Last night our church, Chatsworth Lake Community Church, was blessed to host a memorial for our brother in the Lord Ken Weatherwax. Our little country church was full as many came forward to share what a blessing Kenny was to them. They also shared about his deep love for us, his church family.
Kenny's eulogy, read by my husband, Pastor Dale Dawson, is the story of his life as told to Pam Buchanan in an article she wrote for Witness Magazine. Kenny had shared with me that this is the story he tried to share on national TV appearances but it somehow always got cut. With Pam's permission I share this story and pray it blesses you.
Moving from One Family to Another
By Ken Weatherwax
I was born in Los Angeles, California in 1955 into the entertainment industry. My uncle owned the original “Lassie,” his half-brother played the part of “Porky” in the original “Lassie” series and my claim to fame was being cast as “Pugsley,” the young lad in “The Addams Family” TV show from the early 1960’s.
My very first acting job came when I was only 5 years old in a Gleem toothpaste commercial. This commercial was successful enough to be followed by two more and from my role as “Chester” in these commercials, I was launched into the cast of “The Addams Family” sitcom.
I was seven years old when the show began and it ran for three years and was honored with top ratings in the early 60’s. As I remember my days on the set, I recall a very low budget for special effects (so therefore several people were called upon to play the part of “The Thing!”). I also recall using lots of fishing line and dry ice! My mother was required by law to be on the set with me as well as a Social Worker who was there to protect me as a child actor, and to oversee my education which amounted to 3 hours daily from a workbook. I remember very long days of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. This show ran for 3 years, and was cancelled in 1964, after 3 seasons as a result of a syndicated deal introduced by Ronald Reagan during his years as the president of the Screen Actors Guild (before he was governor and president of the United States).
When the show was cancelled, I was offered several other acting jobs but the parts were always that of a little fat kid who ended up being the joke. Because of this “type-casting,” I decided not to accept any more offers for this type of roles but rather to return to public school. During my years on “The Addams Family,” I was delayed in my education due to the minimum education on the set, which made returning to Public School very hard, both academically and socially. After enduring seven different High School experiences, both public and private, I finally decided to drop out and enter the armed services at 17 ½ years old, with my mother’s permission. From 1972-1974, I served in the US Army Calvary as a Combat Recovery Specialist. Thankfully, I never saw combat because I served at a time (from 1972-1974) when President Nixon was withdrawing troops from Vietnam.
After my time of serving our country, I remember being able to withdraw a total of $17,000.00 which had been banked for me as salary for three years in front of the camera as “Pugsley” on “The Addams Family.” I remember this money providing me a start after my US Army days, followed by two years of dead-end jobs. I finally landed a job at Universal Studios as a Motion Picture Studio GRIP, better known as a stagehand, and worked as a GRIP for Universal Studios for the next 20 years. It was a good living, with lots of room for advancement. At this time, I was traveling a lot so I did not purchase a home. Instead, I was living between my mom’s home, or with a girlfriend, or sleeping in my shop, which was a rented storage spot for all of my earthly belongings, memorabilia, stagehand tools, important papers, etc.
In 2002, my mother had a second stoke, and was in need of a personal care-giver. I had made a personal promise earlier in life to care for her at home in her later years since she did not want to die in a hospital or a nursing home. So, when it was necessary, I quit my job in order to fulfill this promise. After her death on November 11, 2002, my life took a downward spiral. I had been acquainted with Catholic teachings but had no relationship with God. Not wanting to return to the entertainment work with the wild and wooly environment of drugs, alcohol, and abusive hours, I decided on a change of scenery. I locked up my rented shop space, packed my car, along with my dog, Buddy, and headed for the East Coast. I made it as far as New Mexico where my car blew up. This was a particularly low moment in my life. I depleted my monetary funds on car repairs and on the return trip back to California. Upon arriving, I realized that the landlord of my rented shop had gutted my space (because of delinquent rent), had sold all my belongings. I had hit bottom…I had nothing!
