Paul Petersen

Even as a baby Paul Petersen smiled at the world and the world smiled back. "He was such a happy baby," his mother fondly recalled. Born in Glendale, Calif, on September 23, 1945, Paul was spotted by Walt Disney and signed to appear in the popular Mouseketeer TV series. "Despite my busy acting schedule, I led a normal life," Paul said. "My parents would have yanked me out of the movies and TV if I couldn't maintain an A average in school." It wasn't until Paul was cast as Jeff Stone in the long-running Donna Reed Show that he became the idol of the teenage set. Paul took this adulation in stride, "but I didn't take my popularity for granted," he hastened to add. "I felt a strong sense of responsibility to the kids who watched the show and bought my records." Somehow Paul managed to have a swingin' social life between his school work and career.