John Astin Biography (1930-)

Full name, John Allen Astin; born March 30, 1930, in Baltimore, MD; son of Allen Varley (a former director of the National Bureau of Standards) and Margaret Linnie (maiden name, Mackenzie) Astin; married Suzanne Hahn, 1956 (divorced, 1972); married Anna Marie Duke (an actress; professional name, Patty Duke), August 5, 1972 (divorced, 1985); married Valerie Ann Sandobal, 1989; children: (first marriage) David, Allen, Thomas; (second marriage) Sean (an actor),Mackenzie (an actor). Addresses: Agent: Irv Schechter Co., 9300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 400, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, director, producer, writer
Birth Details: March 30, 1930; Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Appearances
Series
Harry Dickens, I'm Dickens--He's Fenster, ABC, 1962-1963
Gomez Addams, The Addams Family, ABC, 1964-1966
Rudy Pruitt, a recurring role, The Pruitts of Southampton (also known as The Phyllis Diller Show), ABC, 1967
Lieutenant Commander Matthew Sherman, Operation Petticoat (also known as Life in the Pink), ABC, 1977-1978
Ed LaSalle, Mary, CBS, 1985-1986
Buddy Ryan, a recurring role, Night Court, NBC, 1988-1990
Voice of Dr. Putrid T. Gangreen, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (animated), Fox, 1990
Voice of Bull Gator, Taz-Mania (animated), 1992
Voice of Gomez Addams, The Addams Family (animated), 1992
Professor Albert Wickwire, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (also known as Brisco County, Jr.), Fox, 1993-1994
Movies
Dr. Stanley Remington, Two on a Bench, ABC, 1971
Dr. Harvey Osterman, Only with Married Men, ABC, 1974
Andrew Tustin, Skyway to Death, ABC, 1974
Manny Wheeler, The Dream Makers (also known as Death of Sammy), NBC, 1975
Gomez Addams, The All-New Addams Family Halloween (also known as Halloween with the New Addams Family), 1977
Neil Witherspoon, Mr. Boogedy, ABC, 1986
George LaFosse/Max Barret, "The Blue Dulac" (also known as "The Saint"),The Mystery Wheel of Adventure, syndicated, 1989
First minuteman, Runaway Daughters (also known as Rebel Highway), Showtime, 1994
Golf announcer, Harrison Bergeron (also known as Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron), Showtime, 1995
Episodic
Joe Lambert, "The Town That Wasn't There," Maverick, ABC, 1960
"Wilma's Phantom Lover," Peter Loves Mary, 1960
Charlie, "A Hundred Yards over the Rim," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1961
"Mouse at Play," The Donna Reed Show, 1961
"The Investment Club," Hazel, 1962
"King's Random," 87th Precinct, 1962
"A Quiet Evening," Dennis the Menace, 1962
"Go Read the River," Route 66, 1962
"Preferably, the Less-Used Arm," Ben Casey, 1962
"Dress Rehearsal," 77 Sunset Strip, 1962
Gas station attendant, "Journey to Nineveh," Route 66, 1962
"Remember Pearl Harbor," Hennesey, 1962
"An Echo of Faded Velvet," The Greatest Show on Earth, 1962
"Bless Our Happy Home," The Farmer's Daughter, 1964
"The Infernal Triangle," Destry, 1964
"I Do, We Don't," Occasional Wife, 1966
Count Sazanov, "The Night of the Tartar," The Wild, Wild West, CBS, 1967
Riddler Number Two, "Batman's Anniversary," Batman, ABC, 1967
Riddler Number Two, "A Riddling Controversy," Batman, ABC, 1967
Title role, "Hard-Luck Henry Haggen," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1967
Title role, "Abner Willoughby's Return," Bonanza, NBC, 1967
Emil Kuchek, "Czech Your Wife, Sir?," Hey, Landlord, 1967
"Flight of the Dodo Bird," The Flying Nun, 1967
"The Coming Out Party," He & She, 1967
"The Gold Mine on Main Street," Death Valley Days, 1968
"Love and the Intruder," Love, American Style, 1970
The Andy Williams Show, NBC, 1970
Millionaire, "Diary of a Mad Millionaire," The Partridge Family, ABC, 1970
Sykes, McMillan and Wife, NBC, 1971
Bo "Buff" Buffingham, "Oscar's New Life," The Odd Couple, ABC, 1971
Jonathan, "Pamela's Voice," Night Gallery, NBC, 1971
Hippie, "Hell's Bells," Night Gallery, NBC, 1971
Keatley, "The Father-Son Weekend," The Doris Day Show, 1971
Slick, "Jump-Up," The Virginian, 1971
Munsch, "The Girl with the Hungry Eyes," Night Gallery, NBC, 1972
"Death of an Elephant," Insight, 1972
Rex Bickers, "Love and the Newscasters," Love, American Style, 1972
Voice of Gomez Addams, "Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family," The New Scooby-Doo Movies (animated), 1972
"Love and the Lost Dog," Love, American Style, 1972
"Truck Stop," Insight, 1973
"The Graveyard Shift," Ghost Story, 1973
Millionaire, "Diary of a Mad Millionaire," The Partridge Family, 1973
"The One-Armed Man," Insight, 1974
"Out of the Depths," Insight, 1975
"Our Lady in London," Get Christie Love, 1975
"Nothing Left to Lose," Police Woman, 1975
"The Unindicted Wife," Marcus Welby, M.D., 1975
"A Case of Misdiagnosis," The Bob Crane Show, 1975
Museum curator, "The Museum," Welcome Back, Kotter, ABC, 1976
"For the Love of Annie," Insight, 1976
Dr. Milford, "Firebird," Police Story, 1976
"Second Chorus," Insight, 1978
Dave the Hermit, "Marooned: Parts 1 & 2," The Love Boat, 1978
Charles Preston, "Beachcomber/The Last Whodunit," Fantasy Island,1978
Vito, "Summer of '84," The Facts of Life, 1984
C. W., "A Haunting We Will Go," Diff'rent Strokes, 1984
Ross Hayley, "Hooray for Homicide," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1984
Uncle Ray Simon, "Revolution #9 1/2," Simon & Simon, CBS, 1984
Kenny, "Inside Harry Stone," Night Court, NBC, 1985

