Jonathan Goldsmith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Goldsmith
Goldsmith at Susan G. Komen's 8th Annual Fashion For The Cure on September 24, 2009
Born	(1938-09-26) September 26, 1938 (age 86) New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names	Jonathan Lippe
Alma mater	Boston University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1963–present
Spouse(s)	Barbara Goldsmith (2006)
Children	1

Jonathan Goldsmith, born on September 26, 1938, is an American actor. He is famous for playing many different kinds of characters. He started acting on stage in New York, then moved on to movies and TV shows. He was in many TV series from the 1960s to the 1990s. Jonathan Goldsmith is most well-known for his role as "The Most Interesting Man in the World" in commercials for Dos Equis beer, which he played from 2006 to 2016.

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Goldsmith was born on September 26, 1938, in the Bronx, a part of New York City. His mother was a model, and his father was a gym teacher. Jonathan went to Boston University and graduated in 1958. After finishing college, he decided to become an actor.

Acting Career Highlights

Jonathan Goldsmith has appeared in over 350 television shows and movies.

Starting in New York and Moving to California

One of his early roles was in the TV show Perry Mason in 1964. To help his acting career grow, Goldsmith moved from New York to California in 1966. Like many new actors, it was hard to find enough acting jobs. He worked at different jobs, like driving a garbage truck and doing construction, to earn money.

Using Different Names and Western Roles

In his early movie career, Goldsmith used the name "Jonathan Lippe." This was his stepfather's name, which he had taken when he was six years old. Later, he changed his professional name back to his birth name, Goldsmith. He felt it was important for his father and for his own son to carry the family name.

Goldsmith first became known for acting in Western films. He appeared in 25 Westerns. In the 1976 movie The Shootist, he played a bad guy. The movie's hero, John Wayne, defeated his character in a scene.

Television Appearances

Jonathan Goldsmith also made guest appearances on 45 different television series. Some of these popular shows include:

• Gunsmoke
• Bonanza
• Knight Rider
• CHiPs
• Hawaii Five-O
• MacGyver
• Murder, She Wrote
• Charlie's Angels
• The A-Team

His longest role in a TV series was on Dallas, where he appeared 17 times.

Life Outside of Acting

In the 1980s, Goldsmith started some successful businesses. This allowed him to take a break from Hollywood. He bought a home in the Sierra Mountains. From 1999 to 2004, he taught theater at Adelphi University in New York. Later, he lived on a large sailboat in Marina del Rey. In 2011, he and his wife Barbara moved to a house in Manchester, Vermont.

In 2017, Goldsmith wrote a book about his life called Stay Interesting: I Don't Always Tell Stories About My Life, But When I Do They're True and Amazing.

Famous Advertising Work

From April 2007 to 2015, Jonathan Goldsmith was the star of a very popular TV ad campaign. He promoted Dos Equis beer.

Becoming "The Most Interesting Man in the World"

This ad campaign made Goldsmith famous as "the most interesting man in the world." The ads helped Dos Equis beer sales go up a lot. Goldsmith's character also became a very popular meme (a funny image or video that spreads online).

Goldsmith got the role after an audition. Actors were given the line "...and that's how I arm wrestled Fidel Castro" and asked to make up a story. Goldsmith started his audition by taking off one sock and then told a story for 30 minutes before saying the final line. The character was inspired by his friend Fernando Lamas, who was a sailing partner.

Changing Roles

On March 9, 2016, Dos Equis announced that they would find a new actor for "The Most Interesting Man in the World." They wanted to update the character for new audiences. In September 2016, a French actor named Augustin Legrand took over the role.

In June 2017, Goldsmith returned to TV advertising. This time, he appeared in ads for Astral Tequila.

Helping Others: Charity Work

Jonathan Goldsmith has supported several good causes.

• He has worked to help people who have been hurt by landmines.
• He has also helped the Morris Animal Foundation in their work to prevent and cure cancer in dogs.
• Goldsmith supported the S.A.B.R.E Foundation, which works to protect and save the Siberian tiger.

Selected Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Jonathan Goldsmith para niños