Keeping Up With Kathy - Spring 2026

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Keeping Up with Kathy. 2026 Grammy Award Nominee! | Spring 2026, No. 29 | 60 Years | Family Affair | 1966-2026

THERE IS SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE IN 2026!

It is hard to believe that 2026 marks the 60th Anniversary of the debut of Family Affair! As if that by itself is reason enough to celebrate, there is so much more on Kathy’s calendar this year – it is Kathy’s Diamond Anniversary Celebration Year – all year long!

KATHY CELEBRATED AT THE GRAMMYS AND THE OSCARS!

GRAMMY AWARD NOMINEE KATHY GARVER

Kathy’s year began with her stunning appearance when she accepted her nomination for the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for her interpretation of Carol Connors’ exciting memoir, Elvis, Rocky and Me.

OSCAR LEGACY AWARD NOMINEE
KATHY GARVER

Then it was on to the Oscars! Kathy was a guest at powerhouse Hollywood publicist Charmaine Blake’s at the Sofitel Hotel in Beverly Hills on Oscar Night, March 15, 2026. This is much more than a viewing party; the Charmaine Blake Star-Studded Red Carpet Oscar Viewing Gala is designed as both a glamorous celebration and a meaningful philanthropic initiative, and it puts the spotlight on excellence in film and television while raising awareness and support for the Faber Ryan Youth Foundation. At the center of this extraordinary evening, Kathy was honored to present the Legacy Award to acclaimed actor Eric Roberts, whose career spans decades of performances across film and television.

Kathy received the Golden Era of Hollywood Award, recognizing her iconic contributions to both classic and contemporary entertainment. Beloved for her starring role in Family Affair, her remarkable career also includes starring as the voice actor for Firestar on the classic animated hit Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, appearances in the Superman television franchises, and an extensive body of film, television, and voice acting work spanning multiple generations. TV icon and close friend Stanley Livingston (My Three Sons) presented the award.

THE PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY OF KATHY’S
BIG BREAK!

Has it already been 70 years? 2026 is the Platinum Anniversary for the release of Cecil B. DeMille’s grand masterpiece The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston. Kathy attended a special Easter showing of this iconic and epic movie classic. Director DeMille discovered a very young Kathy when she was slated to be one of the many extras in the movie, but he was so moved and delighted with her performance that he wrote special lines for her to share with Heston’s character Moses, the hero of the story.

ROMANCING WITH THE STARS IS A BIG HIT!

Valentine’s Day saw the release of Kathy’s new book Romancing with the Stars – Inspiring Hollywood Love Stories. Kathy’s coauthor Doug Hartline joined Kathy at her lovely home in Bell Canyon, California, for the official launch of the book. Early reviews and sales have been very strong, and the book is lauded for exploring enduring Hollywood love stories and the qualities that have made them last for decades. Longevity in relationships is not as rare as you think in Hollywood, and readers are delighted to learn so much of wonderful romantic stories of their favorite celebrities.

Buy your copy now!

Hard Cover $76.00

Soft Cover $64.00

FAMILY AFFAIR’S DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY IS THIS SEPTEMBER, AND THE CELEBRATIONS
BEGIN SOON!

While celebrations marking the 60th Anniversary of Family Affair will be ongoing all year, Kathy already has several appearances lined up starting in September, and the party will continue well into 2027. A complete list of upcoming appearances marking this amazing milestone will be in our Summer 2026 newsletter, so watch for that!

COMING MAY 29 -30 – THE FABULOUS HOLLYWOOD SHOW RETURNS TO LOS ANGELES MARRIOTT BURBANK
AIRPORT HOTEL

One of Kathy’s favorite shows is the annual Hollywood Show in Burbank, and this year it will happen the Friday and Saturday AFTER Memorial Day. Click here for information and tickets. The show returns to the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, and Kathy will be joined by all your favorite stars of film and TV!

Look for Kathy’s new banner (created by Mary Pomarico) to find her, and click the link below to see the new video promotion for this year’s show!

