Rick Schroder
Richard Schroder is an award-winning American actor and director, who is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes casually called the Mormon Church. He was born on April 13, 1970, in Staten Island, New York, the son of Richard and Diane Schroder. He debuted in The Champ in 1979 and went on to become a child star, especially known for his role in the TV sitcom, Silver Spoons.
Schroder is one of those rare child actors who has gone on to a successful career in his adult life, both in movies and television. He starred in the TV drama NYPD Blue, and in the movie Lonesome Dove. For his role in The Champ at age nine, Schroder won the Golden Globe Award for Best New Male Star of the Year in a Motion Picture. The next year he was in two films — Disney's The Last Flight of Noah's Ark, and Little Lord Flaunteroy. After Silver Spoons ended, Schroder attended his senior year of high school at Calabasas High. Schroder was ranked #18 in VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Kid Stars and #33 in VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Teen Stars. After high school, he struggled to enter the world of adult acting, changing his stage name from Ricky Schroder to Rick Schroder and seeking challenging roles.
- "Schroder’s co-starring role in the Western mini-series Lonesome Dove and its sequel, Return to Lonesome Dove, helped in his attempt to be recognized in more mature roles. His roles as Danny Sorenson on three seasons of NYPD Blue, Dr. Dylan West on Strong Medicine and Mike Doyle on the 2007 season of 24 worked to cement that perception with the viewing audience." [1]
In 2004 Schroder wrote and directed the film Black Cloud, a drama about a Navajo boxer. The same year he directed and starred in the music video for "Whiskey Lullaby", a song by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. Schroeder's son and daughter also appeared in the video. At the 2005 Country Music Awards, the video won the "Collaborative Video of the Year" award, while Schroder won the "Director of the Year" award. In 2007, Schroder announced that he was changing his stage name back to "Ricky" beginning with his role on the television drama. 24.
Schroder married Andrea Bernard on September 26, 1992. Andrea idolized Schroder during her teenage years. Andrea is Canadian and a life-long member of the Mormon Church. After her marriage to Schroder, she found herself living in America with a non-member husband who often traveled and was not only non-religious, but sometimes belligerent toward her beliefs and religious practice.
- "Although it was sometimes difficult, Andrea said her solitude in spiritual matters provided her with a greater testimony of her church. Without family members around to encourage her to go to church, she took the initiative in her spiritual life. 'Rick's lack of spiritual support paced me to help strengthen my testimony and my relationship with Heavenly Father,' she said." [2]
Andrea's increase in spirituality also increased her appreciation for her husband, with whom she eventually had four children. Rick had taken the missionary lessons, and after eight years of marriage, he surprised Andrea by saying he wanted to be baptized. "I went on faith that it was true," he said. "The greatest decision I ever made — besides marrying Andrea — was to ask with faith if Jesus was the son of God, and if he was real ... and if it was all true, and if the Book of Mormon was true." (Ibid.)
Andrea's father baptized Ricky in April 2000. He then received the priesthood and baptized their son, Holden. Ricky said, "Since gaining a testimony of our church and getting baptized, I can’t tell you how much my life has changed in my perspective, my relationships (with) my friends and my family, and how my talent has changed."
