Ruby Keeler and Nephews Ken Weatherwax and Joey D. Vieira
Actress/singer/dancer Ruby Keeler was most famously paired with Dick Powell in the iconic Warner Brothers’ Busby Berkeley musicals — including 42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933, Footlight Parade and Dames.
Keeler also happens to be the aunt of Ken Weatherwax who played Pugsley in The Addams Family, and Joey D. Vieira who played “Porky” Brockway in the TV series Lassie.
Aunt Ruby Keeler and her two nephews: Joey D Vieira (as Porky) on the left and Ken Weatherwax (as Pugsley) on the right
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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
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Very interesting.
Leslie Nielsen had a famous actor uncle in Jean Hersholt, star of Greed, Grand Hotel, the Dr. Christian series, and man for whom the Academy named their humanitarian award.
An extra trivia tie in here is that Ms. Keeler was born in Nova Scotia and Mr. Nielsen in Saskatchewan.
Oh thanks so much for the information. I had no idea that Leslie Nielsen was related to Jean Hersholt! Very interesting indeed. I really get such a kick out of this type of fun fact.
I knew about the Nielsen/Hersholt connection, but I was not aware of the Keeler nephews. The Weatherwax family were dog trainers. They owned the Lassie dogs, always male, that were used in the television show, and I believe, in the older films.