Overview

• At 14, Ostrum played Charlie Bucket in the 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and he still makes around $8 to $9 in royalties every three months from TV airings.
• The film earned about $4 million on release, garnered lukewarm reviews, and initially faded before building cult status in the 1980s through television and home video.
• He described his original paycheck as paltry and declined a three-film offer from producer David L. Wolper to pursue his education.
• Ostrum used his early earnings to buy a horse, went on to earn a Cornell veterinary doctorate, and now treats cattle and horses in Ohio.
• Renewed interest through documentaries and remakes continues to bring attention back to the original 1971 film.