Chapin appeared in all six seasons of the '50s sitcom as daughter Kathy "Kitten" Anderson
Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
NEED TO KNOW
- Lauren Chapin has died
- The Father Knows Best star, who appeared in the ’50s sitcom as Kathy “Kitten” Anderson, was 80
- “I’m at a complete loss for words right now,” her son, Matthew, wrote to Facebook on Tuesday, Feb. 24
Lauren Chapin, a former child star known for her role in '50s sitcom Father Knows Best, has died. She was 80.
Chapin's son, Matthew, announced the news via Facebook on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and shared that the actress died following a cancer diagnosis.
"After a long hard-fought battle over the past 5 years, the time has come. My mother, Lauren Chapin passed away from her battle with cancer tonight," Matthew wrote, tagging a fan page for his mom. "I'm at a complete loss for words right now. Please keep my sister and family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this incredibly tough time."
A tribute shared on her website remembered Chapin as "the bright-eyed child actress who captured America’s heart."
"Like many child stars, she faced personal struggles after early fame. Yet her later years reflected remarkable resilience. She embraced faith, shared her testimony openly, and dedicated herself to helping others overcome addiction and adversity," the note read. "Through speaking engagements, ministry work, and outreach, she turned her experiences into hope for others."
Credit: CBS via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
A California native, Chapin was born in 1954 and got her start in show business in the '50s. Her earliest roles include three episodes of the series Lux Video Theatre and an uncredited appearance in 1954's A Star Is Born, starring Judy Garland and James Mason. Before additional appearances in anthology series Fireside Theatre and the 1956 Western Tension at Table Rock, Chapin secured her spot on Father Knows Best. She boarded the sitcom, in which she starred as daughter Kathy "Kitten" Anderson, in 1954.
The six-season CBS and NBC hit was based on the radio series of the same name and also starred Robert Young as Jim Anderson Sr., Jane Wyatt as Margaret Anderson, Elinor Donahue as Betty "Princess" Anderson and Billy Gray as Bud Anderson. The series ran until 1960 and followed the middle-class Anderson family.
In an interview with West Michigan's Revue in 2017, Chapin said she secured the role after a family friend encouraged her mom to have her audition. “I got a callback, then I did the first filming,” Chapin said. “There were 10 girls that were picked out of 250 girls and I happened to have been one of the 10. Young and his wife and children picked all the children that were going to play Betty, Bud and (Kitty).”
As Chapin explained, she "adored" her TV dad, calling him "just like a real father."
After she found success in the industry, she opened up years later about her experiences with substance abuse, suicide attempts, sexual abuse and financial hardship.
On child actors, she added, “It is very rare that kids that are child actors go on to be adult actors, and so therefore they need to be prepared … to have another career. I just do not think children should be actors.”
Credit: Facebook
Her other work included the 1977 Father Knows Best reunion movie and Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas, as well as an eight-episode stint in the series School Bus Diaries from 2016 through 2017. In 1989, she released her autobiography, Father Does Know Best: The Lauren Chapin Story. Her website also notes years of charitable work and mentorship for actors, including Jennifer Love Hewitt. She also served on the board of A Minor Consideration, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting child actors, per her bio.
“I said I want to be like the Andersons and be a role model for my children,” Chapin told The Orlando Sentinel in 2001. “Even single parents can be like the Andersons. It just requires investing time in playing [with] and listening to your children.”
Per Forbes, Chapin is survived by her son Michael and her daughter Summer.
Read the full article here