This Child Star Turned 67 Living Incognito in 2023 — He Quit Acting, Changed Look & Resides by Sea with Wife
|The famous Jason from “The Waltons,” Jon Walmsley is 67 and has completely changed his life—from his wife to his appearance, which is unrecognizable today.
Jon Walmsley was most famously known for playing the role of Jason Walton on the television series “The Waltons.” He started starring as John-Boy’s younger brother when the series premiered in 1972.
Walmsley met his first wife, Lisa Harrison, while he was lying in bed recovering from mono. A friend of his brought her by, and the two had a spark; he began feeling better, and two months later, Harrison moved in with him.
Before they met, Harrison had been a big fan of Walmsley’s and watched “The Waltons” all the time because she had a crush on him. The couple decided to marry after living together for three years, with Walmsley recalling:
“She made me get down on my knees.”
Ralph Waite, Walmsley’s onscreen father, served as the minister and married the couple in front of the show’s whole cast in Malibu, including Michael Learned, who played Mama Walton, who said they were a match “made in heaven.”
The actress who played Erin Walton, Mary Elizabeth McDonough, burst into tears when she saw the ring on Walmsley’s finger. They connected portraying siblings on the show. Other co-stars arrived at the wedding reception, including John Ritter, who played a minister on “The Waltons.”
Walmsley and his wife performed a song called “Cuddle Up,” which they’d written together. The musically talented actor and Harrison had formed a band and would play at clubs and in Disney World. Walmsley once confessed that if “The Waltons” ever concluded, he would work full-time on his music, his “first love.”
On August 20, 2022, the actor uploaded a black-and-white throwback photo on Facebook where he’s playing the guitar next to Ellen Corby, who played Grandmother Esther Walton in the series. The star explained how special Corby was to him.
Because he didn’t have grandparents in real life, and Corby didn’t have grandchildren, they formed a “deep bond” by adopting each other. The actor revealed that no one in his life had supported him and his music more than the actress.
In 1974, the actor fell ill and lamented not being able to visit his “adopted grandmother” in Atlanta. The following year, he was Corby’s date to the 1975 Emmy Awards when she won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In the biography, “Earl Hammer: From Walton’s Mountain to Tomorrow” Walmsley, Corby, and Hammer were photographed together during the occasion.
Walmsley welcomed a daughter named Brighton Asher, who followed in his footsteps by becoming an actress. She is famous for her roles in 2016’s “Take Me with You,” “Harvest Season,” and 2022’s “Shining Vale.”
Walmsley and Harrison stayed married for almost 30 years and divorced in 2008. However, long before their separation, Walmsley had already met someone else.
His Second Wife and the Quieter Life He Now Leads
Since October 2019, Walmsley has been living in Cornwall, Britain, after relocating from California. The actor revealed that he isn’t recognizable in his new home, where he now lives with his second wife, Marion, with whom he...