Johnny Whitaker

Infobox actor
name = Johnny Whitaker


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birthdate = birth date and age|1959|12|13
location = Van Nuys, California, U.S.A.
yearsactive = 1965–1977, 1997–present
deathdate =
deathplace =
birthname = John O. Whitaker, Jr.
othername =
website = http://www.johnnywhitaker.com/
academyawards =

Johnny Whitaker (born John O. Whitaker, Jr. on December 13, 1959) is an American actor best known for several notable television and film performances during his childhood. The naturally redheaded Whitaker is best known for his role as Brian Keith's 6-year-old nephew, Jody Davis, on "Family Affair" from 1966-1971, originated the role of Scotty Baldwin on "General Hospital" in 1965, played the lead in Hallmark's 1969 "The Littlest Angel", [ [http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/hallmark/ Hallmark Hall of Fame] ] and the title character in the 1973 musical version of "Tom Sawyer". His siblings, Billy and Dora Whitaker provided the voices of the rabbits Skippy and Tagalong for Disney's animated film Robin Hood in that same year.

Biography

He was born in Van Nuys, California, the fifth of eight children to Thelma and John O. Whitaker, Sr. [http://www.johnnywhitaker.com/bio.html Whitaker's bio] ] and started his professional acting career at the age of three by appearing in a television commercial for a local used car dealer. In 1965, he originated the character of the young Scotty Baldwin in the soap opera "General Hospital". In 1966 he starred in a major feature film, "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" which also starred Brian Keith, the actor who would later play Whitaker's uncle in the television series, "Family Affair".

The show "Family Affair" ran from 1966-1971. It co-starred Whitaker playing the role of a 6-year-old orphaned boy, Jody Davis, living in a high-rise apartment in New York with his sisters Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Cissy (Kathy Garver), his uncle Bill (Keith), and Bill's butler, Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot). Off the set, Whitaker had a loving relationship with Brian Keith, who became a second uncle to him. While a regular on the show, he also starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production "The Littlest Angel" in 1969.

After "Family Affair" he went on to star in the Sid and Marty Krofft series "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters" as well as in other films, including "Snowball Express", "The Biscuit Eater", "Napoleon and Samantha", and "The Magic Pony". His most prominent role during this period was playing the lead in the 1973 musical version of "Tom Sawyer".

He graduated from Sylmar High School, and then spent two years in Portugal doing missionary work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon returning to the United States he attended Brigham Young University, graduating in 1986 with a degree in Communications. He worked as a computer consultant briefly at CBS as he mentioned in an interview with Tom Snyder on the "The Late Late Show", and later joined a Los Angeles talent agency, Whitaker Entertainment, owned by his sister.

Johnnie was married to Symbria Wright of Reseda, California from 1984 to 1988. They briefly operated the "Someplace Else" delicatessen in Provo, Utah.

According to a 1997 Entertainment Tonight interview, when asked if Whitaker had looked his old friend up in the phone book, he called him, hence Keith had misunderstood whom the adult Johnny was until he explained everything to him, this was just days before Keith's committed suicide on June 24, 1997, and felt very sorry about Keith's loss.

Currently Whitaker holds acting workshops, and co-produces a radio talk show, "The Dr. Zod and Johnny Show", which is broadcast over the Cable Radio Network.

References

External links