This Man Was a Super Popular Child Star - He Quit Acting, Found Love after 50, Changed Look & Resides by Sea with Wife

This actor from "The Waltons" is now 68 and has completely changed his life—from his wife to his appearance, which is unrecognizable today.

This child star is best known for playing the role of Jason Walton on the television series "The Waltons," since the series premiere in 1972. In 1979, while recovering from mononucleosis, he met his first wife, Lisa Harrison. Now he's with someone else, and his life is nothing like how other child stars' lives turned out.

A friend brought Harrison over, and their connection was instant. Just two months later, she moved in with him. It turned out she was already a huge fan due to the show. After three years of living together, they decided to tie the knot. He later playfully recalled, "She made me get down on my knees."

Their wedding was a true "Waltons" family affair. His onscreen father, Ralph Waite, officiated the ceremony in Malibu, with the entire cast present. Meanwhile, Michael Learned, who played Mama Walton, declared them a match "made in heaven."

Mary Elizabeth McDonough, his onscreen sister, was moved to tears at the sight of their wedding rings. Even John Ritter, who had a guest role on the show, joined them during the reception.

Harrison and this actor shared a love for music, even performing a song called "Cuddle Up," which they wrote together, at the wedding. They formed a band and played gigs at clubs and Disney World. He once admitted that if "The Waltons" ever ended, he'd fully dedicate himself to music, his "first love."

A black-and-white photo surfaced on Facebook in 2022, showing him playing guitar alongside Ellen Corby, who played Grandmother Esther Walton.

The actor spoke about their special bond and explained how they formed a "deep, familial connection" on set. He saw her as an "adopted grandmother" because he never had grandparents of his own, and she was his biggest supporter when it came to music.

In 1974, an illness prevented him from visiting Corby in Atlanta, and he deeply regretted it. The following year, he accompanied her to the Emmy Awards, where she won for her role on the show.

A photograph of them along with Earl Hammer at this event appeared in the biography "Earl Hammer: From Walton's Mountain to Tomorrow."

Eventually, this former child star and Harrison welcomed a daughter, Brighton Asher, who also pursued acting. She's known for her roles in "Take Me with You," "Harvest Season," and "Shining Vale."

Despite a marriage that lasted nearly three decades, the couple divorced in 2008. But long before their separation, he had already met someone new whom he married that same year.

His Second Wife and the Quieter Life He Leads

Since October 2019, the actor has traded the California sunshine for a quieter life in Cornwall, Britain. He began sharing a home with his second wife, Marion, whom he met in 2004. The move felt like a homecoming of sorts, as his parents were originally from Lancashire.

They relocated to California when he was just a toddler. But this former child star eventually fell for Cornwall's charm during one of several visits.

Speaking about his anonymity in the quiet town, the voice of Christopher Robin for Disney's "Winnie the Pooh" said, "I don't really get recognized as I changed my look a few years ago and now look quite different than on 'The Waltons.'"

Instead of being upset by this, the successful musician saw it as an advantage. As a people-watcher, he enjoyed observing others without them reacting to his celebrity.

He and Marion were captivated by their new environment, which included the coastal paths, the woods, the sea, the farm animals, and the "good food." Cornwall had been a frequent vacation spot for them, and eventually, it started feeling like home.

On his music website, the actor recalled how he and his wife had chosen not to go on vacation in 2018, but to move to England in the summer. By June of that year, they'd already sold their car and RV and bid their friends and neighbors in Maine goodbye.

A truck carrying everything they owned was driven to Boston and then to the New York harbor where their things would be loaded onto a ship headed to Southampton, then to Cornwall. It took three months for their goods to finally get there.

Among the items he brought to England were two parakeets he had inherited from his mother, who had passed away from Alzheimer's disease. Once settled, he and Marion started a new life, bought a car, opened a bank account, and registered with the National Health Service.

They have since been enjoying the moors, historic churches, and pubs in Cornwall. According to IMDb, the actor eventually retired from acting and seemed to be thriving out of the spotlight.

The actor, JON WALMSLEY, appeared very different in images from his new life in Cornwall.

A 2018 Thanksgiving Facebook post offered a glimpse into this life, with Marion photographed kissing him on the cheek, and him writing, "I'm thankful for this woman." A drastic change in his looks was evident.

In other photos, he was leaner and gone was his full red hair, replaced by shorter gray locks. He was also sporting a gray beard and mustache.

This was a far cry from his appearance in February and June 2015, when he looked more like his fans remembered him. Yet, despite these changes, some things remained constant in his life.

