Johnny Washbrook

John "Johnny" Washbrook
Washbrook as Ken McLaughlin.
Born	(1944-10-16) October 16, 1944 (age 72) Toronto, Ontario
Residence	Edgartown, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality	Canadian-American
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation	Banker Actor: My Friend Flicka
Years active	1955–1980
Spouse(s)	Joy L. Washbrook
Children	Luke J. Washbrook

John "Johnny" Washbrook (born October 16, 1944) is a former child actor best known for his role as 12-year-old Ken McLaughlin on the western television series My Friend Flicka, originally broadcast from 1956–1957 on CBS.

Washbrook portrayed the son of Rob and Nell McLaughlin, fictitious Wyoming ranchers played by Gene Evans and Anita Louise. Frank Ferguson was cast as the ranch handyman Gus Broeberg. Ken spent much of his time caring for his magnificent horse Flicka, Swedish for "girl", but actually an Arabian sorrel named Wahana, foaled 13 June 1950 and owned by Patricia Ann Eaves.

Washbrook was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He had three brothers, including Donald Washbrook, a regular on CBS's Petticoat Junction from 1963–1964, and Rick Washbrook, the youngest, a jazz musician. The family resided in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California, from the middle 1950s until 1971.

Washbrook's first acting role was as 10-year-old Jimmy Sullivan in the episode "The Roads to Home" of CBS's The United States Steel Hour. Thereafter, he was cast for all thirty-nine episodes of My Friend Flicka, a series rebroadcast for many years on other networks after its initial one-season airing. Flicka itself was the first 20th Century Fox series. It was filmed at the Fox Movie Ranch in Malibu Canyon in Los Angeles County and at another location in Montana. Though some of the scenes were shot in Montana, the location in the Mary O'Hara novel on which the series is based is southern Wyoming. While on My Friend Flicka, Washbrook also appeared three times in separate roles of CBS's The 20th Century-Fox Hour.