What Happened to This ’80s Teen Idol Who Lost Everything, Became Homeless & Slept Under Bushes?
This ’70s and ’80s teen idol gained fame with “Eight Is Enough” and “Charles in Charge.” However, his life unraveled as his marriage ended, leaving him homeless and estranged from his child.
This once-promising career began early, and by his teenage years, success seemed limitless. Reflecting on his meteoric rise in the co-authored book “Grace Is Enough,” the star divulged, “I did my first commercial at the age of nine, and by nineteen, I was making a million dollars a year — and doing a killer job of going through most of it.”
At the peak of his stardom on “Eight Is Enough,” the actor experienced significant personal milestones. In 1979, he married Victoria Averbach, and two years later, in 1981, they welcomed their son, Christopher Aames, their only child together.
The couple’s marriage ended in 1984, marking the beginning of a devastating period for the actor. At the height of his success on “Eight Is Enough,” alongside Adam Rich whom he once referred to as his “little brother” and “lifelong friend,” the TV star earned just over a million dollars annually.
“Then suddenly there was no job, no bank account, no wife, no child. I never dreamt it could happen that fast,” the celebrity admitted. Struggling to survive, he revealed, “I found myself virtually homeless. I stayed with friends when I could, slept in parking garages or slept in the park.”
He described the experience as deeply shameful, recalling moments spent lying beneath bushes and questioning, “Is this how it turns out? Is this how my life really turns out?”
The struggles during this turbulent time took a heavy toll, with reports suggesting he may have reached a breaking point and attempted suicide. When looking back, he acknowledged, “I gave people a lot of cause for concern, and I think they acted on those concerns. I’m glad they did. Beyond that, that time period is a blur.”
During this difficult period, he also battled addiction to drugs and alcohol. In an interview on “Studio 10,” he reflected on his struggles, emphasizing personal accountability, “The fact is, I made my own poor choices, and knew better, in most cases. And I paid the price for it.”
When asked happened, he candidly revealed, “I lost everything at one point. I went from eating at the White House to sleeping in the bushes.” The TV producer also disclosed that no one extended a helping hand during this time, leaving it up to him to turn his life around.
Faced with a turning point, he realized, “I had a choice. I could either start over at 47, or choose to be a victim.” Determined to rebuild, he took on various roles, starting as a satellite installer and learning to trade. Later, he joined a cruise ship crew, beginning humbly as a pingpong boy and steadily working his way up to become the cruise director.
During his journey of rebuilding, he was also navigating personal changes in his life in his second marriage. He was married to actress Maylo McCaslin, whom he wed in 1986, and the couple welcomed a daughter, Harleigh Aames, before divorcing in 2009. She is also an actress.
By the 2000s, his financial struggles had reached a breaking point. Facing bankruptcy and foreclosure, he recalled having only $10 to his name with nowhere to turn. Desperate, he borrowed money to fly back to his Kansas City home, where he broke in and squatted as he worked to rebuild his life. To generate income, he placed an ad on Craigslist and began searching for work.
