Stanley Fafara(1949-2003)
- Actor
In 1957, seven-year-old Stanley Fafara's mother took him to an open
casting call for a new television series about a suburban family
entitled "Leave It To Beaver." He had been working in commercials and
television westerns since the age of four, and was somewhat of an old
hand at auditions. He earned the part of "Whitey" Whitney, one of the
lead character's best buddies. The show quickly became a hit, giving
the young actor a dazzling taste of Hollywood fame and money which he
would never forget.
Stanley enjoyed six years on the sitcom, and after the cancellation of
"Leave It To Beaver" in 1963, Stanley attended North Hollywood High
School. While there, he developed a liking for alcohol and soon learned
how to use his fame to his best advantage. He became friendly with the
pop-rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders, and reportedly moved in with
the band for a time. He discovered hard drugs in the mid-1960s, an
unfortunate obsession that would dog him for many years to come.
For a while, at his parents' insistence, he attempted living with his
sister in Jamaica, where he tried his hand at painting. But he couldn't
abstain from drug use. He returned to Los Angeles at age 22,
where he was married briefly. Then, to support himself, he started dealing
illegal drugs. Even worse, later he was convicted of breaking into
pharmacies, and was sentenced to a year in jail.
After being incarcerated, Stanley tried his hand at being a roofer,
waiter and janitor before descending back into drug use, particularly
heroin. He was in and out of rehab centers for many years, eventually
getting sober in 1995. He managed to turn his life around, and
finally conquered his addictions, without any relapses. But,
unfortunately, he had already contracted hepatitis C.
Eventually Stanley re-established a relationship with a daughter who he
hadn't seen in twenty years, and became close to his nephew, Dez Fafara,
of the rock band Coal Chamber. He also kept in contact with other child
actors who were in recovery, and helped fellow addicts stay clean
and sober. He started a business designing web sites, and was beginning
to have some success. At the time of his death he had a flat in
Portland's Mark Harfield Building, an apartment complex created for
people in recovery from addiction.
Stanley Fafara was given two well-attended funerals.
casting call for a new television series about a suburban family
entitled "Leave It To Beaver." He had been working in commercials and
television westerns since the age of four, and was somewhat of an old
hand at auditions. He earned the part of "Whitey" Whitney, one of the
lead character's best buddies. The show quickly became a hit, giving
the young actor a dazzling taste of Hollywood fame and money which he
would never forget.
Stanley enjoyed six years on the sitcom, and after the cancellation of
"Leave It To Beaver" in 1963, Stanley attended North Hollywood High
School. While there, he developed a liking for alcohol and soon learned
how to use his fame to his best advantage. He became friendly with the
pop-rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders, and reportedly moved in with
the band for a time. He discovered hard drugs in the mid-1960s, an
unfortunate obsession that would dog him for many years to come.
For a while, at his parents' insistence, he attempted living with his
sister in Jamaica, where he tried his hand at painting. But he couldn't
abstain from drug use. He returned to Los Angeles at age 22,
where he was married briefly. Then, to support himself, he started dealing
illegal drugs. Even worse, later he was convicted of breaking into
pharmacies, and was sentenced to a year in jail.
After being incarcerated, Stanley tried his hand at being a roofer,
waiter and janitor before descending back into drug use, particularly
heroin. He was in and out of rehab centers for many years, eventually
getting sober in 1995. He managed to turn his life around, and
finally conquered his addictions, without any relapses. But,
unfortunately, he had already contracted hepatitis C.
Eventually Stanley re-established a relationship with a daughter who he
hadn't seen in twenty years, and became close to his nephew, Dez Fafara,
of the rock band Coal Chamber. He also kept in contact with other child
actors who were in recovery, and helped fellow addicts stay clean
and sober. He started a business designing web sites, and was beginning
to have some success. At the time of his death he had a flat in
Portland's Mark Harfield Building, an apartment complex created for
people in recovery from addiction.
Stanley Fafara was given two well-attended funerals.