Johnny Whitaker, Jody on Family Affair Opens Up, Gets Real About Life, Career | The Jim Masters Show
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Johnny Whitaker Exclusive Interview. Actor, Child Star Johnny is best known for his work as Jody in the CBS Television Series, Family Affair 1966-1971. He went on to make 5 Walt Disney Films and to Star in the musical “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” 1973. Johnny went on to Star in his own Television Series for Sid and Marty Krofft Television in Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, NBC 1973-75) The redheaded Whitaker played Jody Davis o Family Affair from 1966 to 1971. He also originated the role of Scotty Baldwin on General Hospital and played the lead in Hallmark's 1969 The Littlest Angel, and portrayed the title character in the 1973 musical version of Tom Sawyer.
Whitaker began his professional acting career at the age of three by appearing in a television commercial for a local used-car dealer. He went on to appear in advertisements for Mattel Toymakers, for such toys as Larry the Lion and Crackers the Parrot in their Animal Yackers series. In 1965, Whitaker originated the character of the young Scotty Baldwin in the soap opera General Hospital. In 1966, he acted in a major feature film, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, which also starred Brian Keith. After Keith was cast as the lead in the television series Family Affair, he recommended Whitaker to play the part of his on-screen nephew.
Family Affair aired from 1966 to 1971. It co-starred Whitaker playing the role of an orphaned boy named Jody Davis, living in a high-rise apartment in New York City with his twin sister Buffy (Anissa Jones) and older sister Cissy (Kathy Garver), his bachelor uncle Bill Davis (Brian Keith), and Bill's gentleman's gentleman, Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot). Jody and Buffy were originally supposed to be different ages, but the show's producers thought Whitaker and Jones looked so cute together that they changed them to be twins. While a regular on the show, Whitaker also starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production The Littlest Angel alongside Fred Gwynne and Tony Randall, and an episode of the long-running Western The Virginian in 1969.
Also, in 1969, Whitaker was a guest star playing Jack in an episode of Bewitched titled "Samantha and the Beanstalk". In 1970, Whitaker played the part of Willie in a Green Acres episode titled "The Confrontation". Later, he played Dinky Watson in a Green Acres episode titled "The Beeping Rock".
Whitaker and Scott Kolden on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, 1973-74
After Family Affair, he appeared in a two-part episode of Gunsmoke in 1971. Whitaker went on to star in the 1973 Sid and Marty Krofft Saturday morning children's series Sigmund and the Sea Monsters alongside Billy Barty and Scott Kolden, and appeared in feature films, including Disney's Snowball Express (1972), The Biscuit Eater (1972), Napoleon and Samantha (1972), and The Magic Pony (1977). His most prominent feature film role during this period was the lead in the musical version of Tom Sawyer (1973).
In an interview with Tom Snyder on The Late Late Show, Whitaker said he had worked as a computer consultant at CBS. He later joined a Los Angeles talent agency, Whitaker Entertainment, owned by his sister. Whitaker also was Dana Plato's manager. In 1999, Whitaker received the Young Artist Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Youth in Film Awards.
In 2012, Whitaker co-produced and co-hosted a short-lived radio talk show, The Dr. Zod and Johnny Show.The following year, he appeared onstage in Judson Theatre Company's production of To Kill a Mockingbird in the cameo role of Judge Taylor. In 2016, Whitaker gave a guest-star cameo appearance in Amazon's reboot of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. In the premiere episode, he played the part of heckling boat owner Zach, against David Arquette's salty character Captain Barnabas. The episode had a similar cameo appearance by original show creators Sid and Marty Krofft.
Whitaker struggled as an adult with an addiction to drugs and alcohol until his family held an intervention and threatened to cut off contact with him unless he got help. He agreed and joined a twelve-step program; he later became a certified drug counselor and founder of a nonprofit organization for Spanish-speaking addicts.
Currently, he is working on many different projects and works as a Substance Abuse Professional and Advocate while writing, directing teaching and acting. John is a Certified Addiction Counselor and Advocate. He is currently working on a Documentary on the Portuguese Drug Policy, while writing his memoirs and completing co-directing & producing a film this past year.
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Great interview! Thank you for featurering Johhny! I am 56 and miss those days of Family Affair. ❤
I still watch Family Affair. I even used it to get my Great Pyranese used to kids. She hated my grandkids but after me playing Family Affair non-stop for a couple weeks she was excited to see them. 😂😂😂.
One of my favorite shows as a kid.
Great interview and thanks Johnny for all the great performances to watch while I was growing up.
A FANTASTIC show tonight. Wow what an amazing guest. Thanks Jim.💚💖💚
What an absolutely fascinating conversation with Johnny! I loved him as a child actor and to learn what amazing things he is doing to help people with addictions is absolutely incredible! It's so amazing when someone goes through hell and rises from the ashes in a huge way as he did. Thank you, Jim, for another incredible episode!
TV needs more Family Affair.
Johnny has such an impressive career in Entertainment! Jim, I have it set up for my Mom to get notifications to watch your JMS series. Passing along that she enjoyed the conversation going down Memory Lane & her friend. I was not as familiar with his work but remembered some of his shows, being born in Oct 1973,didn’t watch that much TV, was always active outside, playing music, etc. I didn’t like to sit for too long when young. Johnny is a genuine, kind, & inspirational human❣️Wowed how he knew so many languages, plus sign language. Wonderful how he helps those struggling (addiction) Well, another night without sleep!! What’s sleep???!! Ha!!! Nice show, Jim❣️
Thank you Jim for this time with Johnny. You have so many great conversations with so many of my childhood/teenage heroes and I am very grateful. I love watching and learning about these people and their lives. You do such a great job of bringing it to us. You are always so well prepared and ask great questions. The chat is always fun too, very nice people here. I will be watching this again in the archives. Johnny has had a very interesting life and has done so many great things, especially his counseling for others. I am so inspired! Thanks again.
Such a nice interview. I saw Johnny in a Sears store in Portland, Or. We were both just kids. He was appearing there and i just happened to walk by and saw him.
Wonderful show Jim! So great getting to know Johnny and hear about his amazing career and hear about the great work he is doing. Thanks to you both! Loveity!❤️
WOW ! Glad I found this interesting channel, And I really like the way the host lets the guests speak.
Fun interview! I've been binge watching Family Affair & sure do miss wholesome shows like it. One of my very favorites from my childhood.
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Thank you for watching this episode of The Jim Masters Show! entertainment, lifestyle, celebrity talk show series! We hope you'll subscribe to our UA-cam channel and you'll enjoy more from our series! Click the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Loved chatting with Johnny Whitaker on this episode of our series. It was a fun, real, authentic, hilarious and inspiring conversation. Thanks again for watching and enjoying!
I remember seeing you at Sea World with Virginia Graham.
What! I never knew he was scotty baldwin
This is a great program!!!
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Jim, I was thinking that for your 1,000th show coming up soon, if any of the ❤️ Loveity JMS Merch would be ready for orders, viewers interested & some guests from the past 3 yrs could all send in pics/videos wearing or holding it in Celebration! 😉 This will be monumental! 1,000 shows!! 🤩