Michael Sharrett


Stuart Michael Sharrett is an American actor. Best known for his role in the 1978 classic family movie The Magic of Lassie with James Stewart, Sharrett additionally co-starred in the 1985 action film Savage Dawn and in the 1986 Wes Craven horror film Deadly Friend, for which he received a Young Artist Award nomination as the "Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture".

Biography and career

Sharrett was born in Ventura, California. Sharrett began his career at the age of 12 in the Emmy Award-winning Our Town, a 1977 television adaptation of the classic play Our Town. On February 20, 1978, Sharrett guest starred on Little House on the Prairie on the episode entitled "The Stranger" about young Peter Lundstrom, who is expelled from his private school for petty theft, so his wealthy father sends the boy to stay with Uncle Nels Oleson in Walnut Grove for a long-overdue lesson in values. At first he rebels but later on learns the pride of hard work and in time his father later realizes that his time with his son is much more important than making any more money as he is already quite wealthy already. After some additional television roles and a part in the 1978 Walt Disney comedy western film Hot Lead and Cold Feet, Sharrett landed the role of Chris, the grandson of Clovis, played by Academy Award winner Jimmy Stewart in the 1978 musical film The Magic of Lassie. In The Magic of Lassie, Lassie is a dog owned by Sharrett's freckled-faced character Chris. Lassie is taken away from Chris, who then is put under pressure when his grandpa has to decide whether to sell the valuable family vineyard in return for the dog.
In 1986, Sharrett played Tom in the witty sci-fi/horror movie Deadly Friend. In the teenage friendship story, Tom and his friend Paul bring friend Samantha back to life using a computer chip designed by Paul. Reviews of Sharrett's performance were positive, with a New York Times reviewer writing, "As Tom, Michael Sharrett is a wonderful foil, fainting away at the first kick of Sam's supposedly dead leg." For his performance as Tom, Sharrett received a Young Artist Award nomination in 1986 as the Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture.
In 1988, Sharrett appeared in the short-lived TV series Supercarrier. Two years later, in October 1990, Sharrett served as a main character in an episode of the American television drama The Trials of Rosie O'Neill. In that episode, Sharrett played a seemingly all-American boy accused of desecrating a Jewish cemetery. Rosie, a Los Angeles public defender character played by Sharon Gless in the series, defends Sharrett's character. The episode first aired on Monday, October 22 on CBS.

Selected filmography

Films


YearFilmRoleOther notes
1978Hot Lead and Cold FeetMarcus
1978The Magic of LassieChris Mitchell
1984SnowballingDanaka Smooth Moves
1985Savage DawnDanny Rand
1986Deadly FriendTom 'Slime' ToomeyReceived Young Artist Award nomination as the Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture
1989Kill Me AgainTim the Motel Clerk
1995Theodore RexNew Eden Volunteeraka T. Rex

Television


YearShowRoleOther notes
1977Our TownSi CrowellPlay filmed for TV
1978Strange CompanionsDavid
1978Little House on the PrairiePeter Lundstrom
1979The Night RiderChock Hollister-Young Thomas
1979Hanging by a ThreadTommy CraigTV movie
1979A Shining SeasonChuck Lander
1979Joe's WorldJimmy WabashTV series
1981Diff'rent StrokesHenryEpisode: First Day Blues
1984NewhartEpisode: Send Her Ella
1984Charles in ChargeAlexander MorganEpisode: Pilot
1985Magnum, P.I.Kenny HarbisonEpisode: Paniolo
1985OtherworldStock ClerkEpisode: Rules of Attraction
1986Our HouseEpisode: Choices
1986St. ElsewhereDonald WestphallEpisode: Time Heals: Part 2
1988TV 101Craig BlumenEpisodes: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Teenagers and The Unbearable Rightness of Penny
1988SupercarrierDonald Willough, Ocean Specialist 1st ClassSeries character
1989TV 101Craig BlumenEpisodes: Kangaroo Gate and Clicks
1990BaywatchBenEpisode: Home Cort, Original Air Date:12 January 1990
200350 Greatest TV AnimalsChris Mitchell Uncredited archive footage