Harry Pierce, "Joshua Peabody Died Here, Possibly," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1985
Harry Pierce, "A Lady in the Lake," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1985
Harry Pierce, "Sticks and Stones," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1985
"Baxter and Boz," Riptide, 1985
Akin, "Mansion of the Beast," Otherworld, 1985
"Egypt," The Love Boat, 1986
Buddy Ryan, "The Next Voice You Hear ... ," Night Court, NBC, 1986
"Visiting Daze," St. Elsewhere, NBC, 1987
Jack/the Devil, "The Witch Is of Van Oaks," The Charmings, 1987
"'Tis the Season," Webster, 1987
Uncle Joe, "The Pickle Plot," Charles in Charge, 1988
Nelson Halliwell, "Top Billing," Tales from the Crypt, HBO, 1991
Radford, "Mr. Chaney," Eerie, Indiana, NBC, 1992
Radford, "The Loyal Order of Corn," Eerie, Indiana, NBC, 1992
Radford, "Zombies in P.J.s," Eerie, Indiana, NBC, 1992
Radford, "Reality Takes a Holiday," Eerie, Indiana, NBC, 1992
Himself, "Up All Night," Mad about You, NBC, 1993
Storytime, PBS, 1994
Voice of Terry Duke Tetzloff, "Caller Beware," Duckman (animated),USA Network, 1994
George Humphries, "The Ice Cream Man Cometh," Step by Step, ABC, 1994
Alexander the Great, "Who Killed Alexander the Great?," Burke's Law, CBS, 1994
Voice of the mole, "Stessed to Kill," Bonkers, 1994
George Humphries, "The Flight before Christmas," Step by Step, ABC, 1995
Fritz Randall, "Film Flam," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1995
Dr. Roberts, "Your Feet's Too Big," The Nanny, CBS, 1996
Dr. Roberts, "Tattoo," The Nanny, CBS, 1996
Rhymer, "The Adventures of Ratman and Gerbil or, Holy Homeboys in Outer Space," Homeboys in Outer Space, UPN, 1996
Voice of Terry Duke Tetzloff, "Grandma-ma's Flatulent Adventure," Duckman (animated), USA Network, 1996
Voice of Terry Duke Tetzloff, "Sperms of Endearment," Duckman (animated), USA Network, 1996
Voice of Superintendent Skinner, "Kids in the Mist," Recess, 1997
Voice, Johnny Bravo (animated), Cartoon Network, 1997
Voice of Terry Duke Tetzloff, "Kidney, Popsicle, and Nuts," Duckman (animated), USA Network, 1997
Voice of Terry Duke Tetzloff, "My Feral Lady," Duckman (animated),USA Network, 1997
Grampapa Addams, The New Addams Family, Fox Kids, 1998
"Storm o' the Century," The Hughleys, ABC, 1999
Grampapa Addams, "Fester & Granny vs. Grandpapa Addams," The New Addams Family, Fox Family, 1999
Voice of the Great Bangaboo, "The Great Bangaboo," The Wild Thornberrys (animated), Nickelodeon, 1999
"I Wear My Sunglasses at Night," The Strip, UPN, 2000
Richard Wilson, "All the Rage," Becker, CBS, 2000
Also appeared in an episode of Hearts Are Wild; voice of Sydney for an episode of Aladdin (animated; also known as Disney's Aladdin).
Pilots
Title role, Evil Roy Slade, NBC, 1972
Lieutenant Commander Matthew Sherman, Operation Petticoat (also known as Life in the Pink), ABC, 1977
Specials
Mystery Magical Special (also known as Marc Summers' Mystery Magical Special), 1986
Harry Anderson's Sideshow, NBC, 1987
Host, Night Creatures, syndicated, 1989
Presenter, Soap Opera Digest Awards, 1992
Other
Miss Kline, We Love You, 1974
Television Director
Episodic
Holmes and Yoyo, ABC, 1976
Rosetti and Ryan, NBC, 1977
Mr. Merlin, CBS, 1982
Just Our Luck (also known as Just My Luck), ABC, 1983
Also directed episodes of CHiPs, NBC; McMillan and Wife, NBC; Night Gallery (also known as Rod Serling's Night Gallery), NBC; Murder, She Wrote, CBS; and Operation Petticoat (also knownas Life in the Pink), ABC.
Pilots
Operation Petticoat (also known as Life in the Pink), ABC,1977
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women, NBC, 1977
Ethel Is an Elephant, CBS, 1980
Getting There, CBS, 1980
Scared Silly, ABC, 1982
Two Guys from Much, NBC, 1982
Specials
Night Creatures, syndicated, 1989
Television Work
Series
