Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Juanita Katt (also listed in some notices as Juanita King) |
| Born | Early 1950s; often cited as 1953 (not publicly confirmed) |
| Parents | Barbara Hale (1922–2017) and Bill Williams (1915–1992) |
| Siblings | William Katt (b. 1951), Johanna “Jody” Katt |
| Family Notability | Member of the Hale–Williams Hollywood family |
| Known For | Maintaining a private life outside the spotlight |
| Public Mentions | Family obituaries, archival photos, retrospective features |
| Location | California; Van Nuys noted in family notices |
Origins and the Family Arc
In Hollywood’s long-running storybook, the Hale–Williams family fits neatly into a familiar chapter: two working actors meet, marry, and build a home while navigating the flicker of studio lights. Barbara Hale—best remembered as Perry Mason’s steadfast colleague Della Street—married Bill Williams in 1946, a union that proved both enduring and emblematic of mid-century screen life. Together they raised three children: Jody, William, and Juanita.
Juanita Katt’s place in this constellation is distinct. While her brother William stepped onto center stage with The Greatest American Hero and an array of film roles, Juanita chose the quiet lanes. Her name appears in family snapshots, in the plain language of memorial notices, and in the soft edges of retrospectives. Publicly, she occupies the perimeter—present, acknowledged, and decidedly private.
The cadence of family time is marked by a few clear dates. Barbara Hale, born in 1922, lived to 94, her life and work celebrated widely in 2017. Bill Williams, born in 1915, died in 1992, remembered for television roles like The Adventures of Kit Carson. Their marriage in June 1946 framed a household where careers rose and settled, and children grew under both studio glare and the ordinary rhythms of home.
The Many Names: Katt and King
Names are threads in family history, sometimes knotted, sometimes re-spun. Juanita’s surname is most often rendered as Katt—a lineage marker, since Bill Williams was born Herman August Wilhelm Katt. In some public family notices, Juanita is listed as Juanita King, a likely married form. The dual rendering underscores a simple truth: over time, families change, and names travel with them. For those looking from outside, both appear; for those inside, they denote the same person, anchored to the same family.
A Sibling Spotlight: William Katt
William Katt, born in 1951, stepped into a career familiar to his parents—acting on screen and stage. Audiences know his easy charisma and rangy career, from cult television to genre films. In that public narrative, he is frequently linked back to family: son of Barbara Hale and Bill Williams, brother to Jody and Juanita. His visibility amplifies the family’s profile, but it doesn’t rewrite Juanita’s choice. If William took the open road, Juanita walked a footpath shaded by trees.
Family at a Glance
| Name | Relation | Notability | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara Hale | Mother | Emmy-winning actress, Perry Mason’s Della Street | 1922–2017 |
| Bill Williams (Herman A. W. Katt) | Father | Actor, The Adventures of Kit Carson | 1915–1992 |
| Johanna “Jody” Katt | Sister | Private profile | b. late 1940s |
| William Katt | Brother | Actor, The Greatest American Hero | b. 1951 |
| Juanita Katt | Subject | Private profile; occasionally listed as Juanita King | b. early 1950s |
Milestones and Moments
A life can be traced in dates—wedding days, birth announcements, farewells. For Juanita, those markers sit within the broader timeline of her family.
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| June 22, 1946 | Marriage of Barbara Hale and Bill Williams | A screen-world partnership that became a family of five |
| Late 1940s–1950s | Family years in the studio era | Archival photos show the children as the parents’ careers blossomed |
| 1951 | Birth of William Katt | The sibling most publicly visible |
| Early 1950s | Birth of Juanita | Commonly cited as 1953; the exact date is not widely confirmed |
| 1992 | Death of Bill Williams | Remembered for TV westerns and postwar roles |
| January 2017 | Death of Barbara Hale | Tributes note her three children: Jody/Johanna, William, and Juanita |
Choosing Privacy in a Public Family
Hollywood’s gravity pulls some people toward its center. Others set their own orbits. Juanita Katt’s public footprint is light—mentioned in the contexts that naturally include family but not in the audience-facing credit rolls that define a public career. Privacy can be a difficult choice in a famous household. It’s also a profound assertion: a life lived for itself, not for the marquee.
Even so, the outline of her story is clear. She belongs to one of television’s most recognizable family trees, and she is part of the generational passage from studio-system parents to the media-savvy children of the 1970s and ’80s. Her path remained personal, almost intentionally understated, like a lighthouse that signals home rather than spectacle.
The Hale–Williams Legacy
Barbara Hale’s portrayal of Della Street left an imprint on TV history: competence, loyalty, and quiet strength. Bill Williams’s work stitched into the fabric of postwar television. Their children inherited more than fame; they inherited a family narrative that values craft, continuity, and the freedom to define one’s public life—or keep it unpublic. Juanita’s role in that legacy is essential, if not performative. Families need anchors as much as headliners.
The Hale–Williams story is also a snapshot of mid-century Hollywood domestic life: two careers unfolding amid changing studios, rising television, and the evolving expectations placed on public families. Look closely and the pattern emerges—a mother who worked steadily and won an Emmy, a father who headlined a classic TV western, and children who chose varied lanes. In that tapestry, Juanita is a quiet thread, but threads hold fabric together.
FAQ
Who is Juanita Katt?
She is one of the three children of actors Barbara Hale and Bill Williams, and a sibling of actor William Katt.
Is Juanita Katt related to William Katt?
Yes, she is his sister.
Did Juanita Katt pursue an acting career?
No widely documented acting credits have been publicly attributed to her.
Why is Juanita sometimes listed as “Juanita King”?
That form appears in some family notices and likely reflects a married name.
What is known about Juanita’s birth year?
She is widely cited as being born in the early 1950s, often noted as 1953, though exact public confirmation is limited.
Where has Juanita been mentioned publicly?
Primarily in family obituaries, retrospectives, and archival photograph captions.
Does Juanita maintain public social media?
There is no clearly verified public social-media presence attributed to her.
What did her parents do?
Barbara Hale was an Emmy-winning actress best known for Perry Mason, and Bill Williams was a television and film actor recognized for The Adventures of Kit Carson.
How many siblings does Juanita have?
Two: Johanna “Jody” Katt and William Katt.
What defines the Hale–Williams family legacy?
A blend of Hollywood craftsmanship, enduring roles, and the freedom for family members to choose public lives—or private paths.
