John Astin facts for kids

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John Astin
John Astin Operation Petticoat 1977.JPG
Astin in a 1977 publicity photo for
Operation Petticoat
Born
John Allen Astin

March 30, 1930 (1930-03-30) (age 89)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Residence Baltimore, Maryland
Alma mater Washington & Jefferson College Johns Hopkins University
Occupation Actor, voice actor, television director
Years active 1957–present
Home town Baltimore, Maryland
Television
  • The Addams Family
  • Night Court
Spouse(s)
Suzanne Hahn (m. 1956–1972)

Patty Duke (m. 1972–1985)

Valerie Ann Sandobal (m. 1989)
Children 5, including Mackenzie and Sean Astin
Parent(s) Allen V. Astin
Margaret Astin
Relatives Alexander Astin (brother)

John Allen Astin (born March 30, 1930) is an American actor who has appeared in numerous films and television series, as well as a television director and voice artist.

He is especially remembered for starring as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family (1964–1966), reprising the role in the television film Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) and the animated series The Addams Family (1992–1993).

Astin was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his directorial debut, the comedic short Prelude (1968).

Early years

Astin was born in Baltimore, Maryland. At that time, Astin and his family resided on Battery Lane in Bethesda, Maryland. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1952, after transferring from Washington & Jefferson College. He studied mathematics at Washington & Jefferson and then drama at Johns Hopkins.

Astin started in theater, making his first Broadway appearance as an understudy in Major Barbara, and also did voice-over work for commercials. His first big break in film came with a small role in West Side Story (1961).

Personal life

Astin has five sons, he is married to Valerie Ann Sandobal and lives in Baltimore. He practices Nichiren Buddhism as a member of the worldwide Buddhist association Soka Gakkai International.

Astin currently teaches both acting and directing in the Theater Arts and Studies Department at Johns Hopkins University. He hopes to re-establish a drama major at the university, noting that he is one of only a handful to earn a drama degree from Hopkins. Astin can be seen singing and playing cowbell in a music video from JHU released in December 2009.

Filmography

Astin's film and television roles include:

Film

Year Title Role Notes ref
1960 The Pusher Detective
1961 West Side Story Glad Hand, Social Worker Leading Dance
1962 That Touch of Mink Mr. Everett Beasley
1963 Move Over Darling Clyde Prokey
  • The picture was a remake of a screwball comedy film, My Favorite Wife (1940), with Irene Dunne, Cary Grant and Gail Patrick.
  • In between these movies, a version entitled Something's Got to Give began shooting in 1962, directed by George Cukor and starring Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin, but was never finished.
The Wheeler Dealers SEC official Released as Separate Beds in the UK
1967 The Spirit Is Willing Dr. Frieden
1968 Candy Daddy / Uncle Jack
  • Film directed by Christian Marquand based on the 1958 novel by Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg, from a screenplay by Buck Henry.
1969 Viva Max! Sergeant Valdez Comedy film
1971 Bunny O'Hare Ad
  • American comedy film directed by Gerd Oswald.
  • Bette Davis was unhappy with the final film and sued AIP for $3.3 million in damages.
1972 Un secuestro de locura Star
Evil Roy Slade Evil Roy Slade
Get to Know Your Rabbit Mr. Turnbull
Every Little Crook and Nanny Vito Garbugli
Wacky Taxi Pepper
1973 The Brothers O'Toole Michael O'Toole / Desperate Ambrose Littleberry
1976 Freaky Friday Bill Andrews American fantasy comedy film directed by Gary Nelson.
1985 National Lampoon's European Vacation Kent Winkdale (host of "Pig in a Poke")
  • Originally given the working title Vacation '2' Europe.
  • The second film in National Lampoon's Vacation film series.
1987 Teen Wolf Too Dean Dunn
  • American comedy film
  • The sequel to Teen Wolf.
Body Slam Scotty the car dealer American comedy film directed by Hal Needham.
1988 Return of the Killer Tomatoes Professor Mortimer Gangreen
  • A horror comedy film
  • The second film in the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes film series.
1989 Night Life Uncle Verlin
  • A horror comedy film
1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Janitor
  • American horror comedy film.
  • The sequel to Gremlins.
  • The film is a live action horror comedy film; however, Dante put effort into taking the sequel in new anarchic directions.
Killer Tomatoes Strike Back Professor Mortimer Gangreen The third film in the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes film series.
1991 Killer Tomatoes Eat France Professor Mortimer Gangreen The fourth film in the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes film series.
1993 Stepmonster Minister Direct-to-video film
1994 The Silence of the Hams The Ranger
  • Italian: Il Silenzio dei Prosciutti
  • Parody film of many popular thriller and horror films, notably The Silence of the Lambs and Psycho.
Huck and the King of Hearts Zach
1996 The Frighteners The Judge New Zealand-American horror comedy fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson and co-written with his wife, Fran Walsh.
2006 What the Bleep!?: Down the Rabbit Hole Dr. Quantum Voice
2015 Starship II: Rendezvous with Ramses Professor Peabody

