Ashley Johnson has shared a disturbing account of a kidnapping attempt that occurred during her childhood years on the set of Growing Pains, the popular family sitcom that aired on ABC from 1985 to 1992.
The 42-year-old actress, who portrayed Chrissy Seaver beginning at age six, recounted the frightening experience during the Wednesday, July 8 episode of her podcast titled Weird Kids. Johnson described how members of the show's live studio audience would gather near the actors as they moved between their trailers and the set.
The incident unfolded rapidly as Johnson walked alongside her mother. "I'm walking with my mom and I just remember some guy hops out of the line and he grabs me up and starts booking it," Johnson told Us Weekly. "He ended up, clearly, going to jail. He had a gun."
On-set security personnel responded swiftly to the emergency, physically subduing the armed individual before he could leave the premises with the young actress. Johnson, now a television voice actress, described the chaotic scene to her podcast cohost Taliesin Jaffe with vivid detail despite her young age at the time.
"All I remember is, like, there was security that somehow got on him after some time. The security comes out, they wrestle him down [and] I just remember flying around in the air," Johnson said, speaking to Us Weekly. "I was clueless as to what was happening but I was very upset and they were talking to me about it after."
The actress revealed that her primary concern in the immediate aftermath centered on an unexpected detail. When crew members checked on her wellbeing, Johnson's response reflected the limited comprehension typical of a young child facing such trauma.
"I just said, 'I think I'm going to be in trouble … he took one of my shoes,'" she recalled, telling Us Weekly. "I had one slipper [and] it wasn't my shoe, it was wardrobe's shoe. They got him … [security] saved me."
The kidnapping attempt was not the only security threat the production faced. Johnson disclosed that the show had previously received a threatening letter from a purported fan. The correspondence contained explicit warnings about violence against cast members.
"[It read] 'I am coming to set and I am going to bring a gun and I am going to murder some of the cast,'" Johnson told Us Weekly, recounting the menacing message that had arrived prior to the physical assault.
Johnson joined Growing Pains during its fourth season, becoming part of an ensemble cast that included Kirk Cameron, the late Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Jeremy Miller, and Tracey Gold. The series also featured guest appearances by Leonardo DiCaprio during its final season.
The show centered on the Seaver family and developed a reputation for fostering genuine relationships among its cast members. Following Thicke's death from a heart attack at age 69, Cameron reflected on the authentic bonds formed during production.
The 55-year-old actor told Today that the connections extended beyond professional obligations. "We laughed and cried together, shared birthday celebrations, Christmas parties, holidays and worked together with the crew as a team to make a really special TV show," Cameron stated. "We weren't just a TV family. In many ways, we were a real family."
Johnson's revelation highlights the security vulnerabilities that child actors faced during the era of live studio audiences and less stringent set access protocols. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with celebrity exposure, particularly for young performers in the entertainment industry.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