Video promotional: Come Meet Kathy at The HOLLYWOOD SHOW

KATHY GARVER at the HOLLYWOOD SHOW
Video Promotional

KATHY WILL CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY AS SHE IS AWARDED THE COVETED MARGARET O’BRIEN LEGACY AWARD!

Spring is barely blooming, and Kathy is already looking ahead to her birthday on December 13th. Kathy will be accepting the treasured Margaret O’Brien Legacy Award at the Mary Pickford Theater in Rancho Mirage, California. Margaret O’Brien is noted as one of the first major child stars in the movies in the 1940s – she was awarded a special Oscar as Most Outstanding Child Actress of 1944 for her role in Meet Me in St. Louis. This event is produced by Stephen Roche and Paul Belsito of The Filmmakers Gallery.

KATHY JETTED OFF TO CHINA TO FILM A NEW TYPE OF STREAMING SHOW –
THE VERTICAL DRAMA!

Kathy’s travels this year have already taken her to Shanghai, China, where she filmed an innovative new form of drama series called a Vertical drama. Vertical dramas are 9:16 portrait-mode, short-form streaming shows, typically featuring 1–3 minute, high-paced episodes designed for smartphone binge-watching.

Verticals are popular on apps like ReelShort and DramaBox; they are micro-dramas that often focus on romance, revenge, and melodrama. The target audience of Verticals cater to younger audiences, and they often end with explosive cliffhangers! She was able to shoot in their new studios. It’s become billion-dollar business, and she was thrilled to take part in it.

She returned to Los Angeles so she could shoot another Vertical called Rhythm of the Heart. Production is taking place in April, and it is produced by Holy Water Productions for Fox.

KATHY TRAVELS THE USA!

Kathy has been doing many podcasts, radio and television appearances recognizing her career anniversaries, books, and overall legacy. Upcoming appearances:

The Happy Trails Film and Television Festival 2026 is scheduled for June 26-28, 2026, in Salem, Virginia, at CommUNITY Church. This event focuses on celebrating Western film and TV stars, featuring workshops on acting, stunt work, and author panels. Guests and activities include Spice Williams-Crosby films, a Writers Panel, and a banquet. She will be traveling with Dreama Denver, Bob Denver‘s wife, and they will be signing their books. Watch for Dreama’s Three Bears in a Box, and Kathy will have her many best-sellers on hand, including the newest one, Romancing with the Stars – Inspiring Hollywood Love Stories.
Kathy will be traveling to meet fans in person at a series of bookstores in Virginia, Tennessee and Ohio this summer – look for announcements soon on her website and the Summer newsletter.

OUT AND ABOUT WITH KATHY

Kathy never has a dull moment, and she is appreciative for all the events to which she is invited to participate. More fun with Kathy!

It is always fun at the iconic Hollywood Heritage Museum! Kathy signed her books for a private party of 200 members of the TMC (Turner Movie Classics) group.
Kathy attended the openings of a pair of exhibits at the Hollywood Museum: the Laurel and Hardy exhibit, as well as the Black History Month exhibit.
Kathy is looking forward to attending the Hollywood show at the end of May – see the video preview linked here.
Kathy attended a Motion Pictures Mothers Club luncheon with Jerry Mathers and his wife Marilyn.

As if the 60th and 70th anniversaries of Kathy’s biggest projects are hitting at the same time, this is coincidentally also the 45th Anniversary of Marvel’s Spiderman and his Amazing Friends. Kathy gained a whole new generation of fans with her voice portrayal of Firestar, and the show, originally airing on NBC’s Saturday Morning line-up in 1981, continues to gain new fans as it is currently playing on the Disney Channel.

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Kathy is doing a special interview with Ed Gross for Women’s World magazine online, and it is focusing on classic TV. You may be able to find this interview later in May on the Women’s World website.

One of Kathy’s sleeper hits of the past several years is her appearance on the popular series of ClearCaptions telephone commercials. Recently, she caught up with her TV husband, played by Patrick Finerty, and director Danny Arroyo at a TV Academy showing of IT: Welcome to Derry.

KATHY’S DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY CONTINUES WITH A NUMBER OF UPCOMING FILM PROJECTS!

