The Waltons is regarded as one of the most influential and favorite family sitcoms of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Kami Cotler, who is known for playing the youngest character on the show, Elizabeth, recently turned 58 and shared some of her experiences during and after the show.
In a Q&A session with Vision TV, Kami spoke about her time on the set of The Waltons as a minor and her decision to give up acting to focus on her education and family. The former actress also opened up about being a teacher and a mother to two grown-up children.
Kami opens up about being a child actor
Kami admitted to being lucky while acting as a minor. Thanks to her old co-stars and production staff, she had a friendly and professional environment to work in while filming The Waltons. She also added that she was well protected and never felt out of place because she has other kids of her age range on set.
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For Kami, playing Elizabeth and being a child actor was a great fit for her temperament, which she described as essential for the entertainment industry. She was a curious child with a collaborative and innovative nature. Kami blended well with the dynamic nature of the set, be it meeting a new guest star one week or having to play with animals the next.
As with any child actor, Kami also had people who were tasked to monitor and ensure she worked seamlessly on set and attended school. “My poor guardian had to keep me on task and be sure I ate something and didn’t lollygag,” she recalled.
Why did Kami leave acting?
Kami left acting to pursue her passion for education and lead a quiet life. “I was ready to go to college and didn’t plan to study acting. Having done it for so many years with no training, I had no appreciation for what the training might be, and I was interested in studying history and literature,” she said.
She went on to become a teacher after university, traveling and teaching in different schools in San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, and Rural Virginia. “My credentials are as an English teacher, and I’ve taught English and History, and I was a principal for many years, and now I help other principals with students,” she said in another interview with KSite TV.
The 58-year-old celebrated her birthday in the previous week with a Facebook post thanking her fans for their well-wishes. Although very private about her family life, Kami shared a glimpse into her family and being a mother to two children. She revealed that she shares two adult kids with her husband, Kim Howard. She also explained that, like she and her husband, both kids are interested in education and science.