1st Youth in Film Awards
The 1st Youth in Film Awards ceremony (now known as the Young Artist Awards), presented by the Youth in Film Association, honored outstanding youth performers in the fields of film, television and music for the 1978–1979 season, and took place in October 1979 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City, California. Established in 1978 by long-standing Hollywood Foreign Press Association member, Maureen Dragone, the Youth in Film Association was the first organization to establish an awards ceremony specifically set to recognize and award the contributions of performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theater and music. Although the Youth in Film Awards were conceived as a way to primarily recognize youth performers under the age of 18, the eldest winner in a competitive category at the 1st annual ceremony was Dennis Christopher who was 23 years old on the night he won as Best Juvenile Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in Breaking Away. Categories ★ Bold indicates the winner in each category. Best Young Performer in a Feature Film Best Juvenile Actor in A Motion Picture ★ Dennis Christopher – Breaking Away – 20th Century Fox Thelonious Bernard – A Little Romance – Warner Bros Panchito Gomez – Walk Proud – Universal Jeremy Levy – Rich Kids – United Artists Ricky Schroder – The Champ – MGM Best Juvenile Actress in A Motion Picture ★ Diane Lane – A Little Romance – Warner Bros Trini Alvarado – Rich Kids – United Artists Mariel Hemingway – Manhattan – United Artists Patsy Kensit – Hanover Street – Columbia Brooke Shields – Just You and Me, Kid – Columbia Cindy Smith – Benji's Very Own Christmas Story – Mulberry Square Best Young Performer in a TV Series or Special Best Juvenile Actor in A TV Series or Special ★ Adam Rich – Eight is Enough – ABC Willie Aames – Eight is Enough – ABC Shaun Cassidy – Like Normal People – ABC Gary Coleman – Diff'rent Strokes – NBC Noah Hathaway – Battlestar Galactica – Universal Best Juvenile Actress in a TV Series or Special ★ Charlene Tilton – Dallas (Royal Marriage segment) – CBS Danielle Brisebois – All in the Family – CBS Quinn Cummings – Family – ABC Melissa Gilbert – Little House on the Prairie – NBC Kristy McNichol – Family – ABC Best Young Performer in a TV Daytime Series Best Juvenile Actor in A Daytime Series ★ Meegan King – Days of Our Lives – NBC Shawn Campbell – The Doctors – NBC Mikey Martin – Days of Our Lives – NBC Best Juvenile Actress in A Daytime Series ★ Tracey Bregman – Days of Our Lives – NBC Genie Francis – General Hospital – ABC Natasha Ryan – Days of Our Lives – NBC Best Young Musical Recording Artist Best Juvenile Musical Recording Artist – Male ★ Michael Jackson – Off the Wall – Epic Shaun Cassidy – Room Service – Warner Bros. Jimmy Osmond (with The