Entertainment
Rick Moranis’ ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ turns 35, decades after the actor left Hollywood
“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is officially celebrating its 35th anniversary.
It’s been over three decades since Rick Moranis accidentally made the Szalinski and Thompson kids smaller than ants when the shrinking machine he was tinkering with suddenly began working while the kids were in the room.
After a series of events, the kids end up outside in their front yard and have to deal with obstacles like stray Legos, sprinklers and bugs, all while trying to avoid getting stepped on by their parents.
Here is what the film’s cast has been up to for the past 35 years.
WHY ‘HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS’ STAR RICK MORANIS LEFT HOLLYWOOD
Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis played the lovable father, Wayne Szalinski, who accidentally shrunk, not only his kids, but also the neighbors’ kids, in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” Before this movie, Moranis had already won an Emmy for his work on “The SCTV Network,” and was known for starring in “Ghostbusters” and “Spaceballs.”
He went on to star in “Parenthood,” “My Blue Heaven,” “Gravedale High,” “Little Giants” and “The Flintstones,” as well as the two sequels to “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
Following the second sequel in 1997, Moranis took a break from Hollywood to care for his kids after the death of his wife. She passed away in 1991 from breast cancer. Moranis told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015 that even though he didn’t take on new projects, he didn’t officially retire either.
“I took a break, which turned into a longer break,” he told the outlet. “But I’m interested in anything that I would find interesting. I still get the occasional query about a film or television role and as soon as one comes along that piques my interest.”
Moranis has primarily been working as a voice actor. He first dipped his toe back into the movie business in 2001, voicing two characters in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys.” Some of his other voice-acting gigs include “Brother Bear,” “The Animated Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie,” and the voice of Dark Helmet in “The Goldbergs.”
Moranis was married to Anne Moranis from 1986 until her death in 1991. They share two children, twins Mitchell and Rachel.
Matt Frewer
Matt Frewer got his start playing Max Headroom in the show of the same name, before going on to play Big Russ Thompson in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” That same year, he began playing Mike Stratford in “Doctor, Doctor,” which he starred in from 1989 to 1991.
He continued appearing as a guest in various TV shows and smaller roles throughout the ’90s, before appearing in 17 episodes of “Shaky Ground” from 1992 to 1993, as well as “The Stand,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Dumb and Dumber.”
In addition to appearing in several episodes of “Gargoyles,” he starred as the Pink Panther in the TV series from 1993 to 1996.
Later, he voiced Panic in “Hercules,” reprising the character for the series, which aired for one year. Frewer also starred in the series, “PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal,” “Intelligence,” “Eureka” and “Orphan Black.”
During this time, he also appeared in “Watchmen,” “Rampage,” “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” and “The BFG.” Most recently, he appeared in “The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair,” “Fear the Walking Dead” and “Perry Mason.”
Frewer married Amanda Hillwood in 1984, and they share their daughter Scout.
Marcia Strassman
Marcia Strassman was known for playing Julie Kotter in “Welcome Back, Kotter,” and for her role in “M*A*S*H,” before starring as Diane Szalinski in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” She would go on to star in the short-lived sitcom, “Booker,” from 1989 to 1990, as well as “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.”
She later appeared in the movies “Another Stakeout” and “Earth Minus Zero,” as well as in episodes of “Sweet Justice,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Baywatch,” “Noah Knows Best,” “Tremors” and “Third Watch.” Her final on-screen appearance was in the film “Looking for Mr. Right.”
‘WELCOME BACK, KOTTER’ ACTRESS MARCIA STRASSMAN DIES AT 66
Strassman was married to Robert Collector from 1984 to 1989 and they shared a daughter, Elizabeth. The actress died in March 2007 from advanced breast cancer, which had spread to her bones. She was 66.
Kristine Sutherland
Kristine Sutherland had mostly appeared in guest roles on TV shows before landing the role of Mae Thompson in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” Her career also got a boost when she was cast as Joyce Summers in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” playing the role of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s mother.
After wrapping up 58 episodes of the show, Sutherland made appearances on “New Amsterdam,” “One Life to Live” and “The Perfect Wedding,” with her most recent role being that of Pat Lonergam in “Before/During/After.”
Sutherland married John Pankow in 1986, and they have one daughter, Eleanore.
Thomas Wilson Brown
Thomas Wilson Brown got his big break in the 1985 movie “Silverado,” before going on to star as Little Russ Thompson in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
He would later star in “Knots Landing” and “Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael,” later appearing in “Boy Meets World,” “Diggstown” and “Skeletons.” From 1994 to 1998, Brown starred in “Days of Our Lives,” later appearing in “Pearl Harbor,” “Urban Justice” and “Sun Records.”
Most recently, he has appeared in “The Last Three Days” and “The Last Champion.”
Jared Rushton
Before starring as Ron Thompson in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” Jared Rushton was already known for his roles in the successful movies “Overboard” and “Big.”
He went on to star in “A Cry in the Wild” and “Pet Sematary II,” and appeared in episodes of “Life Goes On,” “Northern Exposure” and “ER.” His final on-screen appearances were in “Dead Man’s Walk,” “Cracker: Mind Over Murder” and “Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family.”
Rushton quit acting in 2000, choosing to pursue a music career instead. He currently plays guitar and organ for the rock bands Deal By Dusk and Goodbye Effect.
Amy O’Neill
Amy O’Neill got her start in Hollywood appearing as a guest in various television shows, including “Highway to Heaven” and “Family Ties,” before landing a role in “The Young and the Restless.” Eventually, she was cast as Amy Szalinski in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Before starring in the 1992 sequel, “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,” O’Neill continued her string of guest appearances, including “The Young Riders” and “Murder, She Wrote.” Most recently, she appeared in the shorts “The Japanese Sandman” and “The Follower.”
Robert Oliveri
“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” was Robert Oliveri’s first major role in Hollywood. After playing Nick Szalinski in the movie, he appeared in a few shows, before taking on the role of Kevin in “Edward Scissorhands.”
Following his role in “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,” Oliveri retired from acting. Although he stays out of the limelight, it is rumored that he lives in Florida with his wife and kids.
Mark L. Taylor
Mark L. Taylor was a veteran actor before playing Don Forrester in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” In addition to his many guest appearances on various TV shows, Taylor would go on to star in “Arachnophobia,” and the shows “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo,” “Problem Child” and “The Mask.”
He would continue making appearances on shows such as “Ally McBeal” and “Chicago Hope,” as well having a 20-episode arc on “Melrose Place.” Later, he appeared in “Last Ride,” “Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff,” “The West Wing,” “High School Musical 2” and “Boston Legal,” before starring in “Saving Grace.”
Most recently, he appeared in “Grey’s Anatomy,” “9-1-1 Lone Star” and “NCIS.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Taylor has been married to Judy Taylor since 1975. The couple has two children; Benjamin and Daniel.
Kimmy Robertson
Kimmy Roberston was known for her part in “The Last American Virgin,” before starring as Gloria Forrester in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” Later, she starred in her most well-known role, playing Lucy Moran in “Twin Peaks” from 1989 to 1991.
She later starred in “Gravedale High,” “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,” “The Tick,” and 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast” as the voice of Featherduster. Following a few years of guest appearances and smaller roles, Robertson voiced a character in “Pepper Ann,” and appeared in “Southland,” “Psych” and “Marry Me.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The actress then starred in the 2017 reboot of “Twin Peaks,” most recently appearing in “Adventures in Odyssey” and “Ollie and Scoops.”
Robertson was married to John Christian Walker from 2003 to 2004.