not too big. When I get to Cal-
ifornia, I want to make
friends like I have here."
Psychological and financial
security will be uppermost in
the Steingolds' minds as they
head west. They are willing
to relocate if Dana's profes-
sional growth holds promise.
"We know it's going to be
difficult, and we know it's go-
ing to be a challenge, with
sacrifices along the way," said
Dr. Steingold, intent on warn-
ing Dana that she may not
find work.
"A lot will depend on how
all our children respond to
California. We have to feel
like we're gaining some-
thing."
Darlene Fishman, a nurs-
ing professor married to a fi-
nancial planner, believes her
son has gained both psycho-
logically and financially dur-
ing the six years he has por-
trayed D.J. Conner, the
youngest of three children in
the "Roseanne" TV family.
Michael, actually the mid-
dle child in a family of three
children, had no training or
experience in the performing
arts when he asked to be tak-
en to auditions.
He got the idea from his
sister Robyn, 14, who was
allowed to try out for com-
mercials and serious roles
several years after she first
expressed her interest.
Robyn, who had a small part
in the "thirtysomething" se-
ries, helped give her brother
confidence for the five inter-
views that ultimately led to
his selection. The agent first
recommended him because he
"Michael certainly is going
to be able to go to college any-
where he wants and has ad-
vantages now. He's met a lot
of very nice people, and he's
met a tremendous number of
celebrities and important peo-
ple in the world that he would
not have met otherwise.
"Probably on the down
side, he can't quite be a nor-
mal 12-year-old because of
his mother's and father's
paranoia as much as any-
thing.
"I don't let him be as free
in the neighborhood and in
the area as I did his sister at
the same age because I'm al-
ways aware that people know
spring. He's quite a player,
and he's gone to baseball
camps."
Just as the Steingolds are
adjusting their lives to go
along with Dana's career,
there have been many
changes in the Fishmans'
lives.
With both Darlene and
Nelson Fishman working full
time and California requiring
a parent or guardian on the
set, they have to rotate their
times with him. Sometimes
they arrange for set sitters.
"Michael's teacher also is a
social worker so there's al-
ways more than one person
looking out for him," Mrs.
(.13
0
0-
Dana Steingold
will have the
support of her
family.
looked like Roseanne Arnold.
"Roseanne picked him be-
cause she felt like he was a
real kid, that he acted like a
real kid and not an actor
playing a kid," explained Mrs.
Fishman, whose children
were raised in California.
"I have done this with a lot
of worry because the kids
(from the series) who have
gotten into trouble and had
problems are the ones who
are publicized. Once I let
Robyn and Michael get into
it, I met a lot of well-adjusted
kids.
he's the kid from "Roseanne."
He tells me sometimes I'm
overprotective, and I proba-
bly am, but I don't think it's
hurt him.
"We've really tried hard to
make sure he has some parts
of normal kid life as well. We
don't do every personal ap-
pearance or thing that comes
along. We have not pushed
for movies because he really
doesn't have all that much
time.
"Michael is really interest-
ed in baseball, and he does
play in Little League every
Fishman said. "Roseanne
looks out for him, too; she's a
mom so she can't help it.
"Roseanne is very good at
picking up on his mood or if
there's something in a script
that bothers him. She makes
sure they talk about it, and
I'm very grateful for that."
When the "Roseanne" plots
address contemporary and
controversial issues, the pro-
duction staff meets with Mr.
and Mrs. Fishman before
Michael is given the scripts.
This offers both parents some
time to discuss the subjects
with their son and answer
questions.
"We do take those things
very seriously," Mrs. Fish-
man said. "There are times
when I wish I didn't have to
deal with this, but as parents,
we do have to deal with the
issues that are brought up.
"We sit down and make sure
that what we respect is known
to Michael. Whether it's right
or wrong, he'll tell us when he's
35."
Mrs. Fishman would advise
other parents about to let their
children embark on an enter-
tainment career to ask a lot of
questions, trust their personal
feelings and be aware how
some earnings also must go to
individuals doing the promo-
tion work.
Most of children's net earn-
ings, by law, are held in trust
until they reach adulthood.
Michael, who gets letters
from other children asking for
tips on getting into show busi-
ness, is glad to offer others, in-
cluding Dana, advice: "Have
confidence, do your best and
don't give up."
A sixth-grader whose fa-
vorite subject is math because
it comes easy for him, Michael
feels like school is more of a job
than the show, which is great
fun for him.
"At least three hours a day
are for school, and that comes
any time in between the times
I'm working, depending on
each week," said Michael. He
learns his lines by studying
them just as he learns his
lessons by study. "I go to regu-
lar school during the weeks
we're not working."
While Dana prepares for a
part by pretending she is the
character and having her fam-
ily call her by the character's
name, Michael's approach is to
get into whatever his charac-
ter is supposed to be doing.
"The people on 'Roseanne'
are really nice so no matter
what the script is about they
will help me," said Michael,
who likes to watch the various
episodes to find out what was
done with the scenes from a
technical standpoint.
When he watches TV and
videos just for entertainment,
he likes cartoons and Disney
movies, which also are fa-
vorites of his brother, Matthew,
3. Matthew gets excited when
he hears the "Roseanne" theme
music and knows he is about to
see " Michael's show."
While Michael considers the
people he works with as a spe-
cial kind of family, his young
friends remain the ones living
near him and going to regular
school with him.
Michael is not sure if he will
always want to be an actor.
"It really depends on how
long the show goes and what
happens after the show," he ex-
plained. "I like animals, so be-
ing a veterinarian is interest-
ing to me."
While Dana and Michael are
unique in their abilities to light
up a scene, this month they
share a bond with Jewish chil-
dren around the world as they
prepare for Chanukah.
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