Harvey Stephens

 Harvey Stephens, as Damien in "The Omen" (1976), was largely chosen for this role from the way he attacked director Richard Donner during auditions. Donner asked all the little boys to "come at him" as if they were attacking Katherine Thorn during the church wedding scene. Stephens screamed and clawed at Donner's face, and kicked him in the groin during his act. Donner whipped the kid off him, ordered the kid's blond hair dyed black and cast him as Damien. He was also given contact lenses to darken his eyes.

Because Stephens was so young, Donner found that the best way to direct him was to provoke genuine reactions before the camera. For example, when Damien is angry at being taken to church, Donner got his peeved facial expression by shouting to Stephens off camera, "What are you looking at, you little bugger? I'll clobber you." In the closing scene, Donner used reverse psychology on Stephens, telling him, "Don't you dare laugh. If you laugh, I won't be your friend." Naturally, Stephens wanted to laugh, and he instead smiled directly into the camera.

Billie Whitelaw, who played Mrs. Baylock, said Stephens was always misbehaving on the set. "He was just awful," she says.

Happy Birthday, Harvey Stephens!