Child Stars
When producer Waldo Jaffe hired the four-year-old O'Hara twins to play the lead role in his film Thumbelina, he never realized he was launching the careers of future Hollywood legends. Shannon and Siobhan O'Hara were incredibly beautiful young children. With black curls and sapphire blue eyes, the girls were often compared to a young Elizabeth Taylor.
Thumbelina was a blockbuster hit, due in no small part to the public's enchantment with the adorable O'Hara girls. Hoping to capitalize on the film's success, Jaffe quickly signed the twins to a ten-year contract. In an effort to get as many films out of them before they outgrew their "cuteness," Waldo cast the girls in an original production entitled The Littlest Witch. This was followed by Small Fry and then a remake of Heidi.
By the end of their fourth picture, Shannon and Siobhan were already a cultural phenomenon. Mattel had released a line of O'Hara dolls with costumes and accessories, Scholastic Books offered a library of O'Hara Girls adventure stories and Walmart designed a line of O'Hara twins clothing. Add to that the coloring books, games, party decorations, jigsaw puzzles, school supplies and a multitude of other O'Hara merchandise, and you have two well-known and very wealthy children.
Before the start of his sixth film starring America's favorite twins, Waldo met with Dion and Callan O'Hara, the girls' parents.
"I think it's time we try something new," Waldo suggested.
"Why fix something that's not broken?" asked Callan, who did not want to jeopardize the steady cash flow that her daughters' movies had been generating. "The girls' last picture grossed more than the other four."
"That's true, but if we keep turning out the same product without varying the formula, the public will get bored, and Shannon and Siobhan will disappear into the Neverland of former child stars."
"Then what do you suggest they do now?" Dion asked.
"I thought we might try a musical. I have a script entitled Yankee Doodle Girl. It's a fictional story about a child actress, loosely based on the life of Shirley Temple."
"But neither of the girls can sing," Callan pointed out.
"We don't need Judy Garland. All your daughters have to do is get the words right and be somewhat in tune. I'll have a choreographer show them a few easy dance steps, and then we'll dress them in fancy costumes. Trust me! The moviegoers will eat them up."
Waldo's prediction proved to be accurate. Yankee Doodle Girl was another smash hit. On the heels of its success, Waldo released three more musicals: The Little Match Girl, A Bonnie Lass and The Little Rose of Texas.
"Now is the time for the girls to do a movie together," Waldo suggested once the O'Hara twins wrapped up the last musical.
"But they've been working together since they were four," Dion said.
"Yes, but until now they've always played a single role. In the next picture, I want them to play two different characters. I've got a team of screenwriters adapting Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper for them."
"Isn't that the story where a prince changes places with a poor boy that looks just like him?" Callan asked.
"That's the one. Only in this film, the main characters will naturally be girls, one of them a young Princess Victoria and the other one a London street urchin."
As though Waldo had the Midas touch, The Princess and the Pauper struck gold. The twins were flown to England for the film's London premiere, and afterward, they were presented to the queen.
* * *
By the age of ten, Shannon and Siobhan were already superstars and, thanks to prudent investments on their behalf, multimillionaires, too. They had already traveled the globe, had their footprints in front of Mann's Chinese Theater, were immortalized in wax at Madame Tussaud's and had every advantage a child could have.
As the twins' twelfth birthday approached, however, Waldo noticed that the girls were losing their baby fat and beginning to acquire feminine curves. It was a day that he'd been dreading for nearly ten years. Liz Taylor, Natalie Wood, Patty Duke, Jodie Foster and Drew Barrymore had successfully made the difficult transition from child to adult star, but twins were another story.
While four-year-old, six-year-old, ten-year-old and perhaps even fifteen- or sixteen-year-old twins were a bankable commodity, what would happen when the O'Hara girls turned eighteen? Nineteen? Twenty-one? Would the public still pay to see them? Waldo didn't think so.
Callan and Dion O'Hara, like the producer, were concerned about their children's future—perhaps more so. Waldo did make pictures with other stars, although they were not nearly as successful as those with the twins. But the O'Haras had only two daughters. Once Shannon and Siobhan stopped making movies, it would mean the end of the family income—the generous portion of the girls' earnings that was allotted for their care.
"You realize that my contract with the girls will be up soon," Waldo told the anxious parents.
The O'Haras nodded.
"I don't think it's wise to make another movie right now."
Callan's heart sank, and her mind began searching for alternatives. Maybe they should go to Disney or Nickelodeon. Both had expressed interest in the twins in the past, but at the time the girls were bound to Jaffe by an ironclad contract.
