Michalley Sulkin starred in over fifty feature films, despite never actually reaching his 18th birthday. His output was nothing short of prolific. He managed to play every type of character within his age band. From stroppy, suburban kid left at home by forgetful parents (Still Home III), to megalomaniac demon from hell who possesses the body of a young child (Hell Hath No Furbies). He even played a quiet thoughtful child in "My God, He's Shut Up." He was also the youngest ever actor to win an Oscar, for his portrayal of an abused child in the 1996 movie, "All That Glitters."

But it will be for his reign as the only child actor in the Hollywood machine between the years 1989 and 1995 that he will be most remembered. For his roles in such films as "Look What the Cat Dragged In" and "Pushchair Bandits." So scared were Hollywood executives of not using him and having their film flop, that they cast him as a girl (Pandora's Box III - Open For Business), a Dwarf (Hunchbacks IV - Hunchbacks vs. the Bells of St Trinian’s), and even blacked him up for "Young Brothers II - Younger Brothers."

During this fertile period, no other child actors could break into the big time. The best they could hope for was a role opposite him. Most notable in this category was Clare Danish who starred opposite him in "My God" and "My God II." Many tried, egged on by fanatical parents, but few succeeded. None were as fanatical as Mr and Mrs Sulkin.

Michalley Sulkin's debut on the silver screen was in the role of a new-born child in the 1982 yuppie classic, "Working Mum." Whilst he didn't steal the show, he did steal those few scenes. His baby-face good looks and natural presence made him irresistible to casting directors. It wasn't long before his face appeared on all manner of films. It was during this phase of his career, he was earned the nickname, Crawly, for that's what he did in every movie. Later, when he was able to walk, some tried to change it to Scrawny, but the earlier epithet stayed.

Michalley's first walking role was in "Stand By Your Girl," a Mites-of-Passage film set in 1950's America. The success of this lead to the star vehicle, "Look Who's Walking," it's sequel "Look Who's Walking As Well" and the dismal flop, "Look Who's Walking Three, Shit We Just Realised a Good Joke We Could Have Used On In Second Film Title."

Behind the scenes, his parents worked hard to get him more and more roles and demand bigger and bigger pay cheques. Maurice and Deveurne Sulkin worked tirelessly. Small-time actors themselves, who failed to make it into the big time, they did all they could to give their son the chances they never had. And of course, the money they never had.

Maurice and Deveurne Sulkin were not ordinary parents. Where most would have been kept awake by their new child’s need for attention in the wee small hours, they were kept awake by all-night parties which they would attend to schmooze in order to get their son roles in as many films as possible. But this paid off for their son’s career, because before he could even read and write he had played a child genius in the TV Movie "Child Genius: The true story of a child genius."

But their love and attention to their son's career would go too far. There were famous cases of the husband and wife team arguing with each other in meetings with high-level film executives over what they should charge for their son's performance. Eventually they split and a bitter custody battle was fought over who owned their son. In the end, the judge passed guardian ship over to the county. The county officials rubbed their hands at the expected influx of cash. But it was too late. At sixteen, Michalley had already been an alcoholic, a drug abuser, and a sex addict. Now, at seventeen, with a reputation for throwing strops and failure to show up on set, Michalley was no longer the saleable commodity he once was. He was dropped as the young Anadin Headclearer in "Big Space Battles Episode 1 – The Prequel Appears," and soon other producers followed suit.

His final role, made around a haunting few minutes of him playing in the play area of his orphanage in Mid-state California was "Plan 3 from Out of Town." It was a flop. Two days after filming commenced, Michalley was rushed to hospital suffering from an overdose of alcohol, drugs and cheap women. He died horrendously young, but disgustingly happy.

As he said in "The Highlander Babies": "It's better to live fast and die young than to fade away." Very prophetic from the actor who whilst playing the very young Roger Daltrey in "Too True: The Story of The Who," tells his mother, "I hope I die before I get old."

(c) Morbid Ernest 21/1/2000.