ON THE COVER 116
Your kid, too, can join the new breed of child actors—hip, assured, eager to compete for the bucks. But listen to superkids Ricky Schroder, Drew Barrymore, Henry Thomas and others tell what it's really like
UP FRONT 36
Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon II tarnishes some golden oldies, including James Dean and Liz Taylor
His readership fading, poet-novelist Richard Brautigan dies in an apparent suicide
Clown Bill Irwin just won a "genius" grant and now faces a Broadway debut—that's pressure
Patriot H. Ross Perot buys his country a precious symbol of liberty
SONG 51
Aging blue jean baby Elton John puts the wraps to his final tour
KIN 55
Joan and Jackie Collins get down and dirty on the topic of love
PAGES 63
Sex, sedition and an unCivil War loft historical novelist John Jakes onto the best-seller list again
VIDEO 69
Insult comic Richard Belzer conquers cancer and softens his attack
ARTS 73
The South's answer to Grandma Moses, Mattie Lou O'Kelley, paints evocative scenes of her childhood
FOOD 83
To his 6,000 fans, Ken Bannister is Top Banana
IN HIS OWN WORDS 89
Scholarships can cost a family money, says expert Robert Leider, who reveals the best financial aid strategy
COPING 97
Offbeat film star Bud Cort gets his career back on track after a bad car crash
BIO 103
Programming chief Brandon Tartikoff has put the pride back in NBC's peacock
TROUBLE 112
Slain opposition leader Ninoy Aquino was the JFK of the Philippines, and now younger brother Butz tries to live up to the legend
ON THE MOVE 133
Composer Steve Reich, the maestro of minimalism, makes a major move into the musical mainstream
TO THE TOP 141
British wit Tracey Ullman moves from pop rock parodies to a turn in Paul McCartney's Broad Street
ON A ROLL 151
For 20 years Dick Wilson has played Charmin's TV pitchman, Mr. Whipple, and loved it
GALLERY 157
Well-known lensman David Douglas Duncan discovers street vendor George Forss, who photographs (almost) as well as his mentor
TRENDS 166
Decorative medals and coats of arms herald a new era of valor
SEQUEL 169
Fashion apprentice Princess Stephanie proves expert at changing fellas
MAIL 4
PICKS & PANS 13
As his last act, Richard Burton tried to save a sinking Ellis Island on CBS, and Matthew Broderick comes of age on Showtime's Master Harold...and the Boys
Sam Waterston stars in a stunning movie drama set in Cambodia, The Killing Fields; Kathleen Turner portrays a bizarre hooker in Crimes of Passion
Novelist Lisa Alther explores a therapist-patient relationship in Other Women
The pop paragons Hall and Oates strike again with Big Bam Boom
TAKE ONE 35
STAR TRACKS 136
Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau air their twin bill
Barbra Streisand and a new chum battle the press
President Reagan is chopped liver
Perry Como tosses out the first Yule log
Shipping heiress Christina Onassis prepares to launch a scion
Princess Anne horses around
PEOPLE PUZZLE 162
CHATTER 170
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