Known to many as John-Boy from “The Waltons,” Richard Thomas had built up an impressive acting record by his 20th birthday. One of his first major film roles was in “Winning” in 1969, where he played alongside Paul Newman. Now if that’s not a great education in acting, we don’t know what is.
After leaving “The Waltons,” Richard experienced a successful theater career, which included “Fifth of July” and “Richard II.” In 2009-2010, Thomas appeared in the Broadway play “Race” by David Mamet. He acted alongside James Spader, Kerry Washington, and David Alan Grier. He also had a minor role in the hit Netflix series “Ozark.”
Ricky Nelson (1950s)
Ricky Nelson grew up to be handsome and famous but had to work very hard as a child actor. He started out in the sitcom "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." His family and friends quickly saw he could also sing and dance - so he made the smooth transition into music.
Nelson would go on to have a staggering 54 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including the popular number "Poor Little Fool," which turned out to be the first number one on the Hot 100 chart. Over time, the dwindling fanbase made Nelson less popular. He tragically died in a plane crash in 1985 during his comeback tour.
Elvis (1950s-1960s)
Mississippi-born Elvis Presley had his big break with the hit “Heartbreak Hotel” and became a household name in and out of the US. His smooth voice and shaking hips welcomed us into the era of rock n’ roll. Elvis had a seemingly bottomless pit of hits and became the synonymous face when it came to pop music.
What started as a glamorous career in the 1950s was waning towards the late 1960s. His problematic private life took a toll on The King's health as well. At 42 years old, Elvis died from a heart attack. In 2022, Austin Butler played Elvis in a titular biopic.
Barry Williams (1970s)
Born in ’54, Barry Williams knew that he wanted to be an actor from a young age. He made his TV debut on "Dragnet" in 1967. Two years later, they took the world by storm as Greg Brady on "The Brady Bunch." Once the show ended in 1974, Williams tried switching to the musical theater but was continuously typecast as the Greg Brady type character.
Williams also fancies himself a rapper. In 2000 Williams parodied Eminem’s "The Real Slim Shady" titled "The Real Greg Brady." And as far as what he’s up to recently? Well, his latest film, "Flea," came out in 2018, with him starring as the Marsh Man.
Jay North (1960s)
The modern cartoon version of "Dennis the Menace" is nothing like the older, live-action one starring Jay North. North became famous as Little Dennis back in 1959, and the show ran up until 1963. This role brought on many more suggestions for other acting parts. And for a minute there, Hollywood was Jay's oyster.
Years later, adult North transitioned into voice acting for animated shows, these included "The Flinstone Comedy Hour" and "The Simpsons," to name a few. In 1977, North quit acting altogether and joined the Navy. Later on, in more recent times, he has become an activist for child actors' welfare.