THE EMPTY CHURCH

Kathy has another movie hit on her hands with The Empty Church, in which also stars Nick Hardin. John Norton produced and directed the movie.. The film just won 3 awards at the Christian Film Festival, including Best Film, Best Actor (for Nick Hardin), and Best Supporting Actor to Shannon Brown. Look for The Empty Church to appear on streaming platforms later this Spring.

POLYANNA’S WISH

Kathy is happy to announce that she is moving closer to production on her long-awaited film Pollyanna’s Wish. Production is expected to start in late May or early June in Australia. The movie is based on the very popular series of Pollyanna books that were released in the early- to -mid 20th Century by award-winning author Elanor H. Porter. The first book in 1913 spurred 12 sequels over the years. Kathy is playing Mrs. Snow, a cantankerous invalid whose heart is ultimately warmed by Pollyanna.

GUS

Kathy’s much-anticipated new fantasy comedy-drama Gus is coming this Summer. Kathy creates a magical role as Mrs. Magic in The Angus Benefield-written theatrical release that tells the story of what happens when a down-on-his-luck ventriloquist acquires a dummy that is alive! While at first it seems all his dreams are about to come true, his jealous rival ventriloquist has other ideas!

Gus is directed by Ellory Elkayem, and it also stars Jon Heder.

THE THING ABOUT PICKLES

Shannon Brown is the producer and director of Kathy’s long-awaited film The Thing About Pickles. This has been a long time coming, and Kathy promises it will be worth the wait. Look for it by the end of the year.

Filming is almost complete on The Thing About Pickles, starring Kathy Garver, directed by Shannon Brown, and co-starring Shannon’s wife Suzette Brown and character actress Dee Wallace. This heartfelt drama explores how a family reacts and adjusts to the news that their father has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia.

The film is set in rural Indiana, and the Hollywood trade magazines are excited about this new family drama/mystery movie as it is completed in post-production. Kathy describes the movie as “a drama that explores family dynamics, mystery and heartfelt stories.” She also says that she is enjoying the opportunity to film her projects on location in many states in the East, including Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, Florida and others. “The current wave of projects being produced outside of Hollywood lets me meet fans I normally wouldn’t get a chance to meet!”

A MOTHER’S CHRISTMAS

Kathy loves Christmas, so it is no wonder why she is so excited about her starring role in Adam Rivera’s much-anticipated A Mother’s Christmas, now in pre-production. Shooting will start in late Spring. Kathy will travel to Deltona, Florida, to assume her role as Abigail, who wonders if she will spend Christmas alone, or will her wish of having her whole family together for Christmas come true?

Kathy says, "Right now, my heart is in this project! It's a beautifully written, heartfelt story with some wonderful comedic moments that I think will really resonate with everyone. It truly shares the magic of the season!”

The film’s release is planned just in time for the 2026 holiday season. “I'm so inspired by this script,” adds Kathy. “It is a powerful reminder to never give up hope when you are chasing your dreams.”

WHERE THE SWEETGRASS GROWS

Where the Sweetgrass Grows is a new project directed by Cecile Cinco and written by Tommy Anderson, Cecile Cinco and Lori Roberts. Kathy stars with Allison Victoria-Wolfe and Sonny King, and the story is that of a psychic journalist who finds himself in an eerie mystery when the spirits of long-lost, missing girls suddenly start reaching out decades after they were declared dead. The buried secrets in a Southern town becomes a race against time to solve the mystery before someone else disappears. Filming starts after the holidays in the Carolinas.

SURGE OF DAWN IN PRE-PRODUCTION

Grammy-nominated Kathy will be lending her voice as the title character in Surge of Dawn, the next chapter of Vince Roth’s Surge of Power film series and the award-winning web series, Alex Fernandez’s Dawn. The story features Cinema’s first out gay superhero, Surge, who returns for a crossover event in Surge of Dawn. Surge must team up with an unlikely hero – the vampire witch who works for God, named Dawn. Kathy has already worked with Vince in Surge of Power and can’t wait to start this project! Watch this space as more information becomes available.

