It was 1987. Body-swap movies were basically a legal requirement for Hollywood studios. You had Big, Vice Versa, 18 Again!, and of course, the movie that paired a TV legend with a rising teen heartthrob. I'm talking about the like father like son 1987 cast, a group that somehow managed to make a pretty ridiculous premise—a brain-swapping serum derived from a Tibetan root—actually watchable.
Most people remember Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron. That makes sense. They were the faces on the poster. But if you sit down and rewatch it today, you realize the supporting players are the ones doing the heavy lifting to keep the 80s zaniness from flying off the rails. It’s a weirdly specific snapshot of a decade.
The Heavy Hitters: Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron
Dudley Moore was already a massive star. He’d done 10 and Arthur. He had that specific brand of flustered, high-energy British comedy that worked perfectly for a man stuck in a teenager’s body. In Like Father Like Son, he plays Dr. Jack Hammond, a high-strung heart surgeon who accidentally drinks the "mind-transfer" potion. Watching a grown man try to navigate high school politics is objectively funny, mostly because Moore didn't hold back on the physical comedy. He was 52 at the time, yet he had to channel the awkward energy of a kid who just wants to hang out at the mall.
Then you have Kirk Cameron as Chris Hammond.
At this point, Cameron was the king of the world if you were a teenager. Growing Pains was a monster hit. He was on every magazine cover. Playing the "son" who suddenly has the brain of a 50-year-old surgeon gave him a chance to pivot away from his Mike Seaver persona. Honestly, he’s surprisingly good at playing the "stuffy dad." He carries himself with this rigid, upright posture that feels totally different from his usual slouchy 80s teen vibe. It’s the contrast between Moore’s chaotic energy and Cameron’s sudden professionalism that makes the movie move.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
You can't talk about the like father like son 1987 cast without mentioning Margaret Colin. She played Ginnie Armbruster. She’s essentially the love interest for the "dad" version of Dudley Moore, but because of the swap, she spends a lot of time being confused by the bizarre behavior of the men in her life. Colin always brought a certain groundedness to these high-concept comedies. She went on to have a massive career, eventually playing Eleanor Waldorf in Gossip Girl, which is a fun bit of trivia for younger viewers who stumble across this movie on streaming.
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And then there’s Sean Astin.
This was only a few years after The Goonies. He plays Trigger, Chris’s best friend. He’s the one who provides the catalyst for the whole mess because his uncle is the one with the "brain juice" from Tibet. Astin has always had this innate likability. Even as a goofy sidekick, you can see the talent that would eventually lead him to Rudy and The Lord of the Rings. He’s the anchor for the "teen" side of the plot.
Catherine Hicks is also in the mix as Dr. Amy Larkin. Just a year prior, she was the female lead in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. She plays the colleague who is increasingly concerned—and eventually charmed—by the "new" personality of Jack Hammond. Her performance is subtle, which is necessary when your co-star is Dudley Moore acting like a caffeinated toddler.
Why This Specific Ensemble Worked
Most body-swap movies fail because the actors don't actually seem like they're playing each other. That wasn't the case here.
Moore and Cameron clearly spent time watching each other’s mannerisms. If you look closely at the scene where they’re at the hospital and Cameron (as the dad) has to perform a physical exam, his facial expressions are pure Dudley Moore. It’s that slight twitch of the eyebrow and the way he clears his throat. Conversely, Moore’s portrayal of a teen involves a lot of limb-flailing and a lack of spatial awareness that screams "puberty."
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The film was directed by Rod Daniel, who had a knack for this kind of thing after doing Teen Wolf. He knew how to balance the absurdity with the heart. He didn't just let the like father like son 1987 cast chew the scenery; he made sure the stakes felt real for the characters. If Jack Hammond loses his job because he’s acting like a kid, his life is over. That tension keeps the movie from being just a series of sketches.
The Trivia Nobody Mentions
People forget that Patrick O'Neal was in this movie. He plays Peter, the rival surgeon who is trying to take Jack’s job. O'Neal was a veteran actor, and his "straight man" performance is what gives the comedy its bite. You need a villain who takes the situation seriously so the hero looks even more ridiculous.
Also, look for a young Skeeter Vaughan as the Uncle. The whole Tibetan root subplot is definitely a product of its time—very much that 80s trope of "mystical items from the East" causing havoc in suburban America. It’s a bit dated now, but in 1987, it was the standard setup for a fantasy comedy.
- Dudley Moore: Dr. Jack Hammond (and Chris)
- Kirk Cameron: Chris Hammond (and Jack)
- Sean Astin: Trigger
- Margaret Colin: Ginnie Armbruster
- Catherine Hicks: Dr. Amy Larkin
- Patrick O'Neal: Peter
- C.C.H. Pounder: She also has a small role as Mrs. Rogers! This was early in her career before she became a powerhouse on shows like The Shield.
The Legacy of the 1987 Version
There were so many of these movies. Like Father Like Son actually beat Big to the theaters by several months. While Big became the "prestige" version of the age-swap trope, this movie remained the more accessible, "sitcom-plus" version. It felt like an extension of the TV shows we were already watching, just with a bigger budget and a more frantic pace.
The chemistry of the like father like son 1987 cast is why it’s remembered while movies like 18 Again! have mostly faded into obscurity. You had a genuine comedic legend at the top of his game and the biggest teen star in America. It was a marketing dream.
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How to Revisit the Film Today
If you’re going to watch it now, don’t expect a deep philosophical meditation on the nature of identity. It’s a farce. It’s loud. The fashion is aggressive—lots of pleated pants and oversized blazers. But the performances hold up because Moore and Cameron were actually trying.
Check out the scene where they first realize they’ve swapped. It’s in the kitchen. The timing is perfect. They’re talking over each other, reacting to their new voices and heights. It’s a masterclass in two-man comedy.
For those looking to dive deeper into 80s nostalgia, your next step is to track down the soundtrack. It’s a weird mix of synth-pop and orchestral cues that perfectly captures that transitional period in film scoring. You can find most of the cast's follow-up projects on major streaming platforms, specifically Sean Astin’s early work, which shows a fascinating trajectory from "the friend" to "the hero."
To truly appreciate what this cast did, try watching it back-to-back with Vice Versa (the Judge Reinhold/Fred Savage version). You’ll see that Moore’s physical commitment to the role of a teenager is actually much more intense than most other actors who took on the trope. He wasn't afraid to look stupid. That’s the mark of a pro.
Take a look at the filmography of C.C.H. Pounder after this. Seeing her go from a small role here to her later dramatic work is a great exercise in spotting talent before it explodes.