'70s Child Star Johnny Whitaker Reveals Surprising Payout From Beloved Saturday Morning TV Series 50 Years Later
Johnny Whitaker was just 13 years old when he landed a starring role as Johnny Stuart in the Sid and Marty Krofft series Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. But he was given a special credit that few child actors get.
During a recent appearance on the That's Classic podcast, Whitaker, now 66, revealed that the show's creators allowed him to pick who should play his brother on the children's series.
"One thing that Sid insisted on was that I got to choose my co-star," he shared.
The young actor handpicked Scott Kolden, whom he knew from the 1973 Wonderful World of Disney TV movie The Mystery of Dracula's Castle.
Casting clout wasn't the only perk that Whitaker was given.
"I also own five percent of Sigmund," Whitaker revealed, before noting that while the deal wasn't lucrative, it was still an honor. "It's net, which I never really saw, in 50 years I think I've maybe seen $1500," he added. "But I got it- uncredited-but as a producer."
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Whitaker was already well known for his roles in Family Affair, Bonanza, Bewitched, Green Acres, several Disney films, and more when he joined the cast of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.
The series about two brothers who befriended a friendly sea monster aired on Saturday morning from 1973 to 1975 on NBC. The show was later syndicated and shown as part of the Krofft Superstar Hour in the late 1970s. It remains a nostalgic piece of ‘70s pop culture history decades later.
In an interview with Woman's World, Whitaker noted that he was given the small ownership in Sigmund and the Sea Monsters while "at the apex" of his career.
"I was very lucky to be able to transfer into young teenage roles," he added.
After Sid Krofft died in April 2025, Whitaker shared a lengthy tribute to him on Facebook, in which he remembered the legendary producer as a "mentor."
"Sid made sure to show me all the wonderful gadgets and innovations that the Krofft Brothers were planning, including a new technology of Animatronics," Whitaker recalled. "It was so exciting, and at 13 years old, I wanted to be a part of that genius."
"I was a non-credited producer on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters but was given 5% of the NET profits as a producer," Whitaker added. "Sid had that much faith in me and my experience as an actor and young producer, and I got to make decisions very few 13-year-old actors get."
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 9:53 AM.