Kirk Cameron

**Kirk Thomas Cameron** (born October 12, 1970) is an American actor best known for playing "Mike Seaver" on the television situation comedy, _Growing Pains_, and in other television shows and movies. He was the main actor in the _Left Behind_ movie series and in _Fireproof_. He is also an active Christian evangelist, and works with Ray Comfort on _The Way of the Master_. He co-started _The Firefly Foundation_ with his wife, actress Chelsea Noble.

## Birth and family

Cameron was born on October 12, 1970 in Panorama City, California. His parents are Robert Cameron, a retired school teacher, and Barbara Bausmith, a stay-at-home mom. He is the brother to Bridgette, Melissa, and Candace Cameron, who is played "D.J. Tanner" on the television sitcom, _Full House_. He would go to school on the set of _Growing Pains_, as opposed to a normal school. He graduated at age 17 with high honors.

Cameron and his wife, actress Chelsea Noble, were married on July 21, 1991. They now have six children, four of whom were adopted: Jack (born 1996), Isabella (born 1997), Anna (born 1998), and Luke (born 2000); and two biological: Olivia Rose (born July 18, 2001) and James Thomas (born April 13, 2003).

## Acting career

Cameron began acting at the age of nine, and his first job was for a breakfast cereal. His first starring role was at the age of ten in the television series _Two Marriages_. At this age, he appeared in several television shows and movies. He became famous after being cast as "Michael Seaver" in the 1985 television series _Growing Pains_. In the series, Seaver's girlfriend was Kate MacDonald, who was played by Chelsea Noble, Cameron's future wife. Cameron subsequently became a teen heartthrob in the late 1980s, while appearing on the covers of several teen magazines, including _Tiger Beat_, _Teen Beat_, _16_ and others. At the time, he was making $50,000 a week. He was also in a 60-second Pepsi commercial during Super Bowl XXIV.

Cameron went on to star in many movies, for example 1987's _Like Father Like Son_, which made a lot of money. His next movie, 1989's _Listen to Me_, did not make very much money. When _Growing Pains_ ended in 1992, Cameron went on to star in the sitcom _Kirk_ which began in 1995 and ended two years later. In _Kirk_, Cameron played Kirk Hartman, a 24-year-old who has to raise his siblings. Cameron and Noble also worked together on _Kirk_.

Ten years after _Growing Pains_ ended, was a part of _The Growing Pains Movie_, in 2000, and _Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers_, in 2004. Cameron has also often worked in Christianity-related movies, among them the post-Rapture movies _Left Behind: The Movie_, _Left Behind II: Tribulation Force_, and _Left Behind: World at War_, in which he plays Cameron "Buck" Williams. Cameron's wife Noble also starred in these movies, playing Hattie Durham. Cameron has worked with Cloud Ten Pictures, and has been in several of their movies. He was also in _Fireproof_, which was made by Sherwood Pictures. They only spent $500,000 making the movie. Cameron as the main actor, playing Captain Caleb Holt. Though it was a did not cost much money to make, the movie made $33,415,129. Cameron said, "[_Fireproof_ is] the best work of my life." In 2015 Kirk ( alongside his son James) voiced General Stonewall Jackson in heirloom audio productions adaptation of G.A henty's novel with lee in Virginia

## Christianity and evangelism ministry

Cameron was once an atheist, but around the age of 17-18, during the height of his career on _Growing Pains_, he developed a belief in God, and became a Christian. After converting to Christianity, he began to insist that storylines be stripped of anything he thought to be too adult or racy in _Growing Pains_. The cast ostracized him from their activities. They did not attend his wedding, nor was he invited to any of theirs. A decade later, Cameron agreed to appear in _The Growing Pains Movie_, where the entire main cast reunited with one another. Cameron said,
- "It’s a lot less crazy of a time than when we were teenagers. It’s an opportunity to begin new friendships as adults, and I’m really looking forward to that."

Cameron currently partners with fellow evangelist Ray Comfort, training Christians in evangelism. Together, they founded the ministry of _The Way of the Master_, which is best known for its award-winning television show Cameron co-hosts. It also formerly featured a radio show known as _The Way of the Master Radio_ with talk show host Todd Friel. The radio show was later canceled, and _Wretched Radio_ began, hosted by Friel. He, with wife Noble, founded _The Firefly Foundation_, which runs _Camp Firefly_, an organization that gives terminally ill children and their families a free week's vacation.