"I've been looking at potential TV pilots for several months now, and I believe I've found one that would suit your daughters."
"Television?" Callan asked. "But I thought you said television would bring the girls too much exposure and that the public would quickly tire of them."
"Yes, I know. But I think now they should make the switch to teenage roles."
"How will the public react to that?" Dion asked, sharing his wife's concern.
"I really don't know," Waldo replied honestly. "We can only hope they'll respond favorably."
* * *
"Where's your sister?" the director asked when Shannon O'Hara reported to the set of her hit television show Twice the Fun.
"She should be here soon. She had a late date last night."
"You were both supposed to be here ten minutes ago."
"I'm sorry," Shannon apologized. "It won't happen again."
But Siobhan, unlike her sister, was not to be cowed. When she arrived twenty minutes later, there was nothing remorseful in her manner.
"You're half an hour late!" the strict director shouted.
"Big deal!" she grumbled as she sat slouched in the hairdresser's chair.
Siobhan was seventeen, one of the richest young women in Hollywood, a legend in the movie world and an Emmy-winning television star. She was not about to let a director intimidate her.
"Let's see what we've got to work with," the makeup artist said as he turned the chair around and studied Siobhan's face. "Phew!" he whistled. "We're going to have to do something about those blood-shot eyes."
"Have you been drinking?" the director demanded to know.
"Oh, piss off, will you!" Siobhan spat as the hairdresser began running his comb through her black locks.
"Do I have to call your parents and tell them about your behavior?" the director threatened.
"Oh, I'm really scared now," the young actress shot back sarcastically. "And what do you think they're going to do? Send me to bed without my supper?"
"Siobhan, quit it, will you?" Shannon said, embarrassed by her twin's behavior.
"Screw you, Miss Goody Two-Shoes. This is real life here, not our dumb adolescent sitcom."
A gofer brought the irate star a hot cup of café latte. Siobhan then sat back in the swivel chair, sipping her coffee as the hairdresser and makeup artist worked their magic.
The director meanwhile went to his office and placed a call to Waldo Jaffe. The girls were still under contract to him—at least until they were of legal age, at which time they could renew the contract again if they chose. Until then, he controlled their career for twenty percent of their earnings.
"Is it Siobhan again?" Waldo asked.
"Who else? She becomes more impossible every day," the director said angrily. "She's always late on the set. If she keeps it up, we're going to be losing money."
"I'll have a talk with her parents. Maybe they can see that she gets to the studio on time from now on."
"It's more than that. When she does show up, she's often not in any condition to work. She smokes; she drinks. And now Shannon says her sister has got a boyfriend. I doubt if it will be long before she samples all the vices Hollywood has to offer."
"We can't have that!" Waldo said. "Statistics indicate that the majority of viewers are young children. A scandal could result in the show's being taken off the air."
As soon as Waldo hung up on the director, he phoned the O'Haras. Once alerted to the situation, Callan rushed to the set to speak to her rebellious daughter. When she saw her mother on the soundstage, Siobhan cast a hate-filled glance at the director.
"Darling!" Callan gushed. "What's wrong, baby? Are you having boyfriend trouble?"
Siobhan's eyes rolled upward in an expression of disgust. Why did her parents insist on treating her like a thirteen-year-old?
"Nothing's wrong!" she declared. "I was just out late last night having a little fun. Is that too much to ask? After all, I've been working since I was four years old."
"There's nothing wrong with your having fun, precious, but you must remember that you're only seventeen. You're not old enough to drink, and even if you were, you have to think of your career. Your image is that of ...."
"... is that of an airhead! Christ! The part I play makes Alicia Silverstone's character in Clueless look like a rocket scientist!"
"Siobhan! You have to watch your language. Walls—even those on soundstages—have ears. You don't want your name appearing in the gossip columns or the tabloids, do you?"
"Frankly, Mother, I don't give a damn!"
The director looked helplessly at Callan.
"Mrs. O'Hara, we really ought to begin shooting. We can't afford another costly delay."
"Yes, of course," the girls' mother replied.
Then she turned back to her daughter.
"Your father and I want to have a long talk with you when you come home tonight."
"About what, Mother? Do you want Shannon and me to agree to raise your allowance?"
There were more than a few audible gasps in the crowd. It was common knowledge in Hollywood that neither Callan nor her husband worked and that their two daughters had supported them for the past thirteen years, but that Siobhan would so callously throw that fact in her mother's face, and in public, too, shocked those on the set.
