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Growing Pains is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes.

Premise[]

The Seaver family resides at 15 Robin Hood Lane in Huntington, Long Island, New York.

Dr. Jason Seaver (portrayed by Alan Thicke), a psychiatrist, works from home because his wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns), has gone back to work as a reporter. Jason has to take care of the kids: ladies' man and rebellious troublemaker Mike (Kirk Cameron), bookish honors student Carol (Tracey Gold), and rambunctious Ben (Jeremy Miller) who follows Mike as his role model and becomes a troublemaker too.

A fourth child, Chrissy Seaver (twins Kelsey and Kirsten Dohring; Ashley Johnson), is born at the beginning of season 4, a day after Ben's 12th birthday. She was played in her newborn/infant stage by two uncredited sets of twin sisters, who remained in the role until season four (1988–89) ended. By season five (1989–90), she was played in her toddler stage by alternating twins Kirsten and Kelsey Dohring. In seasons six and seven (1990–92), Chrissy's age was advanced to five years old.

A new cast member was added for the seventh and final season (1991–92) when homeless teen Luke Brower (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brought into the Seaver family to live with them until nearly the end of season seven.

Often mentioned but rarely seen are the Seavers' next-door neighbors, the Koosmans – a reference to the 1969 Miracle Mets.

Cast and characters[]

main[]

  • Alan Thicke as Dr. Jason Roland Seaver
  • Joanna Kerns as Margaret Katherine "Maggie" (née Malone) Seaver
  • Kirk Cameron as Michael Aaron "Mike" Seaver
  • Tracey Gold as Carol Anne Seaver
  • Jeremy Miller as Benjamin Hubert Horatio Humphrey "Ben" Seaver
  • Ashley Johnson as Christine Ellen "Chrissy" Seaver (seasons 6–7)
    • Kelsey and Kirsten Dohring as Christine Ellen "Chrissy" Seaver (toddler) (season 5, alternating)
  • Leonardo DiCaprio as Luke Brower (season 7)

Recurring[]

  • Andrew Koenig as Richard Milhous "Boner" Stabone (seasons 1–4, 25 episodes), Mike's friend; left to join the United States Marine Corps
  • Chelsea Noble as Kate MacDonald (seasons 5–7, 22 episodes), Mike's girlfriend
  • Jamie Abbott as Stinky Sullivan (seasons 2–6, 19 episodes), Ben's friend
  • K. C. Martel as Eddie Ziff (seasons 1–7, 19 episodes), Mike's friend
  • Sam Anderson as Principal Willis DeWitt (seasons 1–7, 13 episodes), Mike's history teacher in season one, and principal from season two onward
  • Betty McGuire as Kate Malone (seasons 1–7, 12 episodes); Maggie's mother
  • Lisa Capps as Debbie (seasons 2–4, 12 episodes), Carol's friend
  • Rachel Jacobs as Shelley (seasons 2–4, 12 episodes), Carol's friend
  • Gordon Jump as Ed Malone (seasons 1–7, 11 episodes); Maggie's father
  • Julie McCullough as Julie Costello (seasons 4–5, 11 episodes), Mike's former girlfriend
  • Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock (seasons 2–3; starred in spin-off Just the Ten of Us), gym teacher
  • Jane Powell as Irma Seaver (seasons 4–6, 8 episodes), Jason's mother
  • Jodi Peterson as Laura Lynn (seasons 4–6, 6 episodes), Ben's girlfriend/love interest
  • Kevin Wixted as Bobby Wynette (seasons 2–3, 6 episodes), Carol's former boyfriend
  • Christopher Burgard as Dwight Halliburton (seasons 7, 6 episodes), Carol's love interest
  • Evan Arnold as Richie Flanscopper (seasons 1–3, 6 episodes), Carol's school classmate who has a crush on her
  • Fred Applegate as Mr. Fred Tedesco (season 7, 4 episodes), principal of the learning annex where Mike teaches

Episodes[]

Season Episodes Originally aired Rank Rating
First aired Last aired
1 22 September 24, 1985 May 13, 1986 17 19.5
2 22 September 30, 1986 May 19, 1987 8 22.7
3 26 September 18, 1987 May 4, 1988 5 21.3
4 22 October 18, 1988 May 3, 1989 13 17.6
5 26 September 20, 1989 May 2, 1990 21 15.4
6 24 September 19, 1990 April 24, 1991 27 14.3
7 24 September 18, 1991 April 25, 1992 75 8.6
Television films November 5, 2000 October 16, 2004 TBA TBA

Awards and nominations[]

Year Association Category Nominee/episode Result
1985 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series Kirk Cameron Won
1985 Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series Tracey Gold Nominated
1985 Best Young Supporting Actor in a New Television Series Jeremy Miller Won
1986 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics "As Long As We Got Each Other" Nominated
1986 Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Series George Spiro Dibie (director of photography) / "My Brother, Myself"[citation needed] Won
1986 Young Artist Awards Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor Starring in a Television Comedy or Drama Series Kirk Cameron Won
1986 Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor in a Long-Running Series Comedy or Drama Jeremy Miller Nominated
1986 Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress, Guest Starring in a Television, Comedy or Drama Series April Lerman Nominated
1987 Young Artist Awards Best Young Superstar in Television Kirk Cameron Won
1987 Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor in a Television Comedy Series Jeremy Miller Won
1987 Best Young Actress Guest Starring in a Television Comedy Series Candace Cameron / "The Long Goodbye" Nominated
1987 Best Family Comedy Series Growing Pains Won
1988 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics Song: "Swept Away" / episode: "Aloha" Nominated
1988 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Actor Kirk Cameron Nominated
1988 Favorite TV Show Growing Pains Nominated
1988 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical Alan Thicke Nominated
1988 Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV Kirk Cameron Nominated
1989 Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV Kirk Cameron Nominated
1989 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Show Growing Pains Nominated
1989 Favorite TV Actor Kirk Cameron Nominated
1989 Favorite TV Actress Tracey Gold Nominated
1989 Young Artist Awards Best Family Television Series Growing Pains Nominated
1990 Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series Jeremy Miller Nominated
1990 Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series Kenny Morrison Nominated
1990 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Actor Kirk Cameron Won
1991 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series George Spiro Dibie / "Happy Halloween" Won
1991 Young Artist Awards Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress Under Nine Ashley Johnson Nominated
1992 Best Young Actor Co-starring in a Television Series Leonardo DiCaprio Nominated
1992 Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress Under Ten Ashley Johnson Nominated
1993 Outstanding Actress Under Ten in a Television Series Ashley Johnson Nominated

Spin-off[]

Growing Pains spawned the spin-off series, Just the Ten of Us, which featured Coach Graham Lubbock, Mike and Carol's gym teacher, moving to California with his large family to teach at an all-boys Catholic school after he was fired from Thomas Dewey High School.

Reunion movies[]

In 2000, the cast reunited for The Growing Pains Movie, followed by Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers in 2004. Before the premiere of The Growing Pains Movie, Kirk Cameron described his regrets over how his relationship with his castmates changed after his religious conversion during the production of the series, admitting, "I definitely kind of made an about-face, going toward another aspect of my life," and "I shifted my focus from 100% on the show, to 100% on [my new life], and left 0% on the show—and even the friendships that were a part of that show. If I could go back, I think I could make decisions that were less inadvertently hurtful to the cast—like talking and explaining to them why I just wanted to have my family at my wedding."

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

References[]

External links[]

Template:Growing Pains

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