Keeping Up with His Friends

"The Waltons" might have ended years ago, but the actor is still in touch with his former castmates. In April 2019, he uploaded several Twitter images of their reunion, noting, "Had a wonderful time at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, MO with my #Waltons family."

While the singer didn't mind visiting the United States for this occasion, he shared in his post that he was "happy to be home again" in Cornwall.

His Life with Marion in the Last Few Years

Walmsley appears to enjoy all types of outdoor activities and has shared many moments of his life on social media. In August 2015, he uploaded an image of him river rafting. In October 2016, the actor shared a photo on Facebook where he was posing on Mount Washington.

While he enjoys staying healthy and keeping his fans updated online, the most consistent theme in his life is his love for Marion and his posts prove it. On August 19, 2017, the musician celebrated their wedding anniversary by sharing several photos on Facebook.

In one of the images, he was seen smiling as he sat across from his wife while they held glasses ready to toast. He explained in the caption that the restaurant they were in was one of their favorites in Vermont. The singer also thanked Marion, described her as "the love of my life," and credited her for being the best part of him.

Just days later, he shared an image of him kissing her on the cheek by the beach. He said his sister, Kami Cotler, asked him if the song "Love And You," on Walmsley's album, "Goin' To Clarksdale," was written about his wife.

The star explained that he'd written the track when he was a teenager in a trailer on the set of "The Waltons." He couldn't have written it about Marion, as they met years later. However, he noted that the lyrics in the song did sum up their relationship, "I look at the song now as a premonition of good things to come."

In an October 2018 blog post, the actor gushed about the joy of sitting beside Marian as they embarked on their journey to their new home. While past travels hadn't always been that peaceful, the star said he wasn't their trip for granted.

Quoting Bill Murray, the musician said if you want to discover if a relationship will work, you just have to travel with the person. Walmsley agreed, believing he had "picked a peach."

He also deemed his wife smarter and more beautiful than him, and the "perfect traveling companion." Being with her was like "easing into a warm bath" when he'd reached the end of his rope.

Recounting their experience traveling to Cornwall, he said Marion's personality served them well over the next few weeks. The couple made a few stops on their way to their new home, and when they reached Strasbourg, France, they left a suitcase in their hotel room behind the bathroom door for safekeeping.

Then they went on a romantic walk and ate supper at a café on the bank of the Rhine River. The next day, the duo enjoyed some cappuccinos and pastries at a sidewalk coffee shop before moving on from the city.

They stopped by Reims and enjoyed viewing the well-known Cathedral, Notre Dame de Reims. Walmsley said his favorite part of the place was the newly added stained-glass window designed by Marc Chagall, one of his favorite artists.

Later, the star and his wife strolled through the city and had dinner at another coffee spot specializing in local cheeses and champagnes. The blog post ended with an anecdote of them watching a soccer game for the 2018 World Cup, where England beat Colombia, and seeing the crowds go wild.

His adventures continued in the following years. In 2019, Walmsley was photographed on a hike, enjoying the views from the mountain he'd climbed that day.

In November 2020, the actor appeared to still be having a wonderful life in Cornwall, as he visited farm animals like sheep.

But his wife was also on his forefront. On August 19, 2021, Walmsley celebrated his 13th wedding anniversary with a heartfelt tribute to Marion. He shared a charming photo on Facebook of the couple enjoying glasses of wine at an outdoor table, bathed in sunshine.

In the picture, she gazes affectionately at her husband while he smiles at the camera, both shielding their eyes from the sun with sunglasses. Walmsley's caption playfully wished his wife a happy "lucky 13th" anniversary, adding that he even thinks she likes him!

A year later, in August 2022, the actor described once more how much he loved his wife by uploading a picture of their initials drawn inside a heart on a beach.

Around a month later, Walmsley shared a different kind of update. He showed how he'd integrated back into his music with a photo of himself and other band members as they practiced on stage. He also admitted to loving Cornwall's local music scene.

The next month, he focused on his wife again. He wished Marion a happy birthday and noted that they would be going out for dinner that night.

In December 2022, the actor uploaded a Twitter video and image of them watching a band play during their pre-Christmas trip to Dublin.

In 2023, the couple celebrated 15 years together as they continued to live in the quiet, coastal town of Cornwall. Now in 2024, they're still together and seem just as in love as ever.

The actor turned 68 on February 6 and although different, he looks fantastic for his age. Maybe the key to living forever is finding the right person to enjoy the journey.