Joyce Bulifant's 3 Kids: Get to Know John, Charles and Mary

Joyce Bulifant is all about being a doting mom to her three kids. The actress, best known for roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Happiest Millionaire, has always prioritized her adult children, John Asher, Charles MacArthur and Mary MacArthur, throughout her career in Hollywood.

“What I love most is seeing my kids happy and achieving what they want to achieve and that they’re healthy,” Joyce exclusively shared with Closer Weekly in October 2020. “I love that we hug and kiss each other and we always express the love we have for each other.”

The Dirty Love alum started her family many years ago alongside her first husband, James MacArthur. The couple, who married in 1958, welcomed their kids, Charles and Mary, during their nine-year marriage. After they split in 1967, Joyce moved on with her second spouse, Edward Mallory, in 1969.

The Big John, Little John actress and the Morning Star actor expanded her family when they welcomed their son, John, two years after tying the knot in 1969. Like her first marriage, though, Joyce and Edward went their separate ways in 1974.

The beloved star was finished having kids, but that wasn’t the end of Joyce’s love stories. Following her divorce with Edward, she married her third husband, William Asher, in 1976, but when it didn’t work out, she exchanged vows with her fourth spouse, Glade Bruce Hansen, in 2000. Following their one-year union, Joyce said “I do” with Roger Perry in 2002. The lovebirds were together for 16 years until the actor’s death in 2018.

Nowadays, Joyce focuses on her career and her family. Even though she misses Roger “terribly,” the Tooken actress doesn’t mind her life as a single lady in her 80s. In addition to her kids, Joyce is the best grandmother of her grandson, Evan.

“Oh, I love it. You really get to do the spoiling and sometimes have time to explain why their parents treat them the way they do,” she joked with Closer about her role as a grandparent. “It’s all my fault! … no, I love being a grandmother.”

Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about Joyce’s three kids!

John Asher

Joyce’s youngest son, John, is arguably her most famous child. He was born on January 13, 1971, and even though his father is Edward Mallory, he took his stepfather William Asher’s last name.

Like his mom, John is an accomplished actor in Hollywood. According to IMDb, he’s appeared in countless TV shows and films, including Blue Bloods, The Mentalist, Ghost Whisperer, NCIS, Rubbing Charlie and many more. He’s also directed A Boy Called Po, episodes of One Tree Hill and Somebody Marry Me.

In addition to his Hollywood work, John is the dad of Joyce’s only grandson. John shares Evan with his ex-wife, Jenny McCarthy, whom he was married to from 1999 to 2005. He was also linked to his first spouse, Vanessa Lee Asher, from 1994 to 1996.