'Vincent Kartheiser'

Teen July 1996

If you're one of those girls who is always searching for the next cute thing, you can stop looking - at least for this summer - 'cause we've found him. His name is Vincent Kartheiser (but you can call him Vinnie) and he stars in 'Alaska', a wild action-adventure movie that's definitely going to put this Jonathan Brandis look-a-like, um, on the map.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Vinnie, the youngest of six kids, became interested in action when he was seven. "My sister was and actress, so one day I went with her to an audition," he recalls. He got lucky and was cast as Tiny Tim in a local production of 'A Christmas Carol'. Since then the 17-year-old actor has been doing regional theater, national road tours, television, and most recently, movies. "My first line was in the Christian Slater movie, 'Untamed Heart' ", he recalls. "I come out with a stick and poke this little boy and I go, 'Sister, sister. Adam's not breathing.' And then I run off."

Parts in 'Little Big League' and 'The Indian In The Cupboard' followed, but 'Alaska', he says, is hands down his most challenging movie so far. Not only did he have to learn how to swim, kayak, sea canoe and rappel off extremely high and dangerous cliffs, but the guy had to learn how to make nice with a baby polar bear cub named Agee. "That polar bear was very cool," quips the actor, who has a totally wicked sense of humor. "Thora Birch [his co-star] and I met her a month before filming started. We'd go up there once or twice a week and go on walks. I really miss her." Was Vinnie nervous about working with a wild animal? "The toughest thing about working with her," he says, "was learning how to hold my own on camera with a bear cub that was very, very cute." Hey, maybe the feeling was mutual.