Perhaps the biggest franchise on this list had an actor that only appeared as the titular character once. He originally signed on for 7 movies, but backed out, and went on to regret that decision. Though he remained active until he suffered a fall in December of 2023, which resulted in him taking time to recover. In late July 2024, he announced his retirement from anything public. Sadly, in July of the next year, he was diagnosed with early-stage dementia, as revealed by his ex-wife, tennis player Pam Shriver.
Peter Ostrum
Most famous role: Charlie Bucket, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Found as a Cleveland sixth-grade tween by a talent team visiting his school. Fast forward a few auditions, and he won the lead role in the beloved musical alongside Gene Wilder. However, he turned down a three-movie contract and retired from acting right after. After graduating from Cornell University, he became a veterinarian for farm animals in upstate New York in 1984 and retired from that in late 2023. Even today, he makes about $10-11 in royalties about every three months.
Danny Lloyd
Most famous role: Danny Torrance, The Shining (1980)
Stanley Kubrick famously had Lloyd believe that the movie would be a family drama and not a horror movie. While this did result in a child on a tricycle whispering "redrum" becoming iconic, that didn't last for Lloyd. Soon after The Shining, he had a small TV credit to his name, then abandoned acting altogether at 14, choosing to become a biology professor instead. Though he did make a cameo appearance in 2019's Doctor Sleep, which was an homage to a famous character, even though Lloyd built a life outside the spotlight.
Michael Schoeffling
Most famous role: Jake Ryan, Sixteen Candles (1984)
He launched a modeling career shortly after the release of the 1984 classic but retired from the spotlight and started his own furniture and carpentry business in Pennsylvania.
Erik Per Sullivan
Most famous role: Dewey, Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006)
He had a few sparse roles after the show wrapped, including being in the voice cast of Finding Nemo. However, his last acting role was in 2010. It appears he's living a quiet life outside of the spotlight now, with very minimal posts on his social media. He also isn’t returning for the new series. Instead, he is attending Harvard.
Noah Hathaway
Most famous role: Atreyu, The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Though most of the people on this list stepped away from the spotlight for personal choices, this entry is different. During the filming of The NeverEnding Story, Hathaway suffered a life-altering injury when his horse was spooked and fell on him, breaking two of his vertebrae. This caused chronic issues and pain for years. Not only that, but during the filming of the Swamp of Sorrows scene, his leg became trapped, and he was pulled underwater, resulting in him losing consciousness. The physical and mental toll of the production led him to leave acting. He then decided to pursue martial arts, where he became a black belt in Tang Soo Do and Shotokan Karate. And according to Battlestar Wiki, he trains flight attendants and pilots in close-quarter combat. Even though those take up his time now, he is still active with fans, attending conventions and the like. He also had at least two roles since 2010, Mondo Holocausto! (2011) and Sushi Girl (2012). It is also worth noting that he has recently taken acting classes, which may hint at a return one day.
Jeff Cohen
Most famous role: Chunk, The Goonies (1985)
Though not an actor anymore, Cohen is still very active in Hollywood (albeit in a different way). After attending UCLA school of law, where he earned a J.D. degree, Cohen co-founded the Beverly Hills-based law firm Cohen & Gardner in 2002 and has been acknowledged on The Hollywood Reporter's "Next Generation: Hollywood's Top 35 Executives 35 and Under" list and Variety's Dealmakers Impact Report. He also wrote the book "The Dealmaker's Ten Commandments," which discusses his life in the business world, in 2015. Most recently (and perhaps notably), he negotiated for his former Goonies castmate Ke Huy Quan to be cast in the 2022 movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Sam J. Jones
Most famous role: the titular character of Flash Gordon (1980)
After his breakout role, he became a high-end security professional, though he also appears at conventions every now and again. After struggling with the after-effects of Hollywood typecasting, Jones used his experience to find a new path, and has returned, of sorts, to acting. He “reprised” the role 32 years later, in 2012’s Ted and its 2015 sequel, Ted 2, although he was more or less playing himself while wearing the Flash Gordon costume. He also had a role in 2022's An Unlikely Angel, though he does remain a high-end security for executives traveling to Mexico.
Burt Ward
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Most famous role: Robin, Batman (TV Series 1966-1968)
Sure, he kind of had a career in a bunch of made for TV movies, but he never had big recognition from those. He actually started a dog rescue called Gentle Giants Rescue and Adoptions. They took in Great Danes, Mastiffs and other dogs and rehabilitated and rehomed them. Beyond a couple of events and a few guest spots here and there, he really hasn't been a public figure of any note and will always be “that guy who played the Adam West-era Batman sidekick Robin.”
