The Wonder Years was a defining series for many of its cast members (both young and old), with many of them going on to do the best work of their careers after it ended in the early '90s. Its critically acclaimed storylines about the waxing of a certain time of youth allowed for a variety of actors to look back on it with fondness, not to mention confidence in its quality and influence.
Fans may not have kept up with the lives of Fred Savage, Danica McKellar, Jason Hervey, and the rest but both after the series ended and during its filming, they were involved with all sorts of unlikely projects. Some cast members largely retired from acting after the series came out, but some like Savage continue to pop up in the most unlikely of places.
Danica McKellar - Hallmark Movies
As cute and engaging as Winnie was, Danica McKellar has made even more of an impact as a charismatic adult in feel-good movies for Hallmark. Since the mid '00s, she's become one of the most prominent actresses to appear on the Hallmark Channel, especially in its Christmas movies.
To date, she's appeared in Crown For Christmas, Coming Home For Christmas, Christmas At Dollywood, Suddenly Santa, Perfect Match, Christmas At Grand Valley, and Wedding Bells. Fans of McKellar can also find her sleuthing it up on the Hallmark Mystery Channel!
Fred Savage - Friends From College
Fred Savage appropriately took on the role of Max Adler in Friends From College, a Netflix original series that explores the bond of a tight-knit group of friends after they reconnect on the cusp of their forties. In many ways, the role seemed like an adult Kevin Arnold, and the series touches on adulthood with the same thought-provoking authenticity as The Wonder Years.
Savage has mostly been involved with directing and producing, preferring to be behind the scenes than in front of the camera. Fans will also have heard him lend his impressive voice talents to dozens of characters in Family Guy, American Dad, and more.
David Schwimmer - Band of Brothers
While most fans of David Schwimmer would immediately recognize him as Ross on Friends after playing one of Karen's hip, motorcycle riding boyfriends, he also starred in the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced Band of Brothers alongside Michael Fassbender and Damien Lewis as Captain Sobel.
Schwimmer received critical acclaim for his role as a tough military officer who ended up cowering in the face of adversity, constantly upstaged by the bravery of the officers under his command. Lately, he's been appearing in British television, in comedies like Come Fly With Me and Intelligence.
Daniel Stern - City Slickers
Though he only narrated The Wonder Years, Daniel Stern has been widely known for his outstanding physical comedy, especially for his performance as one of the "Sticky Bandits" in the Home Alone franchise alongside Joe Pesci. He also starred in another '90s gem alongside Billy Crystal and legendary character actor Jack Palance, City Slickers.
Part of a group of "city slickers" who participate in a cattle drive to combat their encroaching feelings of mid-life crisis, Stern plays Phil, a cowardly man who finds the spirit of his conviction out on the open frontier.
Jason Hervey - Different Strokes
Jason Hervey, who played Kevin Arnold's older brother on The Wonder Years, had already appeared in another popular television series prior to landing the part. Different Strokes ran from 1978 until 1986, with Hervey appearing in nine episodes as Charlie.
When the series moved over to ABC in the fall of 1985, the seventh season opened with Arnold, Dudley, and Lisa entering into high school and befriending Charlie as the new kids. Charlie became a reoccurring character for what would prove to be the final season.
Alley Mills - The Bold And The Beautiful
Norma Arnold had made a career out of playing lawyers, doctors, and professional women before she starred as housewife Norma, married to Jack Arnold on The Wonder Years. This role allowed her to explore different aspects of her personality and acting range, and may have impacted her decision to join The Bold And The Beautiful.
Since 2006. Alley Mills has played Pamela Douglas, the younger sister of the Forrester matriarch Stephanie Forrester. With frequent psychotic breaks from her bipolar diagnosis, the character has grown in recent years as a means for Mills to bring attention to mental health issues.
Oliva d'Abo - Conan The Destroyer
As the feisty older sister of Kevin, Oliva d'Abo imbued Karen Arnold with passion and empathy as a young activist. The American-English actress had just a few years prior appeared in quite a different role alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Destroyer.
The sequel to the smash hit Conan The Barbarian saw the noble Barbarian Conan escorting a snotty princess (d'Abo) on an epic quest to save her kingdom. Having often played a sex symbol, the role of Karen offered d'Abo a chance to show fans she was capable of much more.
Giovani Ribisi - Sneaky Pete
Character actor Giovani Ribisi joined the cast of The Wonder Years late in the series as Pete, a friend of Karen's who came from a divorced household, and needed to make new friends at school. He was different than the boys she usually spent time with, and added a different perspective to the series given his home life.
Ribisi recently starred in his own television series called Sneaky Pete, this time playing another Pete who is a reformed con man (with the real name Marius) trying to make a better life for himself. Ribisi also signed on for every film so far in the Avatar franchise.
Robert Picardo- Star Trek Voyager
Longtime fans of The Wonder Years often looked forward to episodes involving Coach Cutlip, Kevin's gym teacher who, aside from being a no-nonsense educator and hard-ass, sometimes revealed his softer side (such as when the gang found out he moonlit as a mall Santa Claus).
Robert Picardo managed to make Coach Cutlip a multi-faceted character, much like he did with the role of the Voyager EMH in Star Trek: Voyager. Picardo remained on the series for its entirety and has reprised the role in other Trek properties.
David Huddleston - The Big Lebowski
The lovable Grandpa Arnold from The Wonder Years was played by David Huddleston, who had a larger than life presence he often lent to figures of authority. One of his most popular was in The Big Lebowski as the real "Mr. Lebowski".
Huddleston had a long career in comedy, appearing in movies like Blazing Saddles and Smokey and the Bandit. His depiction of Santa Claus in Santa Claus: The Movie from 1985 ranks among the best depictions of the Christmas icon.