Remembering Leonardo Dicaprio's Roots

Leonardo Dicaprio has slowly gone from an actor that was popular with the teen chicas, to a serious Oscar nominee and preferred actor of the one and only Martin Scorsese. However, one should never forget where they come from, you should always remember your roots. Let's not forget Leonardo Dicaprio's humble beginnings. Of course I'm talking about Growing Pains.

Maybe you know Leonardo Dicaprio as the leading man in the Departed or Gangs of New York. Or maybe you remember Leonardo Dicaprio proclaiming "I am king of the world" in Titanic. But me, I will always remember Leonardo Dicaprio as Luke Brower from Growing Pains.

Late into Growing Pains run they ran into what I call the "Rudy Effect", named after Rudy from the Cosby show. Like Rudy, the youngest Seaver, Ben, was no longer cute; in fact, he was a very awkward looking kid as he got to his teen years. So the producers always try and cure the "Rudy Effect" by bringing in a new cute kid. This happens all the time. On the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air it was Nicky, on Full House it was Jesse's twin boys and the Cosby Show did it twice with Olivia and then Winnie and Nelson. You can even go way back to the Brady Bunch who brought in Cousin Oliver because Cindy wasn't cute anymore.

Anyway, Growing Pains attempted the "Rudy Effect" with Chrissy. Unfortunately Chrissy wasn't cute, in fact she was kind of crazy looking and really annoying. So they needed a new hook.

In the last season of Growing Pains Mike decided to become a teacher, despite failing like ever class ever. If that wasn't ridiculous enough Mike Seaver finds out that his star pupil, played by Leonardo Dicaprio, is homeless and he takes him in. Or actually I guess he takes Leonardo Dicaprio in to his parents' home.

Of course Leonardo Dicaprio was in way over his head. Leonardo Dicaprio might have been popular with the teens his in hey day but he was no Kirk Cameron. Kirk Cameron was the like the coolest person ever. Kirk Cameron was the coolest guy you've ever met, the most charming guy you've ever met, and the funniest guy you've ever met all rolled into one. Leonardo Dicaprio was just that cute guy with marginal acting skills.