For over 20 years, Johnny Whitaker has been conducting 12-step meetings at a local county jail, and the actor calls it a blessing. The 64-year-old told Fox News Digital, “Once a month, I go in to share my experience, as well as offer strength and hope. I do it through my ministry. I want to tell these guys that there is hope. They can get clean and sober. They can get out of the revolving door that they find themselves in.”

The former child star rose to fame in the sitcom “Family Affair,” which aired from 1966 until 1971. His other hit series, “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters,” is now available to stream on The Sid and Marty Kroft Channel. The producing pair were known for their imaginative children’s programming. Marty’s daughter, Deanna Krofft Pope, told Fox News Digital, “Johnny was already famous when he became part of the Sid and Marty Krofft family. He was not only great in the role of Johnny Stuart in the original ‘Sigmund and the Sea Monsters,’ but when he returned in a cameo in our reboot, he was so good that we ended up writing him in for reoccurring appearances. And, of course, the fans loved it.”

“Family Affair” was centered on a swinging bachelor (Brian Keith) who is given custody of his late brother’s three children. Whitaker said he still has fond memories of bringing the series to life. Unfortunately, life wasn’t always kind to the show’s co-stars. Jones, who played Buffy, died of a drug overdose in 1976. She was 18. Whitaker alleged, “My agent claims that she was kind of out of it when she last saw her, possibly high or very depressed. I remember my agent said, ‘You need to contact her. She looks really bad.’ I did my best, but I was a young teen and getting ready for a new family variety show. I did try to contact her. Even after her passing, I tried to contact her family. And then her brother died a few years later from an overdose.”

He reflected, “She was my sister. I grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon faith. I understand that this life, our existence, is a very short one. But it was still difficult to lose her so young.” Whitaker is one of eight children. Growing up, he described having a “normal'” childhood, one where everyone was required to do chores at home, including him. Over the years, he kept busy making appearances on hit TV shows like “Bonanza,” “Bewitched” and “Gunsmoke,” among others. However, at age 16, he found himself attending parties in Hollywood, where he was exposed to drugs and alcohol. It didn’t take long for him to use – and it quickly took over his life.

Whitaker recalled, “I had a family intervention. It was extremely embarrassing, and I was very upset. I signed this contract my brother gave me, but I didn’t stop. When you’re an addict, you don’t like to admit there’s a problem. You’re not just going to suddenly stop. But I believe that every addict and alcoholic knows that they have a problem.” It wouldn’t be until 12 days later that Whitaker had “an a-ha moment, a God shot.” The drugs no longer had the same effect he was yearning for. And on Sept. 25, 1997, he decided to finally get help. His faith in God also gave him a newfound purpose to get sober, he said.

Today, Whitaker said he’s found peace through sobriety and faith. And through his ministry, he’s able to encourage other inmates to turn their lives around as a drug and alcohol counselor. He previously served as a missionary in Portugal from 1979 to 1981.

“I’m not planning to fully retire,” he chuckled. “I’m working on my memoirs and hoping to get that out at the end of the year. I also have a documentary on the drug policies of Portugal. And this summer in North Carolina, I’m working with Charlene Tilton, a friend of mine, on a new film. She’s the female lead, so we’ve been busy working on that.” If Whitaker had to do it all over again, he said, “to a certain extent, I think I would.”