Kirk Cameron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kirk Cameron
Cameron at 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 television host. He became famous as a teen actor playing Mike Seaver on the TV show Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992. For this role, he was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards.

Cameron also appeared in movies like Like Father Like Son (1987) and Listen to Me (1989). Later, he starred as Buck Williams in the Left Behind film series and Caleb Holt in the movie Fireproof (2008). In 2022, he wrote a children's book called As You Grow, which he read at libraries during a popular book tour.

Cameron is an evangelical Christian. He works with Ray Comfort in a Christian ministry called The Way of the Master. He also co-founded The Firefly Foundation with his wife, actress Chelsea Noble.

Early life

Kirk Cameron was born in Panorama City, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. His parents are Barbara and Robert Cameron. He has three sisters, including actress Candace Cameron Bure, who is known for her role as D.J. Tanner on Full House.

Kirk went to school on the set of Growing Pains. He also attended some classes during breaks and graduated from Chatsworth High School in 1988 with honors.

Career

1980s–1990s

Cameron with President Ronald Reagan in 1987

Kirk Cameron started acting when he was nine years old. His first big role was at age 13 in the TV series Two Marriages. He became very famous in 1985 when he was cast as Mike Seaver in the ABC TV show Growing Pains. On the show, his character Mike had a girlfriend named Kate MacDonald, played by Chelsea Noble, who later became Kirk's real-life wife.

Cameron was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for his role. He became a teen heartthrob in the late 1980s, appearing on the covers of many teen magazines. He also appeared in a Pepsi commercial during Super Bowl XXIV. In 1988, he guest-starred in an episode of Full House as Cousin Steve, alongside his sister Candace.

Cameron at the Emmy Awards in 1989

Cameron also starred in movies like Like Father Like Son (1987), a comedy where he switched bodies with Dudley Moore. After Growing Pains ended in 1992, Cameron starred in The WB TV show Kirk from 1995 to 1997. In this show, he played Kirk Hartman, a 24-year-old who had to raise his younger siblings. His wife, Chelsea Noble, also worked with him on Kirk.

Around 1990, Cameron and his wife, Chelsea Noble, started The Firefly Foundation. This foundation runs Camp Firefly, a summer camp that offers free vacations to children with serious illnesses and their families.

2000s

After the 1990s, Cameron mostly focused on Christian-themed movies and TV shows. He did reunite with the Growing Pains cast for two TV reunion films: The Growing Pains Movie in 2000 and Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers in 2004.

Cameron starred in the post-Rapture films Left Behind: The Movie, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force, and Left Behind: World at War, playing Cameron "Buck" Williams. His wife, Chelsea Noble, also appeared in these movies. He also starred in Fireproof (2008), a drama film. This movie was made with a small budget of $500,000 but earned over $33 million, making it a big success.

Cameron has shared that he chose to work on films and TV shows that fit his faith-based values. He also travels to give talks about marriage and family.

2010s

In 2012, Cameron hosted and narrated the documentary film Monumental: In Search of America's National Treasure. The film earned over $1.2 million. In 2013, he hosted another film called Unstoppable.

In 2014, Cameron starred in and produced the family film Mercy Rule. He played a father trying to save his small business. His real-life wife played his wife in the movie. Also in 2014, Cameron starred in the Christian comedy film Saving Christmas. He later starred in Extraordinary (2017), a film made by Liberty University students. In 2017, Cameron and Noble created an online course about marriage called The Heart of Family.

In 2018, Cameron appeared in the documentary film Connect, which helps parents understand how to guide their children through the challenges of technology and social media. In 2019, he appeared in an episode of Fuller House, a sequel to Full House.

2020s

In 2021, Cameron began hosting Takeaways with Kirk Cameron on TBN. On this show, he interviews guests to discuss important topics for Christians.

In 2022, Cameron starred in the film Lifemark, which was a box office success, earning over $5 million. He played Jimmy Colton, an adoptive father. That same year, Cameron wrote a children's book called As You Grow, which shares "biblical wisdom through the seasons of life." In 2023, he went on a nationwide book tour, reading his book to large crowds at many libraries.

Conversion to Christianity

Kirk Cameron became a Christian during the filming of Growing Pains. He felt that some scenes in the show did not fit his new faith. For example, a scene where his character, Mike Seaver, shared a bed with a girl. Because of his beliefs, he asked for these types of storylines to be changed or removed.

After Growing Pains ended, Cameron did not stay in touch with his co-stars for some time. He later explained that this was because he and his wife wanted to start a new life away from the entertainment industry and focus on their family. He expressed regret that he might have unintentionally hurt his castmates by not explaining his choices better.

In 2011, during a Growing Pains cast reunion, Alan Thicke, who played Cameron's father on the show, said that while Kirk's choices seemed extreme to some, choosing a religious life was a positive path given the pressures he faced.

Cameron's faith also led him to decide that he would only kiss his wife on screen. For a kissing scene in the film Fireproof, his real-life wife, Chelsea Noble, stood in for the actress playing his character's wife. The scene was filmed in silhouette so that it was not obvious.

Evangelistic ministry

Kirk Cameron works with fellow Christian speaker Ray Comfort to teach people about sharing their faith. They founded a ministry called The Way of the Master, which also has a TV show that Cameron co-hosts. This show won the National Religious Broadcasters' Best Program Award for two years in a row.

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

Cameron holds up a composite picture, and cites the absence of a crocoduck as evidence against evolution, during a debate on the existence of God at Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan in 2007

In 2007, Cameron and Comfort took part in a TV debate about the existence of God with atheists Brian Sapient and Kelly O'Conner. During the debate, Cameron used the example of a "crocoduck" (a made-up animal that is half crocodile and half duck) to discuss his views on evolution.

In 2009, Cameron and others gave away free copies of a special version of Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species on college campuses. This version had an introduction by Ray Comfort that shared Christian views on creation.

Political views

Traditional Values

Kirk Cameron holds traditional views on marriage and family. In 2012, he shared his beliefs on a TV show, which led to discussions among different groups. He received support from many people who shared his views.

Donald Trump

Cameron is a social conservative. He supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. He stated that he believed Trump was not against Christian principles.

COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cameron expressed his views on the situation. He believed that the psychological impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns could be more harmful than the virus itself. In December 2020, he organized outdoor Christmas caroling events where people did not wear masks. These events were held to protest restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. He also held an outdoor New Year's Eve event in Malibu.

Personal life

Kirk Cameron and his wife, Chelsea Noble, who also appeared on Growing Pains, got married on July 21, 1991. They have six children: four adopted and two biological. In 2024, Cameron and his family moved from California to Tennessee.

Filmography

Televisions

Films

Video games

Awards and nominations

Images for kids

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  In Spanish: Kirk Cameron for kids

See also

In Spanish: Kirk Cameron para niños