A View from the Abbey: Discussion with Walt Willey and Sarah Kaine, “Art in Our Lives”
Sun, Oct 18
|The Abbey
Ottawa native Walt Willey will join us to have a conversation about his wide ranging career in television, movies and visual artist. Doors open at 1:30 PM $10 suggested donation at the door Art Exhibit Opening Reception following, featuring the artworks of Walt Willey and Keith Johnson
Time & Location
Oct 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CDT
The Abbey, 113 E Lafayette St, Ottawa, IL 61350, USA
About the event
Born in Ottawa, Illinois, Walt Willey attended Southern Illinois University, where he majored in Fine Arts. It was during his time at college that he became involved in acting, performing major roles in several productions. In 1981, Walt left Illinois for New York to break into acting professionally.
After numerous Off-Broadway productions, including Dust Off with Dan Lauria, and stints on NBC's Another World as "James La Russo", and "Joe Novak" on ABC's Ryan's Hope, Walt joined the cast of ABC's All My Children in 1987, playing the role of lawyer "Jackson Montgomery" until the show's demise in 2011.
Walt branched out into stand-up comedy in 1990 entertaining across the country, headlining at such famous comedy clubs as Caroline's in New York, Zanies in Chicago, and the Comedy Store in California. Friend and fellow comic, The View's Joy Behar, proposed him for membership into the famous Friars Club. Walt joined the likes…