41 Former Celebrities Who Now Hold Down Regular Jobs Like The Rest Of Us
You may have dreams of becoming a celebrity, but trust us – life in the spotlight is no picnic. One minute, you’re riding a wave of public adoration, the next you’re scraping a living through reality TV appearances. It’s no wonder, then, that so many stars have decided to quit the business altogether and trade in the high life for something a little more stable. And whether they wanted to or not, these 40 former stars are now working the nine-to-five just like the rest of us.
41. Tony Danza
Thanks to his roles in Taxi and Who’s the Boss?, Tony Danza was one of TV’s most famous sitcom stars in the 1980s. Two decades later, though, he traded in stardom for the even tougher job of teaching high-school English. Based in Philadelphia, Danza has since published a book all about his experiences and his concern for the American education system.
40. Taran Noah Smith
Taran Noah Smith is best known as Tim Allen’s dorky son in Home Improvement, but the fledgling star actually quit acting following the show’s 1999 demise. Afterward, the young actor reinvented himself as an entrepreneur and used his TV earnings to launch his own vegan food company and restaurant. And when that eaterie was closed down by the City of Los Angeles in 2009, Smith turned to yet another unusual job. He’s now a submarine instructor. Yes, really!
39. Peter Ostrum
Remember Charlie in the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory? That was Peter Ostrum. But the super-talented young star decided that fame and fortune weren’t for him. He even declined a three-film deal in order to maintain a normal life. Instead, Ostrum pursued a career as a veterinarian, and he currently works looking after animals in New York State.
38. Michael Schoeffling
After his part in 1984’s Sixteen Candles, Michael Schoeffling was set to become one of that decade’s biggest screen hunks. Unfortunately, fatherhood and a shortage of acting jobs forced the star out of the spotlight, and he eventually quit showbiz in 1991. Today, Schoeffling works as a carpenter in Virginia, where he keeps a pretty low profile.