retro sunday

So this is a strange one. For some reason every now and again I get a vision of this boy in my head. Anyone? Anyone? Well I knew there was a tv series when I was young that he featured in. The more I thought about it, the more I remembered. I knew it had a name and an age. Got there eventually. JAMES AT 15. Does anyone else remember this series? I remember thinking it was pretty cool, but having since done a little research on it, I doubt that my mother would have been very approving of her 9 year old daughter watching a show involving teen pregnancy and other topics of the like!

Following a television movie of the same name, James at 15 was a short-lived NBC drama that explored a teenage boy's coming of age. The series begins in Boston, where James (Lance Kerwin) and his family have moved from rural Oregon. James at 15 was distinctive at the time (1977-78) for its sequences showing James' daydreams, a subtle mixing of some comedy and drama, and because of its frank examination of serious teen issues, especially for the 1970s. Episodes explore such topics as cancer, sexually-transmitted disease, alcoholism, and most notably - James' loss of his virginity with a Swedish foreign exchange student. Recurring characters include James' parents, his sisters Sandy and Kathy, and his school friends Sly and Marlene. The series was re-titled James at 16 (the opening credits changed to show a line drawn through the "15" and the appearance of a "16") in February of 1978

Kevin Williamson, the creator of Dawson's Creek, cited this show as a major influence on him and named it as an inspiration for his show "'Dawson's Creek' came out of my desire to do 'James at 15' for the '90s. It was very provocative and way ahead of its time."

When the show had finished its run, Lance continued to act, picking up roles in after-school TV movies like "Children of Divorce," and the "The Boy Who Drank Too Much." But roles became harder and harder to come by and Lance began heavily using drugs and alcohol. In 1989, 29-year old Lance Kerwin was arrested in San Francisco for possession of crack cocaine.

In 1990, Lance moved to Hawaii, found a soulmate in Kristen Lansdale, and worked on sobriety. By his own account, he wasn't very successful. He took bit parts and walk-on roles as his drug use escalated out-of-control and career completely bottomed out.

In 1994, Lance and Kristen gave birth to a baby girl named, Savannah. It was inspiration enough to reclaim his life and career. He and Kristen split, and Lance moved to a Bible Ranch in Perris, California. During the week, he occupies a studio apartment on the group's complex with daughter, Savannah. Lance spends his days in religious study, teaching Bible classes, and practising community service. His last movie role was in 1995s, "Outbreak." Lance Kerwin has no plans to return to acting.