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Home Improvement Kid
Tuesday
August 28, 2001
For years we watched him grow up as the lovable Mark Taylor, the youngest son on the popular sitcom “Home Improvement.” Grown up? How about this? Taran Noah Smith, at age 17, has a 33-year-old common law wife. .
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Now he's taking his own parents to court for control of what he says is a 1.5 million-dollar trust fund. Taran says, “It's a very sad, sad situation. That's all I can say about it.”
The situation begins with Taran running away with the older woman, Heidi Van Pelt. His parents tell “Extra” they didn't approve then, and they don't now. His mom says, “He desperately wants his freedom. He's being pushed by the people he's around.”
His Dad says, “To see our son not having his own mind is what really scares me.”
Taran is now far removed from Hollywood sound stages. He and Heidi have relocated to Lawrence, Kansas. He continues his campaign against his parents from there, insisting they misspend hundreds of thousands of dollars of his “Home Improvement” earnings.
Taran doesn’t get free access to his money until next April when he turns 18, unless he can legally emancipate himself from his folks..
Taran's lawyer, David Whinery, says this is a last resort, pointing out that other child stars, like Drew Barrymore and Alicia Silverstone have done it. But mom and dad say Taran's charges are outrageous. They're concerned that if he gets his money.. It'll quickly be gone.
Taran and Heidi say it's true love. They have plans to start a band. They are now inseparable. Heidi says, “I had serious concerns about age. I’ve never gone out with anyone that young before, but now it's great.”
Taran says, "We don’t think of our age we only think of each other. We're in love that's the only thing that matters"
California law requires parents of underage actors to put away 15 percent of their gross salary. Taran's mom and dad say they put away much more than that, taking only a 15- percent management fee for the entire family to live on.
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