Willy Wonka’s Charlie Bucket Star Peter Ostrum Still Scores Under $10 in Quarterly Royalties
Hello, I’m Riley Carter, that millennial who’s only kind of paying attention to the headlines. Okay, but like, why is this a thing? Let’s unpack this without trying too hard.
Decades after the candy-colored magic of the 1971 classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory first hit screens, Peter Ostrum – the 67-year-old actor who played sweet-natured Charlie Bucket – still receives just $8 to $9 every three months in television royalties. Ostrum shared this nugget at the 2018 Snowtown Film Festival, revealing that despite the film’s cult status, the residual checks have never been golden.
When Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory debuted, it grossed about $4 million at the box office and closed with lukewarm reviews. There was no star-studded premiere and critics mostly shrugged. Ostrum later told the Daily Mirror that the movie “died a quiet death” before video releases a decade later set it on its legendary path.
In a 2015 Today show interview, Ostrum reflected on the rarity of his early success. “Everybody could be so lucky to have an experience like this and then go in a completely different direction,” he said. He didn’t bank on acting long term, and honestly, neither did his parents.
Talent agents discovered Ostrum while he was performing in a children’s theater in Cleveland, Ohio. Within ten days, he was off to Munich, Germany, to film alongside Gene Wilder for five months. Wilder treated the 14-year-old newcomer with respect and even coached him on set, forging a bond that Ostrum later described as “like losing a parent” after Wilder’s 2016 passing.
Back in California for a week of meetings post-shoot, Ostrum was offered a three-movie contract. But his parents had bought him a horse to celebrate his debut, and he felt a connection to animals far stronger than to Hollywood. A conversation with a local veterinarian sparked his lifelong passion, leading to a career change that he’s never regretted.
Ostrum now enjoys a peaceful life as a veterinarian, but he still marvels at Wonka’s staying power. He quipped in a 2021 Yahoo reunion that you can’t kill Wonka – whether you’re talking the original with Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp’s 2005 take, or Timothée Chalamet’s 2023 revival. Each new version steers fresh audiences back to the 1971 classic.
Peter Ostrum may only be pocketing pocket change from television reruns today, but his place in cinematic history is priceless. Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Today, Daily Mirror, Snowtown Film Festival, American Veterinary Medical Association, Yahoo
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
