Radames Pera was born in New York City in 1960. He moved to Hollywood with his mother, Lisa Pera, in 1963 as she pursued an acting career - their first apartment was right around the corner from Grauman's Chinese Theater!
Despite a lifelong battle with her weight, Lisa achieved some success with a string of good roles, but then in late 1967 Radames was discovered by director Daniel Mann and cast as Stavros, Anthony Quinn's dying son in the charming feature film "A Dream of Ki...ngs". Soon his mom found Radames a good agent and he ended up Guest-Starring in many TV shows in the late 1960s and '70s.
With a growing reputation as a fine actor he was often cast as the sensitive or troubled kid. A great example of this was the leading role in an episode of "Rod Serling's Night Gallery" entitled "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" narrated by Orson Welles where he plays a boy who increasingly daydreams himself into a snow-filled fantasy world.
This reputation as a young performer who could "deliver the goods" led to his Co-Starring role as the Shaolin monk Grasshopper (Young Caine) in the seminal TV series "Kung Fu" (1972-74).
This was shortly followed by 3 years as the writer/poet John Jr. (Mary Ingalls' fiancé) in "Little House on the Prairie" ('75 to '77 - appearing in a total of 8 episodes).
In 1978 Radames began studying acting and directing with Stella Adler in New York City. While there he landed a coveted role as Alan Bates' estranged son in the British TV Movie, "Very Like a Whale".
After returning to L.A. in 1981 he discovered an odd and painful reality that happens to the majority of (formerly) young performers: no longer a kid, The Biz was done with him. Its like having an expiration date stamped on your forehead that only casting people can see.
His last feature film role was with Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze and Lea Thompson as Sgt. Stepan Gorsky in "Red Dawn" ('85).
Among his last roles on TV were an archeologist in "Starman" and as a neo-Nazi vigilante in "Mickey Spillane's The New Mike Hammer" opposite Stacy Keach in 1986.
Two years later, Radames started his own business designing and installing home theater and residential sound systems in L.A.
In '93 he moved himself and that business to Portland, Oregon where he lived for the next 10 years. His mom needed his help in SoCal so he moved to Ventura for a couple of years and then Austin, Texas, for the following 8 years.
Again his aging mom needed him nearby so he moved to San Diego and then L.A. again. A big circle!
After his second wife gave birth to their daughter in 2016, Radames decided to move to France where she could grow up among her extended family.
