Radames Pera - Early Life and Acting Career

Early Life and Acting Career

Pera was born in New York, New York.

At age eight, Radames was asked by director Daniel Mann to play the role of Anthony Quinn's and Irene Papas' dying son in the film A Dream of Kings (1969). Radames' mother was up for the part of Quinn's mistress eventually played by the late Inger Stevens. Radames met the Director at a dinner party and was eventually cast in the role of Stavros.

He is best known as originating the role of the Young Student Caine, or "Grasshopper" in the series, Kung Fu, appearing throughout its 4-year run on the ABC Television Network, and in worldwide re-runs.

Pera's other acting roles include a disturbed pre-teen in an episode of Night Gallery, Silent Snow, Secret Snow narrated by Orson Welles. Other roles included a guest appearance on The Six Million Dollar Man and as Don Ameche's son in Gidget Gets Married. Between 1969 and 1985 other guest-starring credits include two episodes of Lassie and Marcus Welby, M.D., and single episodes of Family Affair, Hawaii Five-O, The Waltons and others.

Radames also had a recurring role as Mary Ingalls' love interest, John, Jr., on Little House on the Prairie.

Radames dropped out of the acting business entirely in the mid 1980s. His final television appearances were in episodes of Mickey Spillane's The New Mike Hammer and Starman. His last film role was as Sgt. Stepan Gorsky in John Milius' 1984 feature Red Dawn.

Radames married Marsha Mann on Leap Year Day in 1984, 6000 feet above the Mojave Desert - exchanging rings and vows in front of a judge and then jumping out of the plane on their first sky dive - calling the event "A Leap of Faith".