Stardom Happens ― Nurturing Your Child in the Entertainment Business

“Clean your room, do your homework, and dodge the paparazzi.” Have you ever wondered what life would be like raising a successful child actor? Stardom Happens gives you all the information you need to help your child get into the business and have a positive experience while acting. Candy Bennici and her son Taran Noah Smith, who played the youngest son on a hit show for eight years, use their experiences, both good and bad, to help you and your child successfully navigate the fun but sometimes treacherous world of entertainment. First you will learn the basics of entering the world of acting, such as finding an agent, creating a resume, working with photographers, and surviving the dreaded auditions. Handling finances, schooling, and expectations on the set are just a few more of the topics covered. Then, with personal insight and occasional humor, Candy and Taran bring you into the world of child stardom and show you how to avoid the everyday problems fame can bring..How do you deal with producers who don't understand children?What do you do with mounds of fan mail?Should you help with charities?How do you make personal appearances fun?And, most important, how do you keep your child grounded and safe? Whether you have a future child actor or are just curious about the entertainment business, Stardom Happens will answer your questions and help you create a positive experience for the whole family.

Candy Bennici has been a manager of two children in the entertainment business for a total of eighteen years. Her daughter, Aria Smith, was an international model and her son, Taran Noah Smith, played “Mark,” the youngest son on the hit show Home Improvement, for the eight-year run of the show. Since the show ended, in addition to being a script supervisor for feature films and an elementary school teacher, Candy has devoted time to helping parents keep their child happy and safe while acting. She has been on several talk shows including The Donny and Marie Show, Jim Jay and Ann, Christina, and The Carol and Marilyn Show. Candy grew up in West Los Angeles and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1968. Now, when she is not writing, she loves being “Grami” to her two wonderful grandsons. She currently lives on a sailboat in San Rafael, California, with her husband, David, and her dog Sprite.