ABOUT THE MOVIE: Dawn and Surge must work together to save Big City from a new villain, Blackout, an evil necromancer out for revenge against the city that allowed her daughter to get killed by a school shooter. Blackout now seeks to destroy Surge, annihilate Big City and gain a seat on The Council – a powerful supervillain community bent on world conquest. Even combining their might, are Dawn and Surge enough to turn the tides against the forces of evil?

Surge of Dawn runs 46 minutes and features special guest stars Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura from Star Trek) returning as Omen, Joseph Culp (Doctor Doom from Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four) returning as Spade, Michael Gray (Billy Batson from the SHAZAM! TV show) returning as reporter Will E. Bee, and Shannon Farnon (Wonder Woman from the Super Friends cartoon) returning as MAVIS.

Watch the trailer here!

KATHY LENDS HER VOICE TO AN EXCITING PODCAST THRILLER!

SHE GOES BY JANE

The Story of Tammy Lynn Leppert: The Actress Who Vanished\An Unsolved Florida Disappearance with guest reader Kathy Garver

If you grew up in the 1980s, you may have seen Tammy Lynn Leppert without ever knowing her name. A model, aspiring actress, and rising presence in Hollywood, Tammy appeared in films like Scarface and Spring Break. With her striking look and growing momentum, 1983 was supposed to be the year everything changed.

Instead, it became the year she disappeared.

She Goes by Jane is a true crime podcast focusing on the stories of missing and unidentified women in America, highlighting their lives rather than just the violence against them. Hosted by Aimée Baker and Vanessa Cicarelli, the podcast features original poetry and has over 100 episodes, including in-depth looks at cases like Tammy Lynn Leppert and the Texas Killing Fields.

COMING THIS SPRING!
KATCH
KATHY’S KATCHY KLASSICS

Kathy‘s new podcast with Larry da Silva Katchy Klassics is nearing its debut and the excitement grows!

Katchy Klassics with Kathy & Larry is an upcoming audio and video podcast Kathy and broadcaster Larry Dasilva. The show features interviews with entertainment industry legends and classic TV rewatches, and it is coming to Spotify and YouTube. Pre-production begins in May. Katchy Klassics will feature interviews with notable entertainers from the world of film, television, stage, and music.

KATHY MOURNS THE LOSS OF FRIEND CHUCK NORRIS

It is with deep sadness that Kathy marks the passing of her dear friend Chuck Norris, an amazing American actor, martial artist and powerful force of nature, on March 19, 2026. Chuck was in Hawaii when a sudden medical emergency led to his sad death. He had just celebrated his 86th birthday, and friends and family surrounded him during his final hours.

Kathy worked with Chuck as a voice actor for his animated television series Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos in 1986. Kathy co-starred as Pepper, and she still recalls the first time she met this dynamo at his studio in El Segundo. Kathy recalls that Chuck taught her how to break a balsa board with her hand – what a thrill! Chuck Norris will be greatly missed.

GET READY FOR A YEAR OF NEW SURPRISES AND CLASSIC COLLECTIBLES DURING KATHY’S DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY YEAR!

As summer approaches, get ready for a number of new surprises marking the many anniversaries commemorating major milestones in Kathy’s lifetime career. The Ten Commandments turns 70, Family Affair turns 60, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends turns 45, and Kathy stays forever young!

Kathy’s darling collection of Mrs. Beasley ornaments and dolls sell out early every year, and demand is sure to be even higher with new collectibles being released soon! There is still time to get the current collection before they sell out. Visit Kathy’s website now and avoid missing out on any of these cherished treasures.

Kathy’s book collection added an exciting new volume this year with Romancing with the Stars – Inspiring Hollywood Love Stories. Available in both hard cover and paperback, find out why so many people embrace this warm collection of love stories as both a work of inspiration as well as a how-to book that tells you how you can experience similar romantic escapades as your favorite stars!

It’s also a good time to take a trip down memory lane with The Family Affair Scrapbook and X Child Stars – Where Are They Now? Visit www.kathygarver.com today and get a head start on your summer reading collection.

A co-production with

Newsletter Spring 2026