Elizabeth from ‘The Waltons’ Is ‘Almost Never Recognized’ & at 58 Proudly Opens up about Her Kids

• Elizabeth Walton, aka Kami Cotler from "The Waltons," recently celebrated her 58th birthday.
• The Hollywood actress, who has said she is "almost never recognized," leads a private life with her two kids and husband.
• Though she rarely opens up about her private life, she divulged a few details about both her kids on social media.

Kami Cotler is best known for her part in the legendary 70s/80s show "The Waltons," which has been labeled as one of the most influential and beloved family sitcoms to ever air. Cotler starred as the character Elizabeth Walton, who was the youngest of the family, from age six to age sixteen.

While sitting down for a Q&A session with Vision TV, she was asked a series of questions concerning her acting life before she gave it up to focus on her education and family life. One of the first questions was about how it felt to start working in the entertainment industry at such a young age.

According to the "A Walton Easter" star, she was lucky enough to experience a positive life while being on set as a minor. Colter acknowledged that the older actors and production staff had established a friendly and professional environment while filming "The Waltons," and being one of a few other child actors on set, many people looked out for her in a protective manner. She also never felt alone and had other kids around her age to hang out with.

Of her own personality and how it set the tone for her work as a child star going forward, Cotler described herself as having the right temperament that one needs when embarking on a journey in the entertainment industry.

As a naturally curious child with a gusto for the habitual pattern of working on the series, she delighted in the collaborative nature between herself as an actress and the production side of things. Every week on the show would come with something new and exciting—whether that was getting to meet a new guest star or playing with the adorable animals on set.

Being that Cotler was still so young while filming, she admitted to not understanding the entire gravity of the level of fame she was introduced to, thanks to the hugely successful show. She had grown accustomed to accepting that being widely recognized worldwide was simply a composite of the gig, and as a little girl, she thought it was a part of normal life.

Although being thrown into the life of a celebrity was something Cotler could not avoid, as a minor, she was still required to be accompanied by a guardian/babysitter daily to set. Such was the mandatory rule for all child actors. The guardians would ensure that she got to set on time and ran through the day as effortlessly as possible, from assisting while filming to waiting while the children learned at school. Cotler further explained:

"California law requires any actor under 18 to have an adult present; they call them guardians. Many of "The Waltons" cast had parents present, but both my parents worked, so my Mom had to scramble to find someone to accompany me... My poor guardian had to keep me on task and be sure I ate something and didn't lollygag."

Why Kami Cotler Quit Hollywood & Became a Teacher

Though Cotler enjoyed her time on "The Waltons," she was yearning for a quest for knowledge that education could only fulfill. After deciding to step away from her Hollywood career and pursue life on the quieter side, she disclosed:

"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."

After finishing her courses at university, Cotler was ready to take on the career world. She chose to pursue a job in teaching at first because she liked that the industry provided her with an avenue to learn more about American culture, and teaching also allowed her to travel and teach in different locations. Cotler taught in San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, and Rural Virginia.

In the interview, she likened her affinity for teaching to the acting process. According to the former child star, she found links and associations between the education industry and showbiz — both having spaces for performance and crew members working toward one goal. She also credited her invaluable K-12 education, which motivated her to foster a similar education for others.

Her children have a specific affinity for science, although their proud mom revealed their acting talents were showcased during their many elementary school plays and productions.

While reveling in her teaching pursuits, Cotler detailed how much her fellow Environmental Charter School colleagues' work excites her, along with the promising potential of her students and the opportunity to watch as her family continues to learn and grow. Asked what she was currently up to in another interview with KSite TV, with a beaming smile, Cotler said:

"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."

Kami Cotler Opens up about Her Private Family Life at 58

Now, Cotler is 58 years old, having celebrated her birthday a couple of days ago. She took to Facebook on June 20 to thank her fans for all their well wishes and share some highlights about how she celebrated her day with her loving family by her side:

"I spent the day with my husband and daughter, had a lovely breakfast out, visited my Mom, and then attended a crazily busy Japanese festival in Orange County. [It was] fun & exhausting. I think someone will ask, 'Did anyone recognize you?' and the answer is no, [because] I am almost never recognized nowadays, [and] it makes attending crowded events much easier."

A couple of days following her birthday post, Cotler decided to give her fans a deeper glimpse into her personal life as a wife, a mom, and an individual since leaving the spotlight. When a fan by the name of Amy asked Cotler to share more about her kids and hobbies specifically, she decided to indulge her request.

She revealed she has two children— a daughter, 23, and a son, 26, who she shares with her husband, Kim Howard. Admitting she doesn't share too much about her kids due to their desire for privacy, she did disclose that, much like their mother and father, they both have taken an interest in pursuing education outside of the arts.

Her children have a specific affinity for science, although their proud mom revealed their acting talents were showcased during their many elementary school plays and productions.

As for the things that interest Cotler, cooking, college football, basketball games, dancing, travel, reading, and hosting dinner parties emerged as her favorite pastimes.

Cotler divulged having a love for cooking and eating Indian, Mediterranean, and Asian dishes, with a current focus on making meals out of dried beans. Another interesting fact she revealed about herself was her pursuit of ballet despite admitting she is not very good at it.

After getting permission from her daughter, Callie Howard, Cotler also announced that Callie is set to scout out medical schools in the UK in August. Cotler also expressed that her daughter is considering attending graduate school for organic chemistry.

Though she and her mom have a knack and enthusiasm for education and learning, there is a divergence in the educational branches, departments, and schools of thought. While Cotler and her husband were both humanities students, Callie and her brother love science.

Outside of learning pursuits, Cotler also revealed how artistic her daughter is. According to the educator, Callie has always been creative, like her father:

"[Callie has] always been artistic, like her Dad, and I think her experience crocheting and making clay pots helped develop her ability to think in three dimensions, which apparently helps with organic chemistry. You'll see her at the August 20 event in Scotland, as she's kindly agreed to make more Christmas ornaments and sell them in the lobby."

From her lengthy Facebook posts about her children, it's pretty clear how much of a doting and proud mama Cotler is. Although she did not share much information about her son, fans can catch her daughter selling her Christmas ornaments at an art event in Scotland later this year.

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