Michael Shea (born November 4, 1952) is an American former child
actor. Beginning a prolific career at the age of ten, Shea is perhaps
best known for portraying the title role in the NBC children's
television series, The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as well as
for his feature film roles; as Nick in the Ivan Tors family film,
Namu, the Killer Whale, as Jimmy in the MGM western, Welcome to Hard
Times, and as "Cav" in the Walt Disney drama, Ride a Northbound Horse.
Although born and raised in New York City, Shea was primarily cast as
the wholesome small-town "country boy" throughout most of his career
as a child star.Michael Shea was born on November 4, 1952 (some
sources mistakenly reporting his year of birth as 1951) in Glendale,
New York to parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shea. He spent his early years
raised in New York and grew up with four siblings, two brothers and
two sisters. At the age of nine, a neighbor reportedly approached Shea
with the idea of entering show business, however, the thought of
stardom frightened him. In a 1968 interview, Shea recalled the early
experience saying, "I ran into the woods and started crying. I kept
saying, 'I don't want to be a star.'"At the age of ten, Shea
reconsidered the possibilities of a professional acting career. In
1968, he recounted his reasoning saying, "I thought I'd like to try
acting, but I wasn't sure I'd want to stay in it, so I asked my
neighbor if I could get out if I didn't like it. He said 'sure.'"
Shea's neighbor was Aliam Dunn, casting director of The Ed Sullivan
Show, who used his industry connections to introduce Shea to a New
York talent agent. Soon, Shea was landing work as a child model and
actor, appearing in television commercials for Campbell's Soup and
Scooter Pies among others.After learning the show business ropes as a
working actor in commercials, Shea made his theatrical debut,
appearing in two "experimental" off-Broadway productions by Edward
Albee, and made his television debut in The Bell Telephone Hour
Christmas special. In 1965, Shea was signed to play the title role in
a proposed western television series titled Joshua, which prompted the
Shea family to relocate from its New York home to California. However
the series never made it to television.
actor. Beginning a prolific career at the age of ten, Shea is perhaps
best known for portraying the title role in the NBC children's
television series, The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as well as
for his feature film roles; as Nick in the Ivan Tors family film,
Namu, the Killer Whale, as Jimmy in the MGM western, Welcome to Hard
Times, and as "Cav" in the Walt Disney drama, Ride a Northbound Horse.
Although born and raised in New York City, Shea was primarily cast as
the wholesome small-town "country boy" throughout most of his career
as a child star.Michael Shea was born on November 4, 1952 (some
sources mistakenly reporting his year of birth as 1951) in Glendale,
New York to parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shea. He spent his early years
raised in New York and grew up with four siblings, two brothers and
two sisters. At the age of nine, a neighbor reportedly approached Shea
with the idea of entering show business, however, the thought of
stardom frightened him. In a 1968 interview, Shea recalled the early
experience saying, "I ran into the woods and started crying. I kept
saying, 'I don't want to be a star.'"At the age of ten, Shea
reconsidered the possibilities of a professional acting career. In
1968, he recounted his reasoning saying, "I thought I'd like to try
acting, but I wasn't sure I'd want to stay in it, so I asked my
neighbor if I could get out if I didn't like it. He said 'sure.'"
Shea's neighbor was Aliam Dunn, casting director of The Ed Sullivan
Show, who used his industry connections to introduce Shea to a New
York talent agent. Soon, Shea was landing work as a child model and
actor, appearing in television commercials for Campbell's Soup and
Scooter Pies among others.After learning the show business ropes as a
working actor in commercials, Shea made his theatrical debut,
appearing in two "experimental" off-Broadway productions by Edward
Albee, and made his television debut in The Bell Telephone Hour
Christmas special. In 1965, Shea was signed to play the title role in
a proposed western television series titled Joshua, which prompted the
Shea family to relocate from its New York home to California. However
the series never made it to television.
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