Television

Year Title Role Notes ref
1960 Maverick Joe Lambert Episode: "The Town That Wasn't There" (S 4:Ep 3)
1961 The Twilight Zone Charlie Episode: "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim" (S 2:Ep 23)
1962 Ben Casey Nat Morris Episode: "Preferably, the Less-Used Arm" (S 1:Ep 29)
1962–63 I'm Dickens, He's Fenster Harry Dickens Main role
1964–66 The Addams Family Gomez Addams Main role
1967 The Pruitts of Southampton Rudy Pruitt
  • Main role
  • The show was based on the novel House Party (1954) by Patrick Dennis.
  • It was ABC's futile attempt to turn female stand-up comic Phyllis Diller into a sitcom comedian very much in the style of Lucille Ball.
Batman The Riddler Episodes:
  • "Batman's Anniversary"
  • "A Riddling Controversy"
The Wild Wild West Count Nikolai Sazanov Episode: "The Night of the Tartar"
The Flying Nun Father Lundigan Episode: "Flight of the Dodo Bird"
Gunsmoke Henry Haggen Episode: "Hard Luck Henry" (S 13:Ep 7)
1968 Death Valley Days Jesse Martin Episode: "The Gold Mine on Main Street" (S 16: Ep 20)
1969 Bonanza Abner Willoughby Episode: "Abner Willoughby's return" (S 11:Ep 13)
1971 The Odd Couple Beau Buffingham Episode: "Oscar's New Life" (S 1:Ep 21)
Night Gallery Jonathon Episode: "Pamela's Voice" (S 1:Ep 13)
Randy Miller Episode: "Hell's Bells" (S 2:Ep 29)
1972 Insight Guest star Episode: "Death of an Elephant" (S 12:Ep 23)
Night Gallery Munsch Episode: "The Girl with the Hungry Eyes" (S 3:Ep 2)
1972–73 McMillan & Wife Sykes Episodes:
  • "The Night of the Wizard" (S 2:Ep 1)
  • "Cop of the Year" (S 2:Ep 3)
  • "Two Dollars on Trouble to Win" (S 2:Ep 7)
1973 The Partridge Family Sydney Rose Episode: "The Mad Millionaire"
Circle of Fear Fred Colby Episode: "The Graveyard Shift"
Insight Guest Star Episode: "Truck Stop" (S 13:23)
1974 Insight Guest star Episode: "The One-Armed Man" (S 15:Ep 20)
Only with Married Men Dr. Harvey Osterman Made-for-TV Movie
1975 The Dream Makers Manny Wheeler Made-for-TV Movie
1975– 1979 Welcome Back, Kotter Museum curator Recurring role
1976 Police Story Dr. Milford Episode: "Firebird" (S 3:Ep 18)
1977 Halloween with the New Addams Family Gomez Addams Made-for-TV Movie
1977–78 Operation Petticoat Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Sherman Main role
1978 Insight Guest star Episode: "Second Chorus" (S 18:Ep 31)
The Love Boat Dave, The Hermit Episode: "Marooned" (S 2:Ep 1)
Fantasy Island Charles D. Preston Episode: "The Beachcomber / The Last Whodunit" (S 2:Ep 3)
1984 The Facts of Life Vito Miles Episode: "The Summer of '84" (S 6:Ep 1)
Diff'rent Strokes C.W. Episode: "A Haunting We Will Go" (S 7:Ep 1)
Murder, She Wrote Ross Hayley Episode: "Hooray for Homicide" (S 1:Ep 4)
Night Court Kenny Episode:"Inside Harry Stone" (S 2:Ep 9)
Simon & Simon Uncle Ray Simon Episode: "Revolution #9 1/2" (S 4:Ep 12)
1985–86 Mary Ed LaSalle Main role
1985 Riptide Baxter Bernard Episode: "Baxter and Boz" (S 2:Ep 13)
Otherworld Akin Episode: "Mansion of the Beast" (S 1:Ep 7)
Murder, She Wrote Harry Pierce Episodes:
  • "Joshua Peabody Died Here... Possibly" (S 2:Ep 2)
  • "A Lady in the Lake" (S 2:Ep 7)
  • "Sticks and Stones" (S 2:Ep 10)
1986 Mr. Boogedy Neil Witherspoon Made-for TV movie
1986–90 Night Court Former Mental Patient Buddy Ryan Recurring role
1987 St. Elsewhere Kevin Episode: "Visiting Daze" (S 5:Ep 14)
The Charmings Jack/The Devil Episode: "The Witch is of Van Oaks" (S 2:Ep 3)
Webster Uncle Charles Episode: "Simple Gifts" (S 5:Ep 12)
1988 Charles in Charge Uncle Joe Episode: "Pickle King of New York" (S 3:Ep 14)
Webster Uncle Charles Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Man" (S 6:Ep 13)
1989 The Saint: The Blue Dulac George Lafosse Made-for-TV Movie
