One of the most fascinating things about the internet is that it has become just as influential a platform (if not more) than movies or television. Influencers, streamers, and other content creators can use platforms like Instagram to become famous. Meanwhile, those who were once famous can use such platforms to remind their fans that they are still around.
A great example of the latter comes to us courtesy of Ricky Schroder. Schroder rose to fame in the ‘70s and was a television staple for decades before he effectively dropped off the radar. Recently, the star appeared on Instagram, and it wasn’t so much he said but his actual appearance made fans all over the world concerned for him.
Just what is Schroder’s story, and what was it about his appearance that weirded everyone out? Keep reading to discover the answers!
A star is born
If Ricky Schroder’s name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, you might be a tad too young to remember the actor’s heyday. He hit the Hollywood scene in a big way by starring in the film The Champ. This 1979 movie was Schroder’s film debut, and (if we’re being honest) audiences really weren’t expecting much from this first-time actor.
That’s why it was so surprising when he blew everyone away with his performance. In fact, the young Schroder took home a Golden Globe award for New Star of the Year. Many thought he would go on to become a regular movie star, but Schroder surprised us all by focusing instead on a television career.
Becoming a television mainstay
Perhaps the primary reason that Ricky Schroder became known as a TV actor was that he had a long-running performance on the popular television show Silver Spoons. That show lasted from 1982 to 1987, and it helped to establish the actor as one of television’s most competent and consistent performers.
After that, Schroder made popular appearances on major shows such as NYPD Blue and Scrubs. It wouldn’t be too long before he proved himself behind the camera…unfortunately, this was right around the time that he began to experience some major personal trouble behind the scenes.
From a new career to a double life
To the world, it looked like Ricky Schroder was busy taking his career to the next level. He continued making appearances in hit TV shows, and he even took a shot at directing. In 2004, he both wrote and directed Black Cloud, a movie that made some big waves both here and abroad.
We might have been treated to a new Schroder directing career if not for his personal problems. Back in 1992, the actor was arrested for domestic assault for assault and battery against his girlfriend, Andrea Bernard. Incredibly, the two stayed together and got married, and they even had four children together. But the relationship couldn’t stand the test of time, and that was the beginning of the end for this one-time Hollywood legend.
A downward spiral
After that domestic violence arrest, we were surprised that Ricky Schroder and Andrea Bernard stayed together and even got married. The marriage also lasted longer than we were expecting, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t destined to last forever, and the two split up in 2016.
Apparently, the divorce was too much for the actor, and he took to a lifestyle of partying hard. Somewhere along the way, he became estranged from his daughter Cambrie. And everything going on with Schroder seemed to come to a head when he was arrested for domestic violence against a new girlfriend in 2019.
The transition to a quiet life
To his credit, Ricky Schroder seemingly took that second domestic violence arrest as the cry for help that it clearly was. His case was eventually dismissed, meaning that he didn’t have to pay a hefty $50,000 bail for himself. But the actor still took this as a sign from the universe that he needed to find a new life and a new lifestyle.
Still, what he chose took almost everyone by surprise. These days, Schroder is mostly a farmer who sticks to tending his crops. But he released a video from the farm recently that had fans all around the world wagging their tongues.
The recent video that took the internet by surprise
In his Instagram video, Ricky Schroder talked about many different things. This included things like his great uncle’s immense military knowledge and the actor’s desire for fans to focus on what he sees as a corrupt federal system. Unfortunately, many of the fans who commented on the video had more to say about Schroder’s appearance than his message.
Specifically, fans commented on how old and generally rough the one-time acting legend looked. Others defended his changed appearance, noting how just a few years of working in the sun each day can have that effect. Speaking of effects, Schroder’s video certainly had its intended effect on us: now, we can’t help but wonder when he’s going to upload another vid and (just as importantly) how he’s going to look!