J.P. Sloane

When Annette Funicello and Sloane were 17 years old, she was made "The Sweetheart of the San Fernando Valley Mayors." It was Sloane's honor to escort her to the award ceremony. Annette would also appear with Sloane later in a television special titled An Evening at the Inn (1962).

Even though he received no on-screen credit for his role as "Billy Kettle" in Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (1951), he is probably the one most remembered portraying that part. Sloane is also one of the youngest actors to have ever been under contract to Universal Pictures. Notwithstanding the "Official Kettle Family Portrait" , director Edward Sedgwick insisted that the young Sloane be the only child used exclusively for publicity pictures promoting the film.

Beginning in 1947, Sloane was a "Meglin Kiddie" and also began a five year run on his parent's television show, "Memory Lane.

J. P. Sloane was born on September 6, 1942 in the USA.

As it happened his birthday also fell on the same day as the WWII famous Flying Tigers General, Claire Chennault (September 6, 1893 - July 27, 1958). Because of the close relationship of Sloane's parents (his farther, Jimmie Jackson wrote the Tigers "Fight Song," and his mother, Anita Coleman, was the original "Sweetheart of the Flying Tigers) he was made the "Mascot of the Flying Tigers" when he was born. J. P. Sloane began singing at age three on his father's Hollywood, Warner Brothers radio show, and later at age four was on his father's KGIL radio show, "Rhythm Ranch. " When J. P. Sloane was age five he was a guest on, Art Linkletter's "Kids Say the Direst Things," (NBC).