Joseph Douglas Vieira known as Joey D Vieira born April 8 1944 is an American film and television actor He began as a child actor using the professional name Donald Keeler playing chubby beaniewearing farm boy Sylvester Porky Brockway in the first several seasons 195457 of TVs Lassie retitled Jeffs Collie in syndicated reruns and on DVD Vieira borrowed the professional surname from his aunt Ruby Keeler star of numerous Warner Bros musicals in the 1930s Other early TV appearances include The Pride of the Family The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Shirley Temples Storybook and My Three Sons Film appearances include The Private War of Major Benson 1955 with Charlton Heston and The Patriot 2000 with Mel Gibson in which he played as Peter Howard Vieira has also written produced and directed