<P> Peter Gardner Ostrum (/ ˈpiːtər ˈoʊstrəm /; born November 1957) is an American veterinarian and former child actor whose only film role was as Charlie Bucket in the 1971 motion picture Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory . </P> <P> A native of Cleveland, Ostrum was 12 years old when selected by talent agents for Willy Wonka . Though he enjoyed the experience of shooting the film, he opted not to sign a three - film contract when it was over . After eschewing a career in film and theatre, Ostrum became reluctant to speak about his one starring role . In 1990, he began an annual tradition of speaking to schoolchildren about the film, and he became a subject of interest again when 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released in theaters . </P> <P> Ostrum became interested in horses when he returned from shooting Willy Wonka, and was particularly influenced by the veterinarian that tended to them . Receiving his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984, as of 2005 Ostrum practiced and lived in Lowville, New York with his wife Loretta (née Lepkowski), and two children: his son, Leif, and daughter, Helenka . </P> <P> Ostrum was in the sixth grade and performing at the Cleveland Play House children's theatre, when he was noticed by talent agents who were searching nationwide for the actor to portray Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory . The agents took Polaroid photos of Ostrum and recorded him reading from the original novel, then returned to New York . Two months later Ostrum was called to New York for a screen test where he sang "My Country,' Tis of Thee", and a month after that he was contacted and given ten days to prepare to leave for filming . </P>

Who played the boy in charlie and the chocolate factory