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Kathy Garver celebrates 60 years of Family Affair

Bill Brioux Episode 250

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This week on brioux.tv: the podcast, meet a former child star who continues to impress -- Kathy Garver, best known for playing oldest sibling Cissy on Family Affair. The series premiered on Sept. 12, 1966 -- 60 years ago next month. It ran for five seasons and 138 episodes and starred Brian Keith as Uncle Bill, a Manhattan bachelor.  With the help of his gentleman's gentleman Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot), he was suddenly tasked with raising three kids. 

At 20 (though playing 15), Garver was already a showbiz veteran when the series began. She boasted credits in everything from Our Miss Brooks, The Millionaire, Father Knows Best and "The Ten Commandments." Unlike many former child stars, Garver never stopped working, pivoting to voice work in animated shows such as Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang to a 2025 Grammy nomination for an audio recording. Then there are her books, including one out earlier this year, and several upcoming projects, and Garver enters her eighth decade a true showbiz survivor.