First:
Both Grant Goodeve and Wille Aames became involved heavily in the "Rabid" Christian Evangelists movement and both have made appearances on TBN which is absolutely a career killer.
His role as "Bibleman" did him far more harm than good, and was like adding gasoline to the fire of a burning career. Please take note that fellow "Rabid Biblethumper" Kirk Cameron was definitely not there to help his poor show biz contemporary.
Grant Goodeve has had many roles since "Enough is Enough" and these included a role on "Northern Exposure", and as host to several shows on home remodeling and the like for Satellite and Cable. He was also a host for a show called "If these walls could talk" about famous or not so famous historic homes and their renovations.
Both Grant Goodeve and Willie Aames have had their problems with substance abuse. I admire Goodeve for publically admitting it and checking himself in to a rehab situation when it took place.
Aames has appeared in the nude and in some clips in a swimming scene in a film where he appeared with Brooke Shields, if the sensor has not gotten to that print, you can momentarily see everything. Aames also had a rock band for a while and this was anything but Christian. If one looks enough those pictures were also very revealing.
Alcohol and other chemicals caused massive weight gain on Aames. He did appear on some celebrity weight loss show. Aames was not the only "melt down" there. Far more memorable was that of Dustin Diamond from "Saved by the Bell".
When I worked in and around Hollywood I encountered Willie Aames more times than I could count. At that time he was driving a red Porsche 911. He is in fact no more than 5'4" tall. (Seth Green is even shorter than that) Bu the time that Aames had reached that weight loss program, his weight had ballooned to over 180 pounds and he appeared in shorts with no shirt. When younger there were many attractive aspects. As he stood on that stage shirtless, I can think of nothing which would be more demeaning to him than a former teen idol gone so far down in appearance.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now when it comes to abuse of child performers the list is incredible:
I personally would, if still living in California or the Los Angeles area, give whatever support I could to the work of Paul Petersen, Patty Petersen, and the many retired child performers who on a regular basis donate their time to those transitioning out of show business careers.
Here are but a few who have had terrible crashes and burns.
Jackie Coogan.
His parents took his earnings and in the silent film area built a huge home in Skyline Drive in Lake Elsinore, California. This home was such a monument and even included hidden passageways to keep the law from finding the hidden booze (remember it was still prohibition time) that this home built from the childs earnings became one of the hallmarks of the trial.
Jackie Cooper also started in silents and was another to find the cupboard bare from he as a child supporting them in a life style to which they would have liked to have become accustomed.
Lauren Chapin who played the youngest daughter in Father Knows Best found her way to heroin and prostitution before at the last minute saving herself from death.
Lani O'Grady also from Eight is Enough (Sister of Don Grady from My Three Sons) also died of drug addiction and problems in Laguna Beach California after trying to straighten out her life after show biz.
All of the children from "Different Strokes" suffered from problems. For Gary Coleman numerous problems plagued him. As a child he suffered from severe kidney disease which required a transplant. When he began to grow into an adult and was not "cute" any more medical rulings in Hollywood and restraints do to an aging kidney transplant as well as negative publicity killed his career.
Dustin Diamond from "Saved by the Bell" had antics which became very public. I will give him credit in that he tried to work, and even played a cross dressing prostitute in one film doing a great job. He had invested in cheap property in the midwest and no matter how hard he tried he sadly lost everything he had worked for.
Kirk Cameron on TBN made verbal comments that prevented both he and his real life wife Chelsea Noble from working for years. His television Sister Tracy Gold was repeatedly in treatment for Anorexia Nervosa. The same has been said for Mary Kate and Ashley Olson.
Adam Rich from Eight is Enough was arrested multiple times for shoplifting and also had substance abuse problems.
The main thing to remember is that this particular line of work completely depends on the grounding the kid or person had before entering the business.
The original Dennis the Menace had Jay North who moved behind the camera and into administrative work in the business Jay has done very well. The entire cast of the original Leave it to Beaver transitioned out and did great as well. Tony Dow, became a businessman as did Jerry Mathers. Ken Osmond became a Los Angeles Police Officer. He was wounded three times in the line of duty and was awarded numerous citations for heroism in the line of duty. He is now retired on a medical pension. "Family" which had stared James Broderick, Sada Thompson, Gary Frank, Meridith Baxter, Kristy McNichol and others all transitioned. Kristy had many problems in her life. None came from her career and were the result of poorly treated bi-polar disorder.
Those who did well in the business did so because they prepared for retirement from the beginning. When Yanni was at the peak of his career, few knew he was driving a gazillion year old BMW and living in a rented guest house. He has a degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and could do other things. Jim Nabors lived in the San Fernando Valley in very humble surroundings nearly until his retirement and life in Hawaii. He invested everything choosing to save the good life for retirement.
Comedian Bob Newhart did live in an expensive area, but not in the most expensive home in that area. He, for years drove a Mercedes 240 Diesel and lived on a budget with his wife. The same is true of Victor and Tova Borgnine.
The secret to survival in show business is making your home and personal life as far away from that place as is humanly possible.
Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie, Dennis Hopper, and the late Patrick Swayze all made their full time homes in and around New Mexico. The same was true of Lucy sidekick Vivian Vance.
Many make it and many fail. Those who fail because of the publicity machine do so publically. Those who make it and retire the most successfully fade quietly into the rest of us and move on to a different but equally productive life.