Jake Lloyd
Most famous role: Young Anakin, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Though he has no relation to the previously mentioned Danny Lloyd, he had the role of the son in Jingle All the Way (1996), but his most famous (infamous, for him) role is young Anakin. The Phantom Menace was one of the most anticipated movies of all time, but not all of the fans appreciated it. Lloyd’s performance and the character of Jar Jar Binks received the most criticism. Toxic fans slammed the 9-year-old actor. Even after quitting acting just 2 years later, he destroyed all his Star Wars memorabilia. He appeared at a few conventions, clearly there for the paycheck. Later, he was arrested in 2015 after a high-speed chase, and his family revealed he suffered from schizophrenia. In 2023, he turned off his mother’s car on a highway and was hospitalized for 18 months at an inpatient metal facility in southern California. In January 2025, he opened up about his schizophrenia diagnosis. "[I feel] pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end," he said. "I can now accept continued treatment, therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.”
Peter Billingsley
Most famous role: Ralphie, A Christmas Story (1983)
Though he largely disappeared from the big screen, Billingsley still maintains a career in the pictures as a director, producer, and writer, working closely with his friend, fellow actor Vince Vaughn. He did have a small role as an elf in Elf (2003) and played the scientist who was yelled at in Iron Man (2008). He also directed the 2009 rom-com Couples Retreat (which had Faizon Love, also in Elf). Then, he reprised the role of Ralphie in the 2022 sequel A Christmas Story Christmas, which combined his directing, writing, and producing skills all into one.
Alicia Rhett
Most famous role: India Wilkes, Gone with the Wind (1939)
Rhett was a socialite and stage performer from Charleston, South Carolina. She was then cast in Gone with the Wind, and as India, she's a sharp counter to the film's other, bigger names. Rhett then stayed out of the spotlight, selecting home and the like instead. She returned to South Carolina, where she became a portrait artist and radio announcer. She passed away on January 3, 2014, at the age of 98.
Jack Gleeson
Most famous role: King Joffrey, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Unfortunately, the character of King Joffrey was so hated by the fanbase that Gleeson received death threats in real life by fans who apparently couldn’t differentiate reality from fiction. Because of this, Gleeson pursued a degree in theology and philosophy at Trinity College Dublin, feeling a loss of passion for acting. Though he appeared in the BBC's The Famous Five and The Sandman, eventually getting married in 2022. He has also been reported to be working on an upcoming Irish film, but has no interest in full-time acting, treating it more like a hobby.
Edward Furlong
Most famous role: John Connor, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
In perhaps the most tragic case of why an actor disappeared, Furlong had his career plunge after substance abuse and the legal issues that followed. These included probation violations, domestic violence, and arrests on drug charges, which resulted in jail time and legally requiring him to enter drug rehabilitation, as well as counseling to avoid future sentences. In December 2001, Furlong was removed from the cast of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines because he couldn't fulfill his role. In 2013, he received a 180-day jail sentence for violating his probation terms and a restraining order filed by his ex-girlfriend, Keena. He avoided further prison time by agreeing to five years of probation, rehabilitation, and domestic violence counseling. In 2016, he was arrested for being under the influence of an illicit substance. The next year, he was given a rehab program as a suspended sentence for probation. His substance abuse and violation of the law caused his acting career to derail pretty significantly, and there is very limited information on his current status.
Peter Hinwood
Most famous role: Rocky, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
More or less, Hinwood was cast for presence reasons. Considering his sculpted physique and child-like face, this made him an ideal "creation" (so to speak) for Frank-N-Furter. There is almost no dialogue for his character, though he gives off the movie's energy well. Not long after this, though, he left acting and became an antiques dealer in London. He also avoided the spotlight by not returning for cast reunions, which gave the rest of the cast the "we hardly knew him" type of vibe.
Carrie Henn
Most famous role: Rebecca "Newt" Jorden, Aliens (1986)
While her father was stationed at an air force base in the UK, Henn was found by director James Cameron through a school casting call. Henn's wary but resilient performance alongside Sigourney Weaver helped the sequel's heart beat under the hardware. However, Henn never pursued any other roles. She returned to the US and earned a degree to become a teacher. You will see her at conventions from time to time, but, according to her, teaching and not acting is her passion.
Linda Blair
Most famous role: Reagan MacNeil, The Exorcist (1973)
At just 14 years old, she took on the role of the possessed schoolgirl, and after a few smaller roles she didn't have another on-screen appearance since 2000, up until The Exorcist: Believer in 2023 where she made a cameo of her former role. She is mostly known for being an animal activist.
Michael Oliver
Most famous role: Junior, Problem Child (1990) and Problem Child 2 (1991)
His iconic scowl and comedic timing turned this seemingly normal family comedy into a hit. Though he returned as Junior in the 1991 sequel, tension was brewing in the background. Legal troubles and the downsides of child fame soon followed. And not long after the 1991 sequel's release, Oliver quit acting. And as an adult, he has since kept himself out of the spotlight and completely avoided the nostalgic circuit, which proves that his "terrible two" phase is a relic of the past.
Is there an actor that you haven't seen in a while that you feel should've been on this list? Leave a comment!
Sources: BuzzFeed, Comic Basics, Deadline
Elizabeth CottonBuzzFeed Staff
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