"My work is to reach people with ideas, hopes, dreams, encouragement, insight, and revelation. That's what an actor wants to do."
John Allen Astin (born March 30, 1930 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actor, voice actor, and director best known for playing Gomez Addams; as such, he was later typecast as a player of cheerful eccentrics.
He was married to Patty Duke for a while and is the official adoptive father of her son with another man, Sean Astin. He had another son with her, Mackenzie Astin, who is also an actor. He has three sons named David, Allen and Tom from a previous marriage to Suzanne Hahn. He is currently married to Valerie Ann Sandobal.
In his old age, when he is not acting, he is a professor of acting and theater at Johns Hopkins University, his old alma mater.
Astin ended up outliving both of his onscreen children as Ken Weatherwax (Pugsley) and Lisa Loring (Wednesday) passed away in 2014 and 2023, respectively, leaving him as the last surviving cast member of the original Addams Family series.
Filmography on TV Tropes:
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Feature film roles
- West Side Story (1961): Glad Hand note
- That Touch of Mink (1962): Everett Beasley
- The Wheeler Dealers (1963): Hector Vanson
- Viva Max! (1969): Sgt. Valdez
- Evil Roy Slade (1972): Evil Roy Slade
- Freaky Friday (1976): Bill Andrews
- National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985): Kent Winkdale (host of "Pig in a Poke")
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988): Prof. Mortimer Gangreen note
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990): Janitor
- The Silence of the Hams (1994): The Ranger
- The Frighteners (1996): The Judge
Short film roles
- The Kiss (1958): Male Necker
Television roles
- Maverick (1 episode, 1960): Joe Lambert
- The Twilight Zone (1 episode, 1961): Charlie
- The Donna Reed Show (1 episode, 1961): Eric
- Hazel (1 episode, 1962): Hal Gordon
- Dennis the Menace (1 episode, 1962): Policeman
- 77 Sunset Strip (1 episode, 1962): Martin Grosch
- Route 66 (2 episodes, 1962): Gas Attendant/Benson
- The Addams Family (1964–66): Gomez Addams
- Star Trek: The Original Series (1 episode, 1966): Capt. John Daley (voice, uncredited)
- Batman (2 episodes, 1967): The Riddler note
- The Flying Nun (1 episode, 1967): Father Lundigan
- Gunsmoke (1 episode, 1967): Hard-Luck Henry Haggen
- The Wild Wild West (1 episode, 1967): Count Nikolai Sazanov
- Bonanza (1 episode, 1969): Abner Willoughby
- Love, American Style (3 episodes, 1970–72): Alfred/Rex Bickers/Charlie Mancini
- The Odd Couple (1 episode, 1971): Beau Buffingham
- The Virginian (1 episode, 1971): Slick Driscoll
- Night Gallery (3 episodes, 1971-72): Jonathan/Randy Miller/Munsch
- The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1 episode, 1972): Gomez Addams (voice)
- McMillan & Wife (3 episodes, 1972–73): Sykes
- The Partridge Family (1 episode, 1973): Millionaire Sidney Rose
- Police Woman (1 episode, 1975): Donny
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1 episode, 1975): Martin Gannard
- Police Story (1 episode, 1976): Dr. Milford
- Welcome Back, Kotter (1 episode, 1976): Mr. Gore
- Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (1977–80): Additional Voices (voice)
- Fantasy Island (1 episode, 1978): Charles D. Preston
- The Love Boat (2 episodes, 1978–86): David P. Crothers/Michael Sawyer
- Diff'rent Strokes (1 episode, 1984): C.W.
- The Facts of Life (1 episode, 1984): Vito Miles
- Simon & Simon (1 episode, 1984): Uncle Ray Simon
- Night Court (11 episodes, 1984–90): Kenny/Buddy Ryan note
- Murder, She Wrote (5 episodes, 1984–95): Ross Hayley/Harry Pierce/Fritz Randall
- Riptide (1 episode, 1985): Baxter Bernard
- Otherworld (1 episode, 1985): Akin
- St. Elsewhere (1 episode, 1987): Kevin Kiem
- The Charmings (1 episode, 1987): Jack/The Devil
- Webster (2 episodes, 1987–88): Uncle Charles
- Charles in Charge (1 episode, 1988): Uncle Joe
- Father Dowling Mysteries (1 episode, 1991): Manager of Gun Club
- Tales from the Crypt (1 episode, 1991): Nelson Halliwell
- Taz-Mania (17 episodes, 1991–94): Bull Gator (voice)
- Eerie, Indiana (5 episodes, 1992): Radford
- The Addams Family (1992–93): Gomez Addams (voice)
- The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (7 episodes, 1993–94): Prof. Albert Wickwire
- Problem Child (1993–94): Gen. Pierre Habib-Johnson (voice)
- Bonkers (1 episode, 1994): The Mole (voice)
- Mad About You (1 episode, 1994): John Astin
- Aladdin: The Series (2 episodes, 1994): Sydney (voice)
- Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (1 episode, 1994): Doctor (voice)
- Step by Step (2 episodes, 1994–95): George Humphries
- Duckman (5 episodes, 1994–97): Terry Duke Tetzlov (voice)
- The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (5 episodes, 1995): Various Voices (voice, uncredited)
- Quack Pack (1 episode, 1996): Mr. Roborson (voice)
- The Nanny (2 episodes, 1996): Dr. Roberts
- Homeboys in Outer Space (1 episode, 1997): Rhymer
- Johnny Bravo (1 episode, 1997): Uberman/Blind Man (voice)
- Pinky and the Brain (1 episode, 1997): Gov. Whelan (voice)
- The New Addams Family (2 episodes, 1998–99): Grandpapa Addams
- Recess (3 episodes, 1998–99): Supt. Skinner/Hank the Janitor (voice)
- The Hughleys (1 episode, 1999): Mr. Crump
- The Wild Thornberrys (1 episode, 1999): The Great Bangaboo/Pingah (voice)
- Becker (1 episode, 2000): Richard Wilson
- As Told by Ginger (2 episodes, 2001): Dave Bishop (voice)
- Higglytown Heroes (1 episode, 2004): Santa Claus (voice)
- Justice League Action (1 episode, 2018): Uncle Dudley (voice)
