Seventies TV star who shocked by posing naked for Playboy is unrecognizable as she's spotted in LA – can you guess who?
AN American TV icon who went from wholesome TV sister in the 70s to a sexy siren posing for Playboy in the 80s has been spotted on a day out in Los Angeles.
The actress, 67, was seen embracing the heat in a summer dress during an errands run by her home, and still has effortless chic as she strolled in a pair of shades.
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Judy became a massive star in the smash hit The Waltons in the 70s
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The actress grew up on screen thanks to the show - but later tried to shed her image
Credit: Getty
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The Waltons followed the trials of the Walton family through the depression and WWII
Credit: Getty
Judy Norton shot to fame as Mary Ellen Walton in The Waltons from 1972 to 1981, becoming the sister figure for millions who tuned in every week to watch her.
The Waltons followed the titular family – an expansive Virginia clan including Jason (Jon Walmsley), Erin (Mary Beth McDonough), Ben (Eric Scott), Elizabeth (Kami Cotler), Jim-Bob (David W. Harper), John Sr. (Ralph White), Olivia (Michael Learned) and Esther (Ellen Corby) – as they navigate the Great Depression era and World War II.
As Mary Ellen, Judy appeared in all 212 episodes of the show's nine-season run, playing the oldest daughter of John and Olivia.
Starting off as a tomboy figure in her younger years, Mary Ellen dreamed of a life away from the Walton Mountain before later pursuing a career as a nurse.
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But after the show ended, Judy was keen to shake off the image she had made during her nine years on screen, and in 1985 stripped off for Playboy Magazine.
However, it was a decision she would later admit regretting, telling Fox News: 'I was getting a lot of advice from people who were representing me at the time.
'They felt it would be a good, positive career move. I wouldn't say that was the case and it's one of those things that if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have made the choice.'
"I learned a lot of lessons from it, in terms of trusting my own instincts and decisions more than other people's, even though it seemed like they knew more than me,' she added.
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'Ultimately, I'm the one that had to live with a difficult decision to make at the time. It is what it is. You can only go forward.'
Since appearing in The Waltons, Judy has continued her career as an actress, appearing in episodes of TV series including Bluff, Beggars and Chooser, Stargate SG-1 and Disorganized Zone.
Legendary Emmy-winning actress looks unrecognisable as she speaks about life-saving role
She also reprised her role of Mary Ellen in a string of TV Movie Specials throughout the 90s, including A Walton Wedding, A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion and Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain.
In 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Judy brought some entertainment to fans by joining forces with a group of former child stars for Zoom-based sitcom, The Quarantine Bunch.
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Based around a 'support group for former child stars' each episode would see former child stars, including Growing Pains' Jeremy Miller, Danny Pintauro from Who's The Boss and Due South's Dean McDermott, log in to the 'meeting' in order to navigate life together.
While she hasn't been seen on screen since 2022 short movie Space Limbo, she's now lining up a new project – writing and starring in drama Shoot Like A Girl, which is currently in pre-production.
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Judy has now penned her own story, Shoot Like A Girl
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The Waltons ran for a massive 212 episodes across nine years
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