Where Are They Now: Minor Sitcom Stars Edition

You know those "Where Are They Now?" specials, often brought to you by the likes of VH1 or Entertainment Tonight? They're fun, of course... a way to "look back" and "get nostalgic" about the olden times (you know, the 80's). But the one thing that bugs me about them is they spend most screen time on the one who made it big (Growing Pains' Leonardo DiCaprio) or the "controversial" cast member (read: Lisa Bonet). But what about everybody else? What about the people who only appeared in a handful of episodes, but mattered? What about the stars of sitcoms that nobody watched and got canceled almost immediately? Why don't they ever get their five minutes on VH1? WHYYYYY?

Why? Because nobody cares about them.

EXCEPT FOR ME!

And so today I would like to delve into the whereabouts and whatnots of some of the TV show folks who I remember fondly. Have the actors gone on to do great things...? Or have they fallen off the face of the earth? Let's find out!

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#1

Mitch Mullany, Nick Freno on Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher (1996-1998)

Then:

So it wasn't the greatest show... but oh, was Nick Freno adorable. He played this laid-back guy in his late 20's who goes to teach at a middle school and is able to tame and charm all the little cretins.

Now:

Dead, apparently.

 Wait, what? Why what where when? I had no idea. I don't like how this list is starting out. The other people on here better not be dead, too, or this is going to get majorly depressing.

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#2

Karen Malina White, Charmaine on The Cosby Show (1990-1992)

Then:

So I imagine some Cosby viewers weren't thrilled when, in the later seasons, they added a bunch of new secondary characters. But I was. I loved watching the adventures of Cousin Pam, her friend Charmaine, and Charmaine's boyfriend Lance. They were a lively bunch, and Charmaine, especially, made me laugh.

Now:

Whew, we've got a live one! Now 47, Karen still acts and does voiceover work. After Cosby, she was a regular on a handful of other shows, and has appeared in a string of movies of which I have never heard. But she's been pretty busy: check it out.

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#3

Whitby Hertford, Walter, aka "Duckface," on Full House (1989-1990)

Then:

So he was only in three episodes, but what FH viewer could forget Walter, the pursed-lipped kid who had a crush on little Stephanie?

Now:

Age 34. Well, we'll always have the memories.

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#4

Jasmine Guy, Whitley Gilbert on A Different World (1987-1993)

Then: 

Jasmine was Whitley, the funny, spoiled southern diva who stole the limelight right out from underneath Lisa Bonet and wound up the star of the show. Her on again-off again relationship with Dwayne Wayne couldn't be rivaled. And while she may not be quite as "minor" as some of the other folks on this list... I'm including her anyway. Because I can.

Now:

Jasmine's been working steadily since Different World ended. She co-starred on Dead Like Me as the hilarious, don't-mess-with-me Roxy. She gave birth to a daughter, Imani, in 1999.

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#5
Marla Sokoloff, Gia on Full House

Then:

Marla played bully- turned best friend of Stephanie Tanner in the latter years of the series. And this one time, they tried to start a band. It was awkward.

Now:

Marla earned minor fame in the 90's with a stint on The Practice and has guest-starred on a plethora of other shows. Now 31, she is married and the mother of a daughter, Elliotte.

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#6
Nate Richert, Harvey on Sabrina The Teenage Witch (1996-2003)

Then:

Nate played Harvey, the cute, easy-going, oft-clueless love interest of Sabrina.

Now:

At 34, he's evidently now a singer in bars and such. Rock on, my friend, rock on.

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#7

Kaitlin Cullum, Libby on Grace Under Fire (1993-1998)

Then:

As a little curly-haired cutiepie, Kaitlin played the obligatory middle child. (Pretty much every sitcom in that era had exactly three children. Strange, that.)

Now:

After surviving her teenage years, Kaitlin has made a move back toward acting. She's now 26 and heaven's sakes, that can not be the same person in those two photos.

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#8

Penn Badgley, Joel Larsen on Do Over (2002)

Then: 

Penn's character was a middle-aged guy who was sent back in time to age 14 and had to experience his high school years over again. Though it was a fun show, it lasted less than a year.

Now:

After Do Over, Penn was a regular on two other shows, The Bedford Diaries and The Mountain. Neither thrived, but they paved the way for him to land a role on Gossip Girl, where he rose to much fame. He's now making GQ and all the important hotness lists. 

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#9

Emily Schulman, Harriet Brindle on Small Wonder (1985-1989)

Then:

Harriet played the feisty, obnoxious neighbor girl on the show about Vicki the robot. The show was crap, but Harriet was my favorite.

Now:

After Small Wonder, Emily was a regular on the TV series Christy and played the title character in the WonderWorks version of Caddie Woodlawn. She later became a literary agent and is now an acting coach and the mother of three.

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#10

Jason Marsden, Gregory on Almost Home (1993), Nelson on Full House (1994-1995), Rich on Step by Step (1995-1998), et al.

Then:

In the 90's Jason was like the Richard Belzer of teenage actors, appearing as a series regular on a bunch of TV series, sometimes even at the same time.

Now:

Jason is now 37, married with one son. And I just have to say -- this guy has got to have the coolest, geekiest resume of any actor working today. I mean, check it out: TV shows, video games, cartoons... Batman, Star Wars, Thundercats, Ninja Turtles. Does he do ComicCons? Because if he isn't getting invited to every single ComicCon, there is something seriously wrong with the system. 

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Well, that's it for this edition. Join us next time when we dig up the dirt on former TV-drama stars. Ooh, it'll be grand!