From the NYdailynews.....pretty recent article.

From TV to IV

Cupcakes and cookies used to be the treats Barbara

Billingsley served Jerry Mathers and Stanley Fafara when she played June Cleaver and they were Theodore Cleaver and his pal Whitey on "Leave It to Beaver."

But Fafara's tastes later turned to something riskier than calories: heroin.

"Anyone who knew me knew I was hell on wheels," the 52-year-old former junkie tells us. "I was 14 when I started sipping [alcohol]. I didn't shoot heroin until I was 24. There was also a lot of cocaine."

Fafara knew there was trouble when "I couldn't even shoot my last bag of dope. I was waking up to paramedics shocking me, and I threw up all over them."

His love life wasn't much better. "I got a girl pregnant back in the '60s," he recalls. "I was married once. I kept getting locked up." He served a year in jail for breaking into pharmacies to steal drugs.

Fafara, now a Web designer in Portland, Ore., says he's been clean and sober since Aug. 22, 1995, and is working on a memoir.

I apologize if this has been posted already.

I just mean to say that I seriously CANNOT see this at all.

It just seems so surreal. I mean I know he said it was true, but I still cant see it.

I can't wait for Stanley Fafara's bio. Sounds like he is doing superbly and I think he looks wonderful, a very handsome guy.

Well, that's the NY daily news for ya,

It is true but they just like dirt. Even the National Enquirer story was better then this little blurb. The fact is I am reunited with my daughter and am blessed with a grand-daughter and as far as the NY daily news goes. Well. they can kiss my A____. They didn't even pay for that story. By the way this is "Whitey" from the show and when the whole story is out, (if I can find a writer that wants to keep up with me.) then you'll here a tragic, yet beautiful story with me blaming absolutely no one. I have inegrity now although it wasn't always that way.

Stanley Fafara "Whitey"

Mr. Fafara,
My gosh. They actually wrote that story without paying for it? I hate that you went through all that and that they had to drag your private business out for the whole country to see. It was none of their business, and I personally don't like reading "dirt" about actors, especially actors I know of and like! I just want to say I'm sorry about all the crap you've obviously had to deal with and I respect you for coming out of your problems, from what you've said, a better person. I'm glad to hear everything is going well for you now.
I hope everything continues to go well for you in the future.

Brittany

That's awful that those people have to write about that without paying for it. I'm sorry to hear about that. It seems like you're handling it pretty well, though. I can't handle when bad things are said about me in just regular life, but in a newspaper or magazine that would be worse for me! That's one reason I could never become famous- I couldn't handle all of the negative gossip about me in the media. It's a shame people have to do that to anyone. Glad things are going better for you and that you are blessed to be reunited with your daughter and a granddaughter! :) How old is your granddaughter?

It's unfortunate that publications like this feel the need to boost their readership by running sensationalistic stories about the problems of people who overcame those problems long ago. I would guess that they did no new research at all, but just copied earlier materials. If they felt they had to do this kind of story, they should have given Stanley a chance to comment. I guess that famous people have to endure a lot of irresponsible, unkind, attention from the media. Thank you for continuing to post here Stanley. It's an honor for us to be able to talk with you.

Mr. Farfara,

It's wonderful to hear that you are clean and sober! :) I think its terrible the way the "trash papers" just make up news about celebrities and that people buy it...and BELIEVE it!
I wish all of you all that were characters on LITB could get back together for a reunion show. That would be great!
Did you have a brother that was also a character on the show?

Well,

The National Enquirer did pay and it isn't a bad story. Sure it says some things about my past but we held them accountable for what they wrote and I got a read back. As far as the NY daily news goes, I had spoken with them and trusted they would say something nice. Oh well, it goes with the territory. That couple that wrote it are really jerks in my book, but that's just part of show business today. It sure wasn't when I was working on Leave it to Beaver though.

Some people I guess just have to belittle others to make them seem superior and let's face it just take a look at the news and you can tell the world seems to be really into other peoples plight.

That's sad but true for those that make a living at it. I ask myself sometimes how they live with themselves. God only knows. I know they must hide under layers of justification for their actions, but at one time in my life so did I. Let them write, it doesn't bother me much at all but it does make me feel sad at times. No wonder most BIG stars don't even read it.

And yes my real brother played Tooey in the show. He is a great actor and I hope to see him soon. Very talented man.

Pray for peace!



"Whitey"

It must be something of a drag to be a public figure and used by the media to sell papers based on negative and sensationalistic reporting, but you seem to have a pretty mature attitude about it and be reconciled to the fact that it goes with the territory. The up side is that all of the "Leave it to Beaver" fans like us love you and wish you the best of luck for all your future endeavors.

:faint:W-w-w-h-h-i-tey! OMG!

Originally posted by theyoungestguy
Well,

The National Enquirer did pay and it isn't a bad story. Sure it says some things about my past but we held them accountable for what they wrote and I got a read back. As far as the NY daily news goes, I had spoken with them and trusted they would say something nice. Oh well, it goes with the territory. That couple that wrote it are really jerks in my book, but that's just part of show business today. It sure wasn't when I was working on Leave it to Beaver though.

Some people I guess just have to belittle others to make them seem superior and let's face it just take a look at the news and you can tell the world seems to be really into other peoples plight.

That's sad but true for those that make a living at it. I ask myself sometimes how they live with themselves. God only knows. I know they must hide under layers of justification for their actions, but at one time in my life so did I. Let them write, it doesn't bother me much at all but it does make me feel sad at times. No wonder most BIG stars don't even read it.

And yes my real brother played Tooey in the show. He is a great actor and I hope to see him soon. Very talented man.

Pray for peace!



"Whitey"

So very nice to hear from you again Stanley Fafara. I am about the same age as you and grew up with your charactor in the series. Its great to see that you've overcome the troubles you had. That shows tremendous inner strenght on your part and has given you the tools needed to take on whatever you face in the future. Please say hi to your brother for us. I recall one episode where he was trimming the hedges for him Mom and had them looking like a roller coaster. Another episode I recall with Tooey is when the Beave thought he had found a garnet mine. Take care Stan and know that there are many of us out there that look upon you as a close friend ever though we've never met in person.

Sincerely,

George