Siobhan, however, didn't go home after the day's filming concluded. Instead, she met a handsome, well-built, twenty-four-year-old stuntman who worked at Warner Brothers and accompanied him to a party in Malibu.
When Siobhan walked into the beach house with her date, the young pop singer who owned it grabbed her by the arm and asked, "Do your parents know you're here?"
"Don't you start, too!" she replied, roughly pulling away from his grasp. "I've had enough of people telling me what to do for one day."
"I don't care what you do," the singer cried, "just as long as you don't get me into any trouble. You're underage, and I don't need any problems with the police."
"Yeah," his wife said, her words slurred with alcohol. "He doesn't have your money to fall back upon!"
"Don't sweat it, man," the hunky stuntman said. "Her parents don't have any idea where their little girl is."
* * *
When Siobhan didn't return home that night, her parents phoned Waldo Jaffe.
"You didn't notify the police, did you?" he asked worriedly.
"No," Callan quickly reassured him. "We were afraid someone might be listening to the police scanners."
"Good. The fewer people who know about Siobhan's rebelliousness, the less chance there is that the press will find out."
"But what are we going to do?"
"We sit tight and wait for her to come home. Then we will all have to do our best to convince her to behave."
The next morning on the set, Shannon O'Hara looked helplessly at her director.
"I can't imagine where my sister is."
"We'll start filming your scenes and hope that Siobhan shows up before the day is out."
By noon, though, there was still no sign of the missing actress.
Shannon suggested shyly, "Maybe I can stand in for Siobhan and do her scenes, too."
The director turned to the hairstylist.
"How about it?"
"Shannon's hair is much shorter than her sister's, but I think if we use hair extensions, she might pass for Siobhan."
When the director reviewed the footage at the end of the day, he was pleased. Not only could he not tell the difference between Shannon's portrayal of her sister and the actual footage of Siobhan shot the previous day, but Shannon was a much more gifted actress.
Later that evening, shortly after dinner, the O'Haras received a phone call from the hospital, notifying them that Siobhan had been involved in a car accident. Callan and Dion raced to the emergency room, fearful for their daughter's life.
"She suffered some cuts and bruises and a mild concussion, but she'll be fine," the doctor assured them.
Two police officers stepped forward.
"Mr. and Mrs. O'Hara?"
"Yes?" Callan replied, apprehension rising inside her.
"I'm afraid your daughter is in a bit of trouble," one of the officers said.
"Trouble?"
"Driving without a license, for one thing, and driving under the influence for another."
"You're not suggesting my little girl was intoxicated!" Callan declared haughtily.
"Wasted is more like it, ma'am," the other officer said bluntly.
"Oh, no!" Callan cried, collapsing into a waiting room chair.
"I'll call Waldo," her husband announced and headed for the hospital payphones.
"There's another matter," the officer continued. "Your daughter was, ah ...."
His face reddened with embarrassment.
"She was with a man. They had apparently been involved in some—humph," the officer cleared his throat—"some sexual act while your daughter was driving the car."
Callan buried her face in her hands, wishing the whole nasty business would just go away.
Waldo went to the hospital immediately after receiving Dion's urgent message. With his vast wealth, the Hollywood producer was a man with considerable influence. Thanks to his intervention, no charges were filed and no word of the accident was made public. Siobhan was taken from the hospital directly to a private clinic, one where many stars had received unpublicized drug and alcohol rehabilitation, quiet abortions and confidential psychiatric treatments. It was a clinic whose owners and staff members were loyal to the wealthy film magnates who paid them well for their discretion.
While Siobhan recovered from her injuries, counselors from the clinic did their best to impress upon her young mind the dangers of drug abuse and the misuse of alcohol. They also tried to educate her about sexually transmitted diseases. A month later she was released and returned to her parents' care.
"Welcome back," Shannon said.
"From one prison to the next," Siobhan said with a sigh.
"I swear you're never satisfied with anything!" her sister exclaimed.
"I'll be satisfied in two months when we turn eighteen because that's when I finally get my freedom."
"And what do you plan on doing with it when you get it?"
"For one thing, I won't have to live some bizarre half-existence. No more hearing people say, 'There's one of the O'Hara twins!' Honest, it's like being a single glove or one sock. I want to be me—on my own, by myself."
"That's ridiculous! What about our television show?"
"When we're eighteen, the contract our parents signed with Waldo Jaffe will be up. From then on, we'll be legally old enough to make our own decisions. I, for one, am ready to try some more adult roles. In fact, I've been offered a part in Leif Stockdale's new movie."
