Darth Vader Super Bowl commercial: What happens to child stars in ads?

2. John Gilchrist – Life cereal (1972)

Tom Soblik/Newscom/File
The original finicky "Mikey", John Gilchrist, is back to help Life cereal relaunch its legendary commercial in this 2000 file photo. Mr. Gilchrist went on to become an ad executive.

Mr. Gilchrist played "Mikey," the finicky five-year-old who hated everything, but loved Life cereal when his older brothers (Gilchrist's real brothers) foisted it on him. The 1972 TV commercial became a classic that ran for 12 years. In 2000, Gilchrist reprised the role in a Life commercial, but at last sighting was an ad executive for ESPN in New York.

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