Bewitched child star Johnny Whitaker, 64, looks unrecognizable on rare outing after opening up about addiction
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Bewitched actor Johnny Whitaker looked nearly unrecognizable as he was spotted on a rare outing in Los Angeles on Monday during a solo errand run.
The star, 64 - who got candid about his drug and alcohol addiction earlier this year - was seen stopping by an ATM while sporting a dark navy sweatshirt as well as a pair of black shorts.
He completed the look by slipping into a pair of comfy, black sneakers that were secured with laces.
Whitaker added a gray, printed cap on top of his head and was seen strolling towards his next destination during the daytime excursion.
The actor is known for starring in the CBS sitcom, Family Affair, which aired for a total of five seasons from 1966 through 1971.
He also took on small roles in Gunsmoke, Adam-12, Green Acres and The Littlest Angel. In 1969, he played Jack in an episode of Bewitched titled Sam And The Beanstalk alongside Elizabeth Montgomery and Erin Murphy.
Johnny Whitaker, 64, looked nearly unrecognizable as he was spotted on a rare outing in Los Angeles on Monday during a solo errand run; he was on Bewitched and Family Affair
He notably began his career at the age of three and starred in a number of commercials for the company Mattel Toymakers.
And in the CBS series, Family Affair, Johnny joined other cast members including Kathy Garver, Anissa Jones, Brian Keith, as well as Sebastian Cabot.
The premise was: 'Bill's (Keith) comfortable lifestyle must change when he receives a group of unexpected long-term guests,' per an IMDB synopsis.
The show garnered eight Emmy nominations as well as one Golden Globe nod for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy.
Whitaker also portrayed the character of Johnny Stuart in the Saturday morning children's series titled Sigmund And The Sea Monsters - which aired from 1973 through 1975.
He later portrayed the titular character in the 1973 musical, Tom Sawyer, which was based on the famed novel by Mark Twain: The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer.
Johnny made appearances in episodes in a multitude of shows throughout the course of his career thus far, such as the soap opera General Hospital (1963).
Most recently, Whitaker played the role of Bishop in the 2024 series, The Last Evangelist, for two episodes.
Whitaker, 64, is known for portraying the role of orphaned boy Jody Davis on the CBS sitcom Family Affair from 1966 through 1971
In 1969, he played Jack in an episode of Bewitched titled Sam And The Beanstalk alongside Elizabeth Montgomery and Erin Murphy; seen above in Bewitched in 1969
He is slated to appear in the upcoming film, Prepper's Grove, which is currently in its post-production stages.
Johnny portrays the role of Earl and the premise, 'focuses on the disappearance of a teenager, who over the years has become a cold case,' per IMDB.
Earlier this year in March, the actor got candid about his past struggles with both drug and alcohol addiction which began when he was a teenager.
He spoke out about how he turned to partying after Family Affair came to an end during an interview with Fox News.
The actor explained he became an 'addict' after he was thrown into an 'environment where drinking and using drugs was acceptable' at age 16.
'To have a successful childhood, you need to choose the right peers,' he told the publication. 'Most of my peers were 20, 25, 30 years older than me.'
'My peers were chosen for me… And when you’re in an environment where drinking and using drugs is acceptable, it becomes acceptable to you.'
He added, 'You don’t think there’s anything wrong with using and drinking … And to some extent, I didn’t always fit in. Those were just some of the reasons that I became an addict, an alcoholic. I wanted to fit in.'
Johnny rose to fame for starring in Family Affair which ran for five seasons - and joined other cast members including Kathy Garver, Anissa Jones, Brian Keith, as well as Sebastian Cabot (seen far right)
Whitaker also portrayed the character of Johnny Stuart in the Saturday morning children's series titled Sigmund And The Sea Monsters - which aired from 1973 through 1975 (seen above)
In regards to his breakout role in the CBS sitcom, Johnny expressed to Fox News that, 'It was always fun.'
'We were always coddled and cared for by Brian, along with the producers and directors. They took care of us. It was an adventure.'
But amid his sudden fame, he said he started attending a slew of Hollywood parties as young as 16 - where he was exposed to drugs and alcohol.
Things only got worse for him when he went through a divorce in 1988, and his girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, tragically took her own life later that year.
He married a woman named Symbria Wright in 1984, but they went their separate ways after four years together.
Soon after, he started dating someone new and was delighted when she found out she was expecting - but she died by suicide and took his unborn child's life with her.
'When she became pregnant with my child, it was too much on her. She chose to take her life, along with my child’s,' Johnny shared.
'That was a traumatic experience for me, my divorce and then losing my girlfriend and child. That made it easy for me to choose drugs and alcohol.'
His former Family Affair costar Anissa Jones - who had played his sister, Buffy Davis, in the show - also had a rough time after the show came to an end. She died of a drug overdose in 1976, when she was only 18 years old.
He has since turned his life around, and he now dedicates his time to helping others who are struggling with similar problems; seen in 2016 in Century City
After more than two decades of battling substance abuse, the star decided to get help in 1997.
He said he realized it was time to change after having an 'a-ha moment' following a 'family intervention.'
He has since turned his life around, and he now dedicates his time to helping others who are struggling with similar problems.
Johnny is now a certified drug counselor and founded his own nonprofit organization that focuses on helping Spanish speaking addicts.
