Paul Petersen's journey began in the 1950s when he was pushed into the entertainment industry by his enthusiastic stage mother. Born in Glendale, California in 1945, Paul started his career as an eight-year-old "Mousketeer" on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1955. He went on to appear in films such as The Monolith Monsters and Houseboat, and at the age of 12, he landed a role as Donna Reed's son on her popular sitcom, The Donna Reed Show.
As the show's popularity grew, so did Paul's fame. He became a heartthrob, and his alter-ego, "Jeff Stone", literally grew up on the show. By his teens, Paul had become a formidable heartthrob, and fan clubs sprouted up everywhere. He and his co-star, Shelley Fabares, even spun off into recording careers, with Shelley scoring a #1 hit with "Johnny Angel" and Paul having a few minor hits.
However, the fun ended when the show ended in 1966. Paul's All-American teen typecast didn't fit the bill as the dissonant Vietnam counterculture took hold. His acting attempts as a serious young adult also went nowhere, and he was typecast as "Jeff Stone". He struggled to find roles, and his personal life became tumultuous.
Paul eventually enrolled in college, started writing adventure novels, and ran his own limousine service. But his biggest accomplishment has been to give back to the industry that once abandoned him. He formed "A Minor Consideration", a child-actor support group, in 1990, and it has had a profound effect in Hollywood.
Today, Paul is considered "the patron saint of former child actors". He has dedicated his life to protecting both present-day child stars and shunned one-time celebrity tykes, alike. His organization, "A Minor Consideration", oversees the emotional, financial, and legal protection of kids and former kids in show business, and he offers a helping hand to those who have experienced severe emotional and/or substance abuse problems.
