Harry Lapidus Stalmaster, a renowned juvenile actor of the 1950s, was born in Los Angeles to a family of Russian/Jewish descent. His father, Irvin Abel Stalmaster, was a District Court Judge, while his mother, Estelle (née Lapidus),was a devoted wife and mother. As the younger son of a prominent family, Harry was exposed to the world of entertainment from a young age.
Growing up, Harry's older sibling, Lynn Stalmaster, was already making a name for himself as a legendary Hollywood casting director. It was through his sibling's connections that Harry was approached by a talent agent and soon found himself cast in an anthology drama on television. This initial success led to his audition for the title role in Disney's film Johnny Tremain (1957),based on the historical novel by Esther Forbes.
In Johnny Tremain, Harry starred as the protagonist, a youthful apprentice silversmith who becomes embroiled in the American Revolution. His performance in the film earned him widespread recognition and led to his casting in another Revolutionary-era production, the miniseries 'The Swamp Fox' (1954),which starred Leslie Nielsen as Continental Army hero Frances Marion.
While his acting career was gaining momentum, Harry also began to pursue his education. He enrolled at the University of California, where he graduated in 1963 with a degree in hand. During his time at university, Harry also became a cadet with the U.S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps and was based at the Presidio in San Francisco for two years.
Despite being tempted to return to acting, Harry eventually decided to shift his focus to working behind the camera. He began his career in the casting department at Disney studios before transitioning to a booking agent. This marked the beginning of a successful career in the entertainment industry, one that would see him work alongside some of the most talented individuals in Hollywood.
