WILLIE AAMES
Willie Aames is a rare entertainment commodity. He is an actor, writer, producer, director, creative force, and ordained Christian Minister. He began as a child star at the age of nine and has been working ever since. TV fans will forever remember Willie for his long-running role as Tommy Bradford on the hit series ‘Eight Is Enough’, where he grew from childhood to teen heartthrob in front of viewer’s eyes. The very name ‘Willie Aames’ has become a staple in the entertainment industry, having appeared in Disney movies and such TV favorites as ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Swiss Family Robinson’, ‘The Odd Couple’, ‘Family’, and over thirteen additional network series. Willie’s comedic portrayal of Buddy Lembeck on another hit TV series, ‘Charles In Charge’, garnered high ratings as well as acclaim from his peers.
As an actor, Willie has been cast successfully as characters ranging from romantic lead to heavy drama, light-hearted comedy, to supporting roles. It was while he appeared as a Special Guest Star on a Turner Broadcasting sit-com, ‘Rocky Road’, that Willie met his wife Maylo. The couple gave themselves to Jesus Christ in baptism on their wedding day. A year after the birth of their daughter, they moved to the Midwest and dedicated themselves to the Word of God. Willie then spent the next fifteen years writing, producing, and directing hundreds of videos for fortune five hundred companies all over the world. In addition he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the platinum award-winning Christian video series, ‘Bibleman’. Willie also toured the nation as ‘Bibleman’ in the live show that ministered to well over 400,000 children every year for the last decade.
Most recently Willie has created yet another Christian video series. ‘The Public Life of Sissy Pike’, stars Willie’s real-life daughter, Harleigh Jean, and wife, Maylo, who plays Sissy’s mother. Willie also appears as Sissy’s Pastor Father. ‘The Public Life of Sissy Pike’ is currently sold in Christian bookstores throughout the nation.
MAYLO UPTON
Prior to her marriage to television star Willie Aames of Eight Is Enough and Charles In Charge fame, Maylo built a solid 15 year career in the television industry as an actress. Fans of the Soap Opera, Santa Barbara will recognize Maylo for her long running role on that show. She was also in demand as Special Guest Star for such recognizable TV hits as The A Team, Hardcastle and McCormick, Blue Thunder, Riptide, Hunter and many other popular shows of the day until Willie Aames was booked for a one-time appearance on her own Turner Broadcasting sit-com, Rocky Road. It may have been love at first sight, but the aspiring couple faced obstacles in their relationship from the start. Maylo’s life story was a universe away from Willie’s. While he had known childhood stardom and fame, Maylo had struggled almost from birth. Enduring physical and sexual abuse, drugs, life on the streets, and finally her acceptance of Jesus Christ as her Savior. Maylo Upton is a welcomed addition to women’s conferences and events. Her personal testimony of desperation and heartbreak followed by salvation and commitment to a life in Christ is both appalling and uplifting and has been featured at Christian events as well as many Christian broadcasts and magazines. As Willies wife Maylo was one of the driving forces behind “Bibleman” Willie’s highly successful video series.
Aside from motherhood and marriage, Maylo’s focus these days is working with her husband and teen daughter, Harleigh Jean, on a new video series ‘The Public Life of Sissy Pike’ distributed by Tommy Nelson Publishing, a long time leader in the Christian marketplace. You may also find Maylo in Christian bookstores around the nation in 2007 with a newly published biography co-authored with her husband Willie Aames.
