Although Danny Lloyd may not be a household name to fans of the 1980 horror film “The Shining,” you are probably familiar with his 6-year-old Danny Torrance from the movie. Although he played a little child in the movie, it was his most well-known performance to date.
Just outside of Chicago, in Tremont, Illinois, Danny was born. Though nothing is known about his family or early years, it is known that when the boy was just 5 years old, his steelworker father received a call for auditions for a forthcoming film.
The popular Stephen King novel “The Shining” was going to be made into a movie.
Auditioning For The Shining
Danny recalls how his audition for the film was a surprise after his father submitted his photo to an open casting call—something that was uncommon for movies even then.
When Danny was being considered for the role of Tony in the movie, he inadvertently began moving his finger while speaking, and this act was accepted.
Danny supposedly had to go through six auditions before Stanley Kubrick, the director, informed him on his fifth birthday that he had been cast.
Filming The Shining
According to rumors during the casting process, Danny was selected for the character of Danny Terrance in the movie because he was able to speak his lines without quivering.
He was able to play such a memorable role in the movie in part because of this talent.
Because Danny was so young, he was informed that the movie he was filming was a drama about a family that resided at a hotel while it was being shot.
His segments were recorded separately, and none of the film’s gruesome scenes were ever seen to him.
In spite of the terrifying imagery in the movie, Danny found the scenes of him riding his tricycle to be amusing because he was so oblivious to what was happening with the film’s creation.
According to reports, Danny has warm recollections of his other young co-stars, Lisa and Louise Burns, who played the Grady sisters in the movie. He even claims to remember Stanley Kubrick having an Easter egg hunt for the kids while the movie was being made.
However, he recalls one of the production team members promising him that he could keep his tricycle from the movie, a promise that was never fulfilled, as one of his most vivid memories of making the movie.
He apparently maintained in touch with the movie’s director long after it was finished, and Kubrick even called him when he graduated from high school to check in on him and express his pride in him.
What Did He Do After The Shining ?
In the movie Will: G. Gordon Liddy, Lloyd’s only other on-screen appearance was as G. Gordon Liddy. The movie wasn’t as well recognized as The Shining, despite accolades for his performance.
A quick movie about scary movies Danny from The Shining’s 1994 archival video was used, but Danny himself wasn’t involved in the project.
Throughout his adolescence, Danny kept going to auditions for acting jobs, but he eventually quit up since he could not get a break and got weary of the process.
He allegedly informed his parents that he was giving up acting so that he could complete his education.
What is Danny Lloyd Doing Now?
Since 2004, Danny Lloyd has taught biology as an associate professor at the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
He hasn’t had any significant acting jobs, but in 2012, he made an appearance as himself in the documentary Room 237 to discuss his performance as Danny Torrance and how the shining came to be regarded as a classic.
Additionally, he appeared as a baseball fan in a cameo in the 2019 sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep.
Danny appears to have no desire in actively returning to acting and instead continues to teach, despite the fact that a sequel to the film he appeared in was produced.
He still frequently appears at conventions; he attended “Spooky Con” in 2020 and “Terror Con” in 2017.
In October 2022, he is expected to appear at both Motor City Comic Con and Spooky Con.
He apparently hasn’t stayed in touch with co-star Jack Nicholson, but he still speaks to Shelly Duvall on a daily basis.
Personal Life
Danny has been married to Jessi Diana Brackett for a long time. They are still together today.
Danny and his wife Jessi have four kids: a son and three daughters.
The other two are Jessi’s from a previous relationship that Danny has adopted. Danny and Jessi have two of the kids.
