WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: CHRISTOPHER COLLET

Christopher Collet’s first few years of acting were some of his biggest.

Yet, just a few years later, his career seemed to slow down.

Born in 1968, Christopher Collet made his film debut in the cult classic from 1983 SLEEPAWAY CAMP. This is a favorite slasher film for many and spawned several sequels.

He would follow this in the next year as the lead in the FIRSTBORN. In this, he played the older son of a divorced mom (Teri Garr). He has to defend the family against her new boyfriend, Peter Weller. A strong film, directed by Michael Apted, Collet was the star, being billed ahead of future stars Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.

He also starred in the memorable CBS Schoolbreak Special “Welcome Home, Jellybean” playing the brother to a mentally challenged girl played by the late Dana Hill.

The next year, he starred in another film about teens battling abusive parents, in the TV movie RIGHT TO KILL? This also starred Frederic Forrest, Justine Bateman and Ann Wedgeworth.


THE MANHATTAN PROJECT was next. This was a fairly popular film with John Lithgow. Collet once again played the lead.

At this time in 1986, his career seemed to be going well. But the acting offers seemed to slow down. He still worked, in a lot of TV movies (HERO IN THE FAMILY, PIGEON FEATHERS) and episodic TV (THE HITCHHIKER, THE EQUALIZER, THE COSBY SHOW, L.A. LAW, MACGYVER) but not quite the lead roles in big films.

He did appear in PRAYER OF THE ROLLERBOYS in 1990, but by then Corey Haim got top billing. And the film was bigger on video than in the theatres. He also appeared in the TV films O PIONEERS! and THE LANGOLIERS and episodes of CENTRAL PARK WEST and his final role, a 1998 episode of SILK STALKINGS.


So, What Ever Happened To Him?

I could find out very little about him. Some sites claim he left film acting to do more theatre work. He did appear in a play on Broadway in 1988, but it only played a month.

He was married in 2005 to an actress who appeared in the same episode of SILK STALKINGS as he did.

In 2005 he appeared as Calvin in a short film entitled 15 Below Zero. According to its synopsis, the film is about “Calvin, a frustrated traditional typographer, awakes one day thinking he literally slept through his fifteen minutes of fame. On one of the hottest days of the summer, he comes to terms with his occupation and what it means to be famous.”

Collet was a very good actor. When I thought to look him up for this series, I thought for sure he must still be acting. But, I guess he has moved on.

CHRISTOPHER COLLET ON DVD



CHRISTOPHER COLLET ON VHS