Additional voices, The Twisted Adventures of Felix the Cat (animated; also known as The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat), 1995
Also provided additional voices for the animated series Aladdin (also known as Disney's Aladdin).
Film Appearances
The Pusher, 1960
Glad Hand (social worker), West Side Story, United Artists, 1961
Mr. Everett Beasley, That Touch of Mink, Universal, 1962
Period of Adjustment, 1962
Clyde Prokey, Move Over, Darling (also known as Something's Gotta Give), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1963
Hector Vanson, The Wheeler Dealers (also known as Separate Beds), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1963
Dr. Frieden, The Spirit Is Willing, Paramount, 1967
Mr. Christian/Uncle Jack, Candy (also known as Candy e il suo pazzo mondo), Cinerama, 1968
Prelude (short film), Excelsior, 1968
Sergeant Valdez, Viva Max!, Commonwealth United, 1969
Ad, Bunny O'Hare, American International Pictures, 1971
Mr. Turnbull, Get to Know Your Rabbit, Warner Bros., 1972
Vito Garbugli, Every Little Crook and Nanny, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,1972
Pepper and His Wacky Taxi (also known as Wacky Taxi), 1972
Michael O'Toole/Dangerous Ambrose, The Brothers O'Toole, CVD, 1973
Bill Andrews, Freaky Friday, Buena Vista, 1977
Kent Winkdale, National Lampoon's European Vacation (also known asEuropean Vacation), Warner Bros., 1985
Scotty, Body Slam, DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group, 1987
Dean Dunn, Teen Wolf Too, Atlantic, 1987
Adventures beyond Belief (also known as Neat and Tidy), 1987
Professor Gangreen, Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (also known asReturn of the Killer Tomatoes: The Sequel), New World Pictures, 1988
Verlin Flanders, Night Life, RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, 1989
Jeronahew/Professor Gangreen, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back, Fox Video, 1990
Janitor, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Warner Bros., 1990
Professor Mortimer Gangreen, Killer Tomatoes Eat France!, New World Pictures, 1991
Rollie, Dreamers, 1991
Minister, Stepmonster, New Horizons Home Video, 1993
Zach, Huck and the King of Hearts, Prism Entertainment, 1993
Ranger, Il silenzio dei prosciutti (also known as The Silence of the Hams), October Films, 1994
The judge, Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners (also known as The Frighteners), Universal, 1996
Title role, Kid Quick, 2000
President Sender, Betaville, 2001
Film Work
Producer and director, Prelude, Excelsior, 1968
Director, Pepper and His Wacky Taxi (also known as Wacky Taxi), 1972
Stage Appearances
(Stage debut) The Threepenny Opera, Theatre de Lys, New York City,1954
(Broadway debut) Major Barbara, Martin Beck Theatre, 1956
The Cave Dwellers, Bijou Theatre, New York City, 1957
Ulysses in Nighttown, Rooftop Theatre, New York City, 1958
The Tall Story, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1959
Also appeared in Look Homeward, Angel, Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA; and A Sleep of Prisoners, Phoenix Theatre, New York City; appeared as Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol; as Sir Joseph, H.M.S. Pinafore, New York City; as Henry Saunders, Lend Me a Tenor; as Fagin, Oliver!; and as Vladimir, Waiting for Godot.
Major Tours
Edgar Allan Poe: Once Upon a Midnight (solo show), U.S. cities, 1997
Stage Work
Coproducer and director of A Sleep of Prisoners, Phoenix Theatre,New York City.
WRITINGS
Screenplays
Prelude, Excelsior, 1968
(With Coslough Johnson) All Boxed Up, 1972
(With Johnson) Cummins and Kinneys, 1973

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Electronic

John Astin: Edgar Allan Poe, http://www.astin-poe.com, June 5, 2002

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