Shannon was horrified. Stockdale made slasher films, well known for their violence, nudity and strong sexual content.
"But all his movies are rated R," Shannon cried.
Siobhan laughed derisively.
"Stop being a Girl Scout, will you. What's wrong with blood, violence or a little nudity? We've both got pretty good bodies or hadn't you noticed? I might even decide to take Playboy up on its offer and pose for the centerfold."
"And what about the movie deal that Waldo has been discussing with the people from Disney?"
"Oh please!" Siobhan exclaimed with disgust. "If you want to be a child star all your life, go right ahead, but you can count me out."
* * *
"What did Disney say?" Callan asked anxiously as she, her husband and Shannon sat in Waldo Jaffe's office discussing future plans.
Waldo shook his head.
"They want both girls or no deal."
"Siobhan absolutely refuses to work with her sister again," Dion said. "She's got it into her head to strike out on her own."
Callan had an idea.
"The movie is about twins, right?" she asked. "Why can't Shannon play both parts? She did it quite a few times on television when Siobhan didn't show up on the set."
Waldo gave the matter serious thought.
"We could easily fool the public, and we might even be able to deceive the folks at Disney. Since the movie is to be shot here, only our people will know whether it's Siobhan or Shannon in the scenes."
"And what about when Disney releases the movie supposedly starring Shannon and Siobhan O'Hara? Do you think my sister is going to remain silent?" Shannon asked.
"No," Waldo replied. "And to be quite honest, I'm certain Disney will pull out of the deal if they learn that Siobhan is considering appearing in a Leif Stockdale horror film or—God forbid—in the centerfold of Playboy. Let's face facts. Your daughter seems intent on completely shattering the wholesome, innocent image we've all been trying to maintain, the image Disney wants to project."
Callan and Dion looked helplessly at the man who had made their girls stars and had kept them shining in the celestial world of Hollywood for fourteen wonderful and immensely profitable years, the man who had made them multimillionaires.
"Then that's it?" Callan asked, wiping a tear from her eye. "The television show has been canceled, and the Disney deal is bound to fall through."
Dion said hopefully, "I don't suppose the public is interested in one O'Hara twin."
"We can try to start her on a solo career," Waldo replied none too convincingly, "but I can't promise anything. We might be able to cast Shannon in a few Lifetime made-for-TV movies or some guest shots on several popular sitcoms, perhaps even a supporting role in a feature film."
Shannon, however, was not ready to trade in her superstar status for a lesser role.
"I want to go through with the Disney picture," she said emphatically.
"But your sister ...," Walter began to argue.
"... no longer wants to be either part of the family or part of the act. Siobhan is bent on ruining her life, but are we all going to sit back and let her derail our lives as well? Are we going to let her drag us down with her?"
"What do you suggest we do, dear?" Callan looked at her daughter hopefully.
* * *
Beautiful Shannon O'Hara—dressed in a modest gown, quite appropriate for a virginal eighteen-year-old girl—attended the star-studded Hollywood premiere of her new Disney movie on the arm of her young co-star.
"Shannon," a television reporter called, as the young actress walked down the red carpet. "Do you have a few moments for our audience?"
"Of course," Shannon replied and smiled sweetly for the camera.
Then she answered the interviewer's questions with her standard, well-rehearsed answers.
"Will your sister be here tonight?" the reporter asked, wrapping up the interview.
"No, I'm afraid Siobhan is not feeling well. So, she decided to get some rest before we begin shooting our new film next week."
"You'll give her our love, won't you?"
"Thank you! She was so sorry she couldn't make it tonight. I'm sure your kind words will make her feel much better."
Meanwhile, in a private clinic tucked away in a remote part of Northern California, far from the public eye, a psychiatric nurse, new to the job, gave her patient the prescribed injection. The patient, as usual, remained unresponsive. The nurse noted the medication on the patient's chart and then closed the door of the private room and locked it behind her.
"She's such a pretty girl," the nurse remarked to her supervisor. "Who is she?"
"No one you'd know. Her name is Jane Smith, I believe."
"Why is she kept so heavily sedated?"
"For her own good," the supervisor replied and then lowered her voice. "Her parents had her committed because she tried to end her own life."
Siobhan O'Hara's eyes flickered open momentarily and then closed again as the former child star slipped back into her drug-induced sleep, oblivious to the world around her.
When he was a kitten, Salem wanted to be a child star. However, the only role he could get was in a Friskie's commercial.
