What happened to Benson child star Missy Gold – where she is now after quitting acting 40 years ago

Missy was born on July 14, 1970 in Montana and started acting when she was just six-years-old. Her first credit is in the miniseries, Captains and the Kings. Aside from starring in Benson, Missy also appeared in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Eight Is Enough, Fantasy Island, and Trapper John, M.D.

From 1979 to 1986, Missy starred on Benson as Katie Gatling became a fixture of American television. She appeared in all seven seasons and acted alongside James Noble, Inga Swenson, and recurring guest star Jerry Seinfeld.

While many of Benson’s stars went on to star in its spin-off Soap, Missy quit acting for good.

After her major success as a child star, Missy decided to walk away from Hollywood. “I didn’t go into acting as a child for some great love [of it],” she explained in a 2022 interview with Page Six. Her big sister, Tracey Gold, was an actress too. She starred as Carol Seaver in Growing Pains. So, Missy followed in her big sister’s footsteps.

But, when Benson was cancelled, the young actress decided enough was enough. After she was asked to audition for a soap opera, her future became clearer. “I thought, ‘No, this will interfere with what I want,'” Missy recalled. “I knew I wanted to go to college, and I knew I wanted to do something beyond that … so I said no to even testing, finished up school and applied to colleges.”

The child actress went on to attend Georgetown University and earn her PhD from the California School of Professional Psychology. These days, Missy is a practicing psychologist. She works in private practice and her “special areas of interest and expertise include, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and issues related to pregnancy and postpartum.” 

When she reflects on her experience of stardom, she feels lucky. “I was fortunate. I was very fortunate. I have heard stories of people having really, really difficult experiences. And I credit my parents to some degree that it was positive, but we were just lucky,” she told Page Six.

While she keeps her life very private, she is a mom. When asked, Missy revealed she wouldn’t let her children start acting. “It’s a risky endeavor. I mean, I wouldn’t send my children into the industry, for sure,” she shared. “And my folks know that. But we were in a different place and in different circumstances. And it worked for me. It really did.”

Missy went on: “Especially as a mother myself, looking at the choices, I can understand the choices as an adult now that my parents made that were appropriate for that moment for them.”