At that point in my life, I was existing from couch to couch, signing a few autographs and attending memorabilia shows for a little cash from time to time. It was at this time that I ended up in an abandoned house/shack which was owned by my half-brother’s father. The dwelling was up for sale, but I was given permission to live there until it sold. I was severely depressed, at an absolute dead-end, with no hope. I made a decision that suicide was my way out. Knowing that I had no one who cared, no one who would be checking on me, and thinking of the needs of my dog, Buddy, I came up with a plan.
I would meet with the local real-estate agent, Bob Wood (his slogan read…”Most Won’t but…Bob Wood!”), and ask for an appointment with him for the purpose of helping with the sell of this particular property. The real purpose for setting up this meeting would be so that someone would find my dead body after I committed suicide, (and also discover and take care of Buddy, my dog.)
As it turned out, Bob Wood was a very busy man, and extremely hard to track down but after several attempts, I was told that Bob attended the local church, Chatsworth Advent Christian congregation. So I decided to visit the next Sunday for the purpose of speaking with Bob and setting up this meeting time.
When I found Bob at church, I began to explain my proposition… “I’d like to talk about the abandoned house. I am living there with permission, and I would like to help you sell this property. Would you please come and see me there next week so that we can talk?”
Bob told me that he did not do business on Sundays, but he noticed a small Gideon Bible that I was carrying. I remember carrying this Bible with me (which had belonged to my mother) as insurance against instant, divine judgment. I knew the intention of my visit to the church that day was not honorable so the Bible was for protection.
When Bob saw the tiny Bible in my hand, he said, “Have you read it?” I told Bob that I had read some of it along time ago, and didn’t think much of it. Then Bob issued this challenge…”Take your dog, go to the park, and read it!”
Even though I took these words as a “brush off,” I did not have anything better to do on that sunny Sunday afternoon, so off to the park I went. I opened up this small Bible, and started reading in Matthew, chapter 1, page 1, and while my dog chased squirrels in the park, I read all afternoon. By the time the sun went down, I had read the entire book of Matthew, and with tears in my eyes, I was pleading with God to forgive me, and to give me another chance.
One Monday morning, I took my pistol (the one I planned to use for my suicide) to the local pawn shop, and sold it for $50.00. With this money, I bought dog food and Raman Noodles at the local Dollar store to sustain us until the next Sunday. During that week, I finished the gospels, which really drove the message home in my heart.
The following Sunday, I returned to the local Chatsworth Advent Christian Church as a guest. During the prayer and praise time of the service, I was the first one on my feet that day to make a public confession of Christ before witnesses.
Since that time, I was baptized by Pastor Jesse Stephens, who then began to feed me the milk of the Word, and began to teach me to walk in this new faith. After Pastor Jesse left, then my present pastor, Dale Dawson, continued my discipling, and he is introducing me to the meat of the Word of God.
Years ago, I was acting a part, but now, fifty years later, I have discovered a true family among the believers of this local church. I went from “The Addams Family” to the family of the one true Adam! As my new family embraces me, disciples me, and loves me, I am discovering the “real deal” as I grow in my faith in Jesus Christ.
After reading this beautiful testimony Dale shared a movie he made to honor Kenny. Here are a few of the photos that were shared.
At Camp Maranatha
Church retreat at Camp Maranatha
At Chatsworth Lake Community Church with his family.
With Dale and I and Actor Paul Petersen and his wife.
With Dale.
Sharing the Word at Church.
Signing autographs in the Montrose Shopping Park
Having breakfast together.
TV appearances on The O'Reilly Factor...Martha Stewart...and more.
With me at church.
Celebrating his birthday at Bible Study.
With his brother and family at a church dinner.
'Til we meet again in heaven dear Kenny!
P.S.
It was a blessing to have Butch Patrick, the original Eddie Munster, Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday from The Addams Family, Ken's brother Joey Vieira, the original "Porky" from the Lassie Show, and several grips from Universal Studios join us...Only in L.A.!!! God Bless!
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