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Everyday Kids Who Hit the Target! Compiled by Alice Ansfield
I first saw Alan Morgan on a TV commercial for Target. The ad showed him repeatedly going to his neighbor's door trying to sell her something, each time in a different uniform: band, Boy Scouts, and so on. The commercial ends with his final sales effort at the neighbor's door. There he is: big round face, wonderful smile and shining eyes under his mop of blond hair, and wearing yet another uniform. He knocks on the door, this time shouting, "Hey, open up. I know you're in there!" He cracked me up! I called Target the next day, and their public relations company gave me the go-ahead to call Alan and his sister, Stephanie, at their Southern California home. I had fun and inspiring conversations with each of them, one at a time. I wish each of you kids much success and happiness in your careers and lives, however they unfold. And now, Radiance readers, meet young actors Alan Morgan and Stephanie Belcher! Alan Morgan: The teachers thought I was good. They said I was perfect for commercials. My family met with about fifteen agents, and then we chose one. I did Gladware as my first commercial. I had a good time. They were pleased with me because I follow directions well. Then I did an AT&T commercial, with lots of busy scenes. In the last scene, I was sitting with my arm around a dog, and we were both howling! I got the Target job in February [1997]. After the commercial, they signed me up for a year. It's cool to see my pictures hanging at Target stores. Some people don't believe it's me! They argue with me about it! The most fun I've had acting so far is doing Target commercials. For that one ad, I changed my clothes about six times! It was all filmed in one day. Afterward, I went home, took a warm shower, and went to bed. It was a long day. My sister and I go to a Christian school. I like computer class and PE class. Sometimes I leave in the afternoons to audition. I'm seven now. I'm in second grade. I like watching TV (my favorite show is Keenan and Kel: it's so funny), riding bikes, street hockey, skateboarding, swimming, and going places. We have two pets. I think one ran away, I don't know. One cat is black, and she's a girl named Bobtail. She was born without a tail. She came here from the street. The other cat, Tom, he was a stray, and he came to our house and we fed him, but he ran away. I've learned a lot of stuff about people: all the rules for acting. It is so fun. I was in the June issue of Vanity Fair with Arnold Schwarzenegger and a bunch of kids. I want to keep on acting. � Editor's Note: Watch for Alan Morgan in the upcoming new TV series, Little Rascals, produced by Kingworld Entertainment. He also has a supporting role in the movie Splitsville, with actor Christopher Lambert, produced by Cinneville. Stephanie Belcher: I'm getting ready to do a national commerical for the Carpet and Rug Institute. It starts out with these kids lying on the floor, home alone, watching TV. We're all pushing each other in this small room, trying to see the middle of the TV. We're yelling at each other, poking each other in the ribs. It was a lot of fun to do. I'm probably going to take more acting classes to get more experience. Acting isn't really hard. You put all your emotion into it, and you make yourself the character. You're not just an ordinary kid reading a part. You have to feel you are the part. It's pretty neat. I'm more of a serious type than Alan. But I can play a silly, acting-out kid, too. That's what I do in everyday life with my cousins Emily and Sara. We joke around and play different characters. Alan's more of a modern-day kid. It's sometimes hard when you have to memorize scripts and know the character, like, within three hours. I have a good long-lasting memory, though. For fun, I like going to movies: action movies, love movies, kids' movies. I always love Jim Carrey: it's so much fun to watch him. I also like to read and hang out with cousins and friends. I love to shop. You put me in a mall with $200, and it'd be gone in five minutes! I'm learning that I can be who I am. I don't have to copy somebody else or their style. I can be myself. I'm an everyday kid! When I go to auditions, I take schoolwork with me so I don't fall behind. I don't let this acting go to my head. I'm proud of myself for getting this first commerical, but I don't go pushing it in people's faces. Alan's like that, too. About body size, it doesn't matter how big or how small you are: it just matters how you feel inside, who you are. I'm not skinny myself, but I don't let that get to me. If someone says I'm fat, I say okay, and I walk away. I go on with my business. I know it's what's inside that counts. I'm a generous, hard-working, friendly person. In the future, I'm looking forward to being with my family and to helping other kids. I want to help build senior citizens' homes and help different communities that need more help than I do. You shouldn't be stingy. You should give instead of receive. � |
From
Radiance Spring 1998
It
feels neat having a famous brother. I get recognized, too, when we're together. We go to the same school.
I'm eleven and a half. Alan and I took acting classes together. His agent is also my agent. The teachers
in the school said that I was very dramatic at times, that I was expressive in all that I do, and that
a lot of people would like what I do. They said I'd be good in a variety of parts. I love acting.