Fans of The Waltons were in for a treat when one of the show’s beloved stars made a rare public appearance in Los Angeles, stepping out with her husband for a casual day of shopping.
The actress, now 59, played a member of the tight-knit Virginia family living through the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II.
Nearly five decades after the iconic series first aired, she looked radiant and relaxed on her stroll, rocking a breezy black-and-white skirt, a sporty zip-up, and a floppy sun hat—worlds away from her character’s life in the rural Appalachian Mountains.
But it was her signature ginger-tinged hair that gave her away to longtime fans as she strolled arm-in-arm with her British-born husband, with whom she shares two children after more than two decades of marriage.
After stepping away from Hollywood, the former child star traded scripts for textbooks, earning a degree in Social Sciences and later launching her own education consulting business.
Can you guess the reclusive star?
Fans of The Waltons were in for a treat when one of the show’s beloved stars made a rare public appearance in Los Angeles , stepping out with her husband for a casual day of shopping
The actress, now 59, played a member of the tight-knit Virginia family living through the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II
She strolled arm-in-arm with her British-born husband Kim Howard, with whom she shares two children after more than two decades of marriage
If you said Kami Cotler, you’re right!
The real-life Elizabeth Walton, who was just six when she landed her breakout role, still charms today—only now in a very different spotlight.
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Kami’s much-loved family drama ran from 1971 to 1981 (with three subsequent movie spin-offs).
At the heart of the series was eldest son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), an aspiring writer, along with his hardworking parents John Sr. (Ralph Waite) and Olivia (Michael Learned).
The family also included strong-willed Mary Ellen (Judy Norton), fun-loving Jim-Bob (David W. Harper), and the youngest, Elizabeth (Kami Cotler).
Beloved grandparents Zebulon ‘Zeb’ Walton (Will Geer) and Esther Walton (Ellen Corby) added wisdom and warmth, becoming fan favorites for their humor and heart.
It remains famous for its much imitated ‘Goodnight John Boy’ closing sequence where each member of the family says goodnight to the others.
The show was such an example for American family life at the time, that President George Bush once even said in a speech in 1992 that he wished to make families in the United States ‘more like the Waltons and less like the Simpsons’.
If you said Kami Cotler, you’re right! (seen in 2014)
The real-life Elizabeth Walton, who was just six when she landed her breakout role, still charms today—only now in a very different spotlight
Kami’s much-loved family drama ran from 1971 to 1981 (with three subsequent movie spin-offs)
1) Will Geer as Grandpa Walton, 2) Ellen Corby as Grandma Walton, 3) Jon Walmsley as Jason Walton, 4) Michael Learned as Olivia Walton, 5) Ralph Waite as John Walton Sr., 6) Kami Cotler as Elizabeth Walton, 7) Richard Thomas as John Boy Walton, 8) Judy Norton Taylor as Mary Ellen Walton, 9) David Harper as Jim Bob Walton and 10) Mary McDonough as Erin Walton
The program earned two Golden Globe Awards as well as an Emmy Award for outstanding drama series.
Its lasting popularity brought the cast back together for six reunion TV movies, which aired between 1982 and 1997.
And Long Beach native Kami wasn’t the only performer in the family—her brother Jeff Cotler also ventured into acting during the 1970s and early 1980s.
He appeared in several television series, including The Waltons, Mork & Mindy, Falcon Crest, and Galactica 1980.
However, Jeff eventually stepped away from the entertainment industry, later working as a projectionist at Sundance Cinemas in San Francisco.
As for the rest of the beloved cast, many have continued to thrive in new chapters of their careers.
Thomas, who played John-Boy, went on to earn acclaim in adult roles with standout turns in The Americans, NCIS: New Orleans, and Ozark.
Jon Walmsley (Jason) focused on music, releasing a blues-inspired solo album, Goin’ to Clarksdale, in 2017.
Its lasting popularity brought the cast back together for six reunion TV movies, which aired between 1982 and 1997
The program earned two Golden Globe Awards as well as an Emmy Award for outstanding drama series
It remains famous for its much imitated ‘Goodnight John Boy’ closing sequence where each member of the family says goodnight to the others
At the heart of the series was eldest son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), an aspiring writer, along with his hardworking parents John Sr. (Ralph Waite) and Olivia (Michael Learned)
But it was her signature ginger-tinged hair that gave her away to longtime fans
Judy Norton (Mary Ellen) embraced writing and directing, appearing in indie films like Inclusion Criteria and developing her own projects including the upcoming Shoot Like a Girl.
Mary Elizabeth McDonough (Erin) became a successful author and women’s health advocate—her novel Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane was even turned into a Hallmark movie in which she had a role.
Eric Scott (Ben) now runs a courier business in Southern California, while David W. Harper (Jim-Bob) left acting and reportedly works as an art dealer in Los Angeles.
Michael Learned (Olivia) returned to TV with recent roles in General Hospital and Netflix’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
The show’s patriarch, Ralph Waite (John Sr.), continued acting until his death in 2014, with memorable appearances on NCIS, Bones, and Days of Our Lives.