The role Jason Bateman got fired from for being too popular: “You could see the knives coming out”
Unless you grew up in 1980s America or are very familiar with sitcoms of the era, you might presume that Jason Bateman’s big break was with Arrested Development in 2003.
But you would be wrong. Bateman was actually a prolific child star in the 1980s, appearing in multiple sitcoms and the drama series Little House on the Prairie. He then went on to achieve teen idol status with further TV and film appearances.
As a magnet for audiences back in the day, you would presume being so beloved would be an advantage to your career. But it was actually during his time as a child star that Bateman was let go from a role for his growing popularity. From 1982 to 1984, he was a supporting actor in the sitcom Silver Spoons, before his popularity became a threat.
The sitcom followed the relationship of a wealthy playboy and his son, Ricky Stratton. Bateman appeared as Stratton’s ‘bad boy’ best friend for 21 seasons, charming audiences before being offered the lead role in his own show. This might sound positive, but when you dig a little deeper, it reveals the darker side of the child entertainment business.
While the common consensus online is that showrunners were worried that Bateman was upstaging his co-star and the focus of the show, Ricky Schroeder, producer Robert Illes revealed to The Jeff Dwoskin Show the slightly more insidious reason for Bateman’s untimely firing. “Ricky Schroeder’s mom had it out for Jason Bateman,” he told the podcast host.
Both Schroeder and Bateman’s mothers were frequently involved and in the wings of the show, as you can imagine with child actors. However, instead of simply being there as a comfort and safeguard to their children, they encouraged something of a rivalry. According to Illes, Bateman’s mother once suggested his character move into the mansion with Ricky’s, and at that point, “You could see the knives coming out of [her] eyes”.
Always present in the audience, Mrs Schroeder wasn’t too happy when the producer frequently interviewed Bateman in between resets, “She couldn’t stand that, so she put a stop to it.” By the second season, the mother was livid, having presumed that Bateman’s character would have only lasted the first season. At this point, she apparently took it upon herself to insist he be booted.
While surely no mother wants to see their child overshadowed, it seems like a completely ridiculous situation for an adult to have such dislike of a kid. Although, there was undoubtedly a financial aspect at play too. After all, Bateman has discussed the difficulties he faced in becoming a breadwinner for his family, so it’s fair to assume that the Schroeders were reliant on Ricky, too.
But taking this competition so far as to get a child star fired from a supporting role, as opposed to finding solidarity with other families in the same situation, is definitely strange. It also demonstrates the immense pressure that child stars undergo from their parents. It’s fair to say that no child should have to support their family from such a young age.
Not to mention that Mrs Schroeder’s involvement did little in the end to further her son’s career. As Illes points out, Bateman is now in an entirely “different stratosphere than poor Ricky”, given the former has gone on to be a successful actor with Golden Globes and Emmys to his name. Maybe being fired for your popularity isn’t all bad after all.
