Child Actors in Film and Television

‘Child actors in film and television’ (TV) need to be considered in the context of the media children’s film and children’s TV, which in many countries is strongly ideologically and pedagogically based. Two major aspects of this issue are discussed in this entry: (1) children as moral agents and correctives—stars, gangs, and collectives in children’s film and (2) as co-actors with care function in animal relationships and as animated figures in TV. The entry addresses mainly U.S. actors and productions because of their early dominance in the expansion of film as mass entertainment and their great influence on the cultural imaginary in Europe (although Charlie Chaplin was British).