1990 Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Dr. Putrid T. Gangreen Main role
1991 Eerie Indiana Radford Recurring role
Taz-Mania Bull Gator Recurring role
Father Dowling Mysteries Manager of Gun Club Episode: "The Priest Killer Mystery" (S 3:Ep 16)
They Came from Outer Space Neville Nessen Episode: "Sex, Lies and UFOs, part 2" (S 1:Ep 20)
Tales from the Crypt Nelson Halliwell Episode: "Top Billing" (S 3:Ep 5)
1992–93 The Addams Family Gomez Addams
  • Main role
  • Animated series based on the eponymous comic strip characters.
  • Voice
  • The series' development began in the wake of the successful 1991 Addams Family feature film.
  • It was the second-to-last Hanna-Barbera-produced show to premiere on ABC.
1993 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Professor Wickwire 7 episodes
1994–97 Duckman Terry Duke Tetzloff Recurring role
1994 Bonkers The Mole Episode: "Stressed to Kill" (S 3:Ep23)
Burke's Law Guest Star Episode: "Who Killed Alexander the Great?" (S 1:Ep 6)
Mad About You Himself Episode: "Up All Night" (S 2:Ep 23)
Step by Step George Humphries Episode: "The Ice Cream Man Cometh"
1995 The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat Additional Voices Recurring role
Murder, She Wrote Fritz Randall Episode: "Film Flam" (S 11:Ep 6)
Step by Step George Humphries Episode: "The Flight Before Christmas"(S 5:Ep 11)
1996 The Nanny The Plastic Surgeon Episodes:
  • "Your Feets Too Big" (S 3:Ep 20)
  • "Tattoo" (S 4:Ep 9)
1997 Homeboys in Outer Space Rhymer Episode: "The Adventures of Ratman and Gerbil or, Holy Homeboys in Outer Space" (S 1:Ep 21)
Johnny Bravo Scientist 1/Blind Man Episode: "Jumbo Johnny / The Perfect Gift / Bravo, James Bravo" (S 1:Ep 10)
Pinky and the Brain Grover Whalen Episode: "Mice Don't Dance" (S 3:Ep 11)
1998 The New Addams Family Grampapa Addams Episode: "Grandpapa Addams Comes to Visit" (S 1:Ep 16)
Recess Supt. Skinner Episode: "Kids in the Mist" (S 1:Ep 12)
1999 Recess The Judge Episode: "The Story of Whomps" (S 2:Ep 11)
The Hughleys Guest star Episode: "Storm o' the Century" (S 1:Ep 17)
The New Addams Family Grampapa Addams Episode: "Fester and Granny vs. Grandpapa Addams" (S 1:Ep 40)
The Wild Thornberrys Bangaboo Episode: "The Great Bangaboo" (S 1:Ep 17)
Recess Supt. Skinner Episodes:
  • "The Spy Who Came in from the Playground" (S 4:Ep4)
  • "Prickly is Leaving" (S 4:Ep 11)
2000 The Strip Orson Bates Episode: "I Wear My Sunglasses At Night" (S 1:Ep 9)
Becker Richard Wilson Episode: "All the Rage" (S 2:Ep 15)
2001 As Told By Ginger Dave Bishop Episodes:
  • "Blizzard Conditions" (S 1:Ep 14)
  • "Piece of My Heart" (S 2:Ep 3)
2004 Higglytown Heroes Santa Claus Episode: "Twinkle's Wish" (S 1:Ep 12)
2005 School of Life Stormin' Norman Warner Made-for-TV Movie
2006 My First Time Himself Episode: "Something About Mary" (S 1:Ep 1)
2007 Higglytown Heroes Santa Claus Episode: "'Tis the Season to Be Ducky / Bingo Bongos" (S 3:Ep 18)
2017 Justice League Action Uncle Dudley Episode: "Captain Bamboozle" (S 1:Ep 49)

Images for kids

  • Carolyn Jones John Astin The Addams Family 1964

    Astin and Carolyn Jones as Gomez and Morticia Addams in The Addams Family 1964

  • Handprints of John Astin

    The handprints of John Astin in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park

  • I'm Dickens He's Fenster cast 1962

    I'm Dickens He's Fenster cast 1962

  • John Astin Marty Ingels I'm Dickens He's Fenster 1962

    John Astin and Marty Ingels, I'm Dickens He's Fenster 1962

  • Addams Family main cast 1964

    Addams Family main cast 1964

  • John Astin Carolyn Jones Addams Family 1965

    John Astin and Carolyn Jones, Addams Family 1965

  • Addams Family Halloween 1977

    Addams Family Halloween 1977


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