Johnny Whitaker starred in Family Affair when he was barely six years old. He was part of the show for almost five years until it ended in 1971. Family Affair was about an unconventional family who had to go through several ups and downs. Whitaker has acted in several movies as well as television shows. He is also known for addressing other important things like drug addiction and how to cope with it. Whitaker has always been vocal about his addiction and how it created so much chaos in his life.
Johnny impressed one and all with his portrayal of the character of Jody in Family Affair. His adorable and amusing tactics as an orphan kid were quite entertaining to watch. The popular sitcom lasted for 6 years, and Johnny remained part of the show till the very end. But as an adult, poor Johnny had to struggle with drugs and alcohol. We look into his short yet successful acting career struggles with drug addiction and how he managed it successfully.
Johnny Whitaker Early Career
Whitaker did several movies as a child star. Before he grabbed a meaty role in Family Affair, he starred in a movie with Brian Keith. Infact it was due to Brian Keith that he managed to get a role in Family Affairs. Whitaker achieved fame due to his impressive acting. He was roped in for many Tv shows like Bewitched, Gunsmoke, etc. Later he grabbed the role of Scotty Baldwin in the General Hospital. Whitaker started getting movie offers, but he was more focused on television. He was part of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters too. He ventured into movies by acting in a few Disney movies and Tom Sawyer.
Johnny Whitaker’s Net Worth
Johnny’s net worth stands at $2 million. He has earned most of his income through his acting stints. He might not be acting much these days. But due to his previous successful shows and movies, he has managed to rake in a net worth of $2 million. Johnny is also making money by producing and directing shows. He hosted as well as co-produced a talk show titled The Dr. Zod and Johnny Show.
Johnny Whitaker’s Addiction
Whitaker was a popular child actor in the ’60s and ’70s. He appeared on multiple Tv shows as well as a few movies. But towards the end of the 1970s, his success started coming to a halt. He then decided to go to Portugal. He also enrolled in Brigham Young University to learn direction and production. The ’80s brought many hardships for Whitaker. His career was heading toward a standstill. To make things worse, Whitaker’s wife left him.
That made him emotionally distressed. He started consuming drugs and alcohol to deal with the difficult circumstances. Whitaker revealed later that he had completely lost his faith and beliefs. He felt detached from everyone and desired to isolate himself completely from the cruel world. Whitaker often becomes emotional while telling how he lost many years of his life due to his drug addiction. At one point, his family made it clear that he had to make a choice soon and come out clean and sober.
Whitaker finally managed to let go of the burden that was piling on his mind. He opened an NGO named Paso Por Paso. Whitaker has also talked about the need for prison reform. Whitaker says that it is very important to address the need for successful drug counseling programs. After staying out of the screen for several years, Whitaker has finally started appearing in a few roles. He is waiting for the right moment to make a comeback.
What Is Johnny Whitaker Doing These Days?
Talking about his recent roles, he appeared in the reboot of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and He has also appeared in small roles in movies like Prepper’s Grove and A Husband for Christmas. Whitaker is quite active in making others aware of the harmful effects of drug addiction. He donned the director’s hat to direct a documentary about drug policy. He is also engaged in penning down a memoir which will probably talk about his struggles with drug addiction.
Johnny is currently reading scripts and looking for the right role to make a comeback.. Johnny opened his heart in an interview stating that he was at the top of the game when he was just 14. He was gaining love and fame due to his Tv series. He was mastering the art of production and learning more and mre each day. But he decided to quit everything in order to serve at the Mormon Church.
Johnny didn’t reveal the reason for this sudden decision, but spiritual awakenings are often unexplained. Johnny says that the life of an actor in Hollywood is comparable to that of a puppy. Hollywood adores and loves the puppies, but once they become adult dogs, the same Hollywood kicks them out or treats them badly.