- Born
- Birth nameJohn Orson Whitaker Jr.
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- Johnny Whitaker was born on December 13, 1959 in Van Nuys, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Tom Sawyer (1973), Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973) and A Talking Cat!?! (2013). He was previously married to Symbria Wright.
- SpouseSymbria Wright(June 15, 1984 - 1988) (divorced)
- ParentsThelma WillisJohn Orson Whitaker Sr.
- RelativesSherrie Lynn Whitaker(Sibling)
- Finding it harder to transition into young adult roles and following the tragic death of his 18-year-old Family Affair (1966) co-star Anissa Jones, he took what was supposed to be an extended sabbatical from acting and a return to "normalcy" by attending public schools again. He instead went into missionary work.
- He was the only six-year-old who screen-tested for the role of Jody Davis in Family Affair (1966), which originally was supposed to be for a ten-year-old boy, but when the producers saw the chemistry between him and Anissa Jones (Buffy), they promptly rewrote the parts for six-year-old twins.
- Speaks several languages fluently, including Portuguese, Spanish, French and American Sign Language.
- A recovering addict since 1997, he has served to help others. He is President and Founder of Paso Por Paso, a California 501 (c)3 corporation dedicated to helping Spanish-speaking addicts / alcoholics find treatment and recovery.
- Co-starred with young Jodie Foster twice in films. The first time was in Disney's Napoleon and Samantha (1972), and then she played Becky Thatcher to his Tom Sawyer (1973). He made national tours for the "Tom Sawyer" line of boys' clothing after being cast in the the musical film. Eventually the same firm put out a "Johnnie Whitaker" line as well.
- [Family Affair (1966)] was much too sugar-and-spice. We never lied or cheated. No children are as angelic as we were supposed to be."
- [about the drug death of former co-star Anissa Jones] Although we played twins we were poles apart as human beings. It didn't keep us from getting along well, but we were being raised in very different homes. I felt terrible about her death, but I wasn't all that much surprised.
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