Patrick Labyorteaux & Todd Bridges Swap Stories
EPISODE 39 / 08.27.2025
What was it like growing up as a child star in the ’70s and ’80s? Join Todd Bridges and his childhood partner-in-crime, Patrick Labyorteaux, as they reveal the wild, hilarious, and downright unbelievable true stories from their days on the Universal lot—from trapping kids in a safe to getting pranked by Michael Landon!
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Show Notes
On this special episode of DANG!, Todd Bridges sits down with his longtime friend—and fellow former child star—Patrick Labyorteaux for an unfiltered, laugh-out-loud trip back to Hollywood in the ’70s and ’80s.
Patrick, best known as Andy from Little House on the Prairie and Bud from JAG, shares stories from his decades-long friendship with Todd, which started on the set of the 1977 film A Circle of Children. They take a walk down memory lane, sharing unfiltered stories from pranking Kyle Richards to that legendary moment when Jason Bateman ended up in a dumpster (yes, really), the stories in this episode are wild.
The duo spills on what it was like growing up on studio lots—balancing strict rules, on-set schooling, and the jaw-dropping differences between kid actor hours and adult actor grinds. Plus they dish about working with Hollywood legends, including prank-loving Michael Landon and a much tougher experience with Henry Fonda.
They don’t shy away from the real talk either: fame, dating, and what happens when the world remembers your face but forgets your work. Plus, how the child star experience of the past compares to today’s social-media-driven fame.
EPISODE Highlights
- How Todd and Patrick first met. (1:15)
- Patrick and Todd recount pranking other kids and throwing Jason Bateman in a dumpster. (3:00)
- The vast differences between working hours as a child actor versus an adult actor. (6:18)
- A deeper look at the specialized professional schools child actors attended on or off set. (7:49)
- Patrick and Todd share stories about getting into trouble on set and why they were scared of their moms. (13:39)
- The duo discusses how being a child star skewed their view of real life and how fame affected dating. (16:25)
- Patrick shares how he got into acting. (29:18)
- ToddFlix: Havoc (44:25)
ToddFlix Pick
Listen to Learn
- What being a child star in the ’70s and ’80s was really like compared to now.
- The real deal on those Hollywood on-set schools.
- The unexpected perks—and pitfalls—of growing up on TV.
If you grew up watching these classic shows or just want the untold stories from Television’s golden era, this episode is a must-listen.
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