Cameron and Comfort were a part in a debate on television with atheists Brian Sapient and Kelly O'Conner of the Rational Response Squad, at Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan on May 5, 2007. It was moderated by ABC's Martin Bashir and parts of it were played on _Nightline_. They debated whether or not there is a God. Some of the people in the audience believed in God, and some did not.

### Movie

|**Year**|**Title**|**Role**|**Notes/Box office**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1981|_Goliath Awaits_|Liam|Television movie|
|1982|_Beyond Witch Mountain_|Boy|Television film|
|1983|_Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land_|Gary|Television movie|
|1986|_The Best of Times_|Teddy|$7,790,931|
|1987|_Like Father Like Son_|Chris Hammond|$34,377,585|
|1989|_Listen to Me_|Tucker Muldowney|$4,299,023|
|1991|_A Little Piece of Heaven_|Will Loomis|Television movie|
|1998|_You Lucky Dog_|Jack Morgan|Disney Channel Original Movie|
|2000|_The Growing Pains Movie_|Mike Seaver|Television reunion film|
|_Left Behind: The Movie_|Buck Williams|$4,224,065||
|2001|_The Miracle of the Cards_|Josh|Television movie|
|2002|_Left Behind II: Tribulation Force_|Buck Williams|Direct-to-video|
|2004|_Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers_|Mike Seaver|Television reunion film|
|2005|_Left Behind: World at War_|Buck Williams|Direct-to-video|
|2008|_Fireproof_|Caleb Holt|$33,456,317|

### Television

|**Year**|**Title**|**Episode**|**Role**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1981|_Bret Maverick_|The Lazy Ace: Part 1–2|Boy #1|
|1982|_Disneyland_||Boy|
|_Herbie the Matchmaker_||Young Kid||
|1983|_Two Marriages_||Eric Armstrong|
|ABC Afterschool Specials|The Woman Who Willed a Miracle Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy  || Jeff|||
|1984|_Children in the Crossfire_||Mickey Chandler|
|_More Than Murder_||Bobby||
|1985 - 1992|_Growing Pains_||Mike Seaver|
|1988|_Full House_|Just One of the Guys|Cousin Steve|
|1991|_A Little Piece of Heaven_||Will Loomis|
|1993|_The Horde_||Chauncey|
|1994|_Star Struck_||Runner|
|1995|_The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes_||Dexter Riley|
|1995 - 1996|_Kirk_||Kirk Hartman|
|1997|_WMAC Masters_||The Bibler|
|2002|_Family Law_|Blood and Water|Mitchell Stark|
|_Touched by an Angel_|The Birthday Present|Chuck Parker||
|2003 - present|_The Way of the Master_||Himself|
|2004|_Jack & Bobby_|Today I Am a Man||
|2005|_Night of Joy_||Host|
|2009|_18 Kids and Counting_||Himself|

## Awards

**Young Artist Awards**
- 1985 Best Young Supporting Actor in a Daytime or Nighttime Drama, _Two Marriages_ (Nominated)
- 1986 Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series, _Growing Pains_ (Won)
- 1987 Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor Starring in a Television Comedy or Drama Series, _Growing Pains_ (Won)
- 1987 Best Young Male Superstar in Television, _Growing Pains_ (Won)
- 1989 Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture, _Listen to Me_ (Nominated)
**Saturn Award
- 1987 Best Performance by a Younger Actor, _Like Father, Like Son_ (Won)
**Golden Globe Awards
- 1987 Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film, _Growing Pains_ (Nominated)
- 1989 Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film, _Growing Pains_ (Nominated)
**People's Choice Award**
- 1988 Favorite Young TV Performer (Won)
- 1989 Favorite Young TV Performer (Won)
**Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards**
- 1990 Favorite TV Actor, _Growing Pains_ (Won)

### Further reading

- _Still Growing: An Autobiography_ :

## Other websites

- Websites
- Official website
- The Way of the Master

- Interviews
- CNN People In The News  (August 20, 2005)
- _Christianity Today_ interview (October 2000)
- _The Dallas Morning News_ interview (September 24, 2008)

## Infobox (actor)

- **name**: Kirk Cameron
- **image**: 5.5.07KirkCameronByLuigiNovi.jpg
- **caption**: Cameron at Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan, May 5, 2007.
- **birthname**: Kirk Thomas Cameron
- **birth place**: Panorama City, California, United States
- **occupation**: Actor, Evangelism, Evangelist
- **yearsactive**: 1979–present
- **spouse**: Chelsea Noble (1991–present)
- **website**: http://www.kirkcameron.com/