More than 30 former child stars, from Melissa Gilbert to Fred Savage, talk about growing up in front of the camera.

To outsiders, they appear to lead a fairy tale life, blessed at an early age with talent, fame and wealth. But for many CHILD STARS, their time in the spotlight is brief, and it can exact a very high price.

This two-hour special reveals what is like to find fame as a child, and be faced with the very real possibility of being a has-been at 13. Conceived, produced and directed by former child stars Melissa Gilbert (Little House on the Prairie) and Tony Dow (Leave it to Beaver). Pressure, competition, jealousy and rejection are just a few of the headaches and heartaches they must face, to say nothing of the difficulty of growing up in such unusual circumstances. From stage fright to stage moms, CHILD STARS offers an intimate look into this world through interviews with Fred Savage (The Wonder Years), Danny Bonaduce (The Partridge Family), Sarah Gilbert (Roseanne) and many more.

CHILD STARS also features countless clips, rare home movies, archival footage and a round table discussion in which eight child stars, representing eight decades of film and TV experience, hold forth about life in the spotlight.