Joseph Douglas Vieira (April 8, 1944 – April 7, 2025), known as Joey D. Vieira, was an American film and television actor. He began as a child actor using the professional name Donald Keeler playing Sylvester "Porky" Brockway in the first several seasons (1954–57) of ''

Lassie Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a 1938 short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a 1940 full-length novel, '' Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with anot ...

''. Vieira borrowed the professional surname from his aunt,

Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was a Canadian and American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly '' 42nd Street'' ( ...

, star of numerous

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

musicals in the 1930s. His other early television appearances included recurring roles in ''The Pride of the Family'' and ''Hank'', and guest appearances in ''

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis ''The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'' (also known as simply ''Dobie Gillis'' or ''Max Shulmans Dobie Gillis'' in later seasons and in syndication) is an American sitcom starring Dwayne Hickman that aired on CBS from September 29, 1959, to June 5, 1 ...

'', ''

Shirley Temple's Storybook ''Shirley Temple's Storybook'' is a 1958–61 American children's anthology series hosted and narrated by actress Shirley Temple. The series features adaptations of fairy tales like Mother Goose and other family-oriented stories performed by we ...

'', and ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...

''. Later in his career he appeared in episodes of ''

Moonlighting Moonlighting may refer to: * Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment Entertainment * ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski * ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...

'', ''

Remington Steele ''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on NBC from October 1, 1982, ...

,'' and '' Married...With Children''. His film appearances include ''

The Private War of Major Benson ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1955) with

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...

, and '' The Patriot'' (2000) with

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Mel Gibson, multiple accolades, he is known for directing historical films as well for his act ...

in which he played as Peter Howard. Vieira also wrote, produced, and directed. He also had a music career in the 1970s and 1980s. One of his songs was sampled by the

Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...

song "911/Mr.Lonely" on his album ''

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''.

Personal life and death

In addition to being the nephew of the late

, he was the older half-brother of the late child actor

Ken Weatherwax Kenneth Patrick Weatherwax (September 29, 1955 – December 7, 2014) was an American child actor best known for having played Pugsley Addams on ''The Addams Family''. Early life Weatherwax was born in Los Angeles into a show-business family. His ...

, widely known for portraying

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on the 1960s television sitcom ''

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''. Viera died following a long illness while receiving

hospice care Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...

, on April 7, 2025, the day before his 81st birthday.

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1955) – Cadet Cpl. Scawalski *''

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' is a 1969 American comedy-drama film directed by Paul Mazursky, written by Mazursky and Larry Tucker (screenwriter), Larry Tucker, who also produced the film, and starring Natalie Wood, Robert Culp, Elliott Gould, ...

'' (1969) – Dishwasher (uncredited) *''

Evel Knievel Robert Craig Knievel (October 17, 1938November 30, 2007), known professionally as Evel Knievel (), was an American stunt performer and entertainer. Throughout his career, he attempted List of Evel Knievel career jumps, more than 75 ramp-to-ra ...

'' (1971) – Lunch Truck Driver *''Wooju heukgisa'' (1979) – (English version, voice) *''

Monaco Forever ''Monaco Forever'' is a 1984 American film directed by William A. Levey and starring Charles Pitt as an American jewel thief in Monaco. Michael (Pitt) is trying to set up a robbery of a jewel store, and runs into various characters along the way. ...

'' (1984) – Narrator *''

Ferris Bueller's Day Off ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' is a 1986 American Teen film, teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes (filmmaker), John Hughes. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck, with supporting roles from Jenn ...

'' (1986) – Pizza Man *''

Red Heat '' Red heat'' is a practice of using colours to determine the temperature of metal Red Heat may also refer to: * ''Red Heat'' (1985 film), a 1985 film starring Linda Blair * ''Red Heat'' (1988 film), a 1988 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger a ...

'' (1988) – Man at Phone Booth *'' Love, Cheat & Steal'' (1993) – Bullet Head #1 *''Me and the Gods'' (1997) – Dionysus *''

Free Enterprise In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any ot ...

'' (1998) – Hal Pittman *''Grizzly Adams and the Legend of Dark Mountain'' (1999) – Joey Butterworth *'' The Patriot'' (2000) – Peter Howard *''Nebraska'' (2001) – Fat Sam *''Fuel'' (2008) – Floyd Miller *''Dwegons And Leprechauns'' (2014) – Davargan / Yabo Potato / Sweetfang / Clyde (voice)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vieira, Joey D. 1944 births 2025 deaths American male child actors American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Los Angeles