Kirk Cameron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kirk Cameron
Cameron at the CPAC in February 2012
Born	Kirk Thomas Cameron (1970-10-12) October 12, 1970 (age 54) Panorama City, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor author documentarian evangelist producer television host
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	Chelsea Noble ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	6
Relatives	Candace Cameron Bure (sister)

Kirk Thomas Cameron (born October 12, 1970) is an American actor, author, and producer. He became famous as a teen actor in the 1980s, playing Mike Seaver on the ABC sitcom Growing Pains (1985–1992). This role earned him two Golden Globe Awards nominations.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Cameron appeared in other TV shows and movies, including Like Father Like Son (1987) and Listen to Me (1989). Later, he starred in the Left Behind film series and the drama film Fireproof (2008). His 2014 movie, Saving Christmas, received very poor reviews from critics. Since then, he has produced other movies, including the successful 2022 film Lifemark. In 2022, he also wrote a children's book called As You Grow.

Cameron is an evangelical Christian. He works with Ray Comfort in an evangelistic group called The Way of the Master. He also started The Firefly Foundation with his wife, actress Chelsea Noble.

Early Life and Family

Cameron was born in Panorama City, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. His parents are Barbara and Robert Cameron, a retired schoolteacher. He has three sisters: Bridgette, Melissa, and Candace, who is also an actor famous for playing D.J. Tanner on the sitcom Full House.

Instead of going to a regular school, Cameron had classes on the set of Growing Pains. He also took some classes at Chatsworth High School and graduated with honors in 1988. In his early teens, Cameron did not believe in God. However, at age 18, while he was famous on Growing Pains, he became a born-again Christian.

Acting Career

Becoming a Star in the 1980s

Cameron with President Ronald Reagan in 1987

Cameron started acting when he was nine years old. His first job was in a TV commercial for breakfast cereal. He got his first major role at age 13 in the TV series Two Marriages. He became a big star in 1985 when he was cast as Mike Seaver in the TV show Growing Pains. On the show, his character's girlfriend was played by Chelsea Noble, who would later become his real-life wife.

His role in Growing Pains made him a teen heartthrob. He appeared on the covers of many teen magazines like Tiger Beat and Teen Beat. At the peak of his fame, he was earning $50,000 a week. In 1988, he made a guest appearance on his sister's show, Full House.

Cameron also starred in movies. His 1987 movie Like Father Like Son, a comedy where he switched bodies with actor Dudley Moore, was a big hit. However, his next movie, Listen to Me (1989), did not do well at the box office.

Work in the 1990s and 2000s

Cameron at the Emmy Awards in 1989

After Growing Pains ended in 1992, Cameron starred in his own sitcom called Kirk from 1995 to 1997. In the show, he played a young man raising his younger siblings.

Around 1990, Cameron and his wife started The Firefly Foundation. This charity runs Camp Firefly, a free summer camp for children with serious illnesses and their families.

In the 2000s, Cameron began to focus on Christian-themed movies. He starred in the Left Behind film series as the character Cameron "Buck" Williams. He also starred in the 2008 movie Fireproof, playing a firefighter trying to save his marriage. Even though Fireproof was made with a small budget of $500,000, it earned over $33 million and was the most successful independent film of 2008.

Cameron has said he chose to work on faith-based projects so he could spend more time with his real family. He wanted his work to match his personal values.

Recent Work in the 2010s and 2020s

In 2012, Cameron hosted a documentary called Monumental: In Search of America's National Treasure. In 2014, he starred in and produced the movie Saving Christmas. The film was not liked by critics and won several Golden Raspberry Awards, which are given to the worst movies of the year.

He has continued to make movies, including Connect (2018), which helps parents guide their children in using technology safely. In 2022, he starred in Lifemark, a successful film about adoption. That same year, he wrote a children's book, As You Grow, and went on a popular book tour to read it at libraries across the country. Since 2021, he has hosted a talk show on the TBN called Takeaways with Kirk Cameron.

Becoming a Christian

After Cameron became a Christian, he felt that some of the storylines for his character on Growing Pains did not fit with his new faith. For example, he was uncomfortable with scenes that showed his unmarried character being with a girl overnight. He asked the writers to change these scenes to be more family-friendly.

After Growing Pains ended, Cameron did not keep in touch with his co-stars for a while. He later said this was because he and his wife wanted to build a new life away from the entertainment industry. In 2000, he reunited with the cast for a TV movie and said he regretted not explaining his feelings to them better at the time.

His Christian faith also led him to decide he would only kiss his wife on screen. In the movie Fireproof, his wife Chelsea stood in for the actress during a kissing scene. The scene was filmed in shadow so the audience wouldn't notice.

Evangelism and Public Life

From left to right: Cameron with evangelist Ray Comfort, moderator Martin Bashir, Brian Sapient and Kelly O'Connor in 2007

Cameron works with evangelist Ray Comfort in a ministry called The Way of the Master. They have a TV show of the same name where they teach their methods for sharing their faith.

In 2007, Cameron and Comfort took part in a televised debate about the existence of God. During the debate, Cameron used a picture of a "crocoduck" (a mix of a crocodile and a duck) to argue against the theory of evolution. The image became a popular internet meme.

In 2009, Cameron and Comfort gave out free copies of Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species on college campuses. However, their version was changed. It was missing some of Darwin's original chapters and included a new introduction with creationist ideas. This caused controversy among scientists.

Personal Life

Cameron married his Growing Pains co-star Chelsea Noble on July 21, 1991. They have six children: four are adopted, and two are biological. In 2024, Cameron and his family moved from California to Tennessee.

Images for kids

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  Cameron holds up a picture of a "crocoduck" during a 2007 debate to argue against the theory of evolution.

Filmography

Television

Films

See also

In Spanish: Kirk Cameron para niños