"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) 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.
His roles include:
- The Addams Family (1964–1966): Gomez Addams
- The Addams Family (1992–1993): Gomez Addams (voice)
- The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: Prof. Albert Wickwire
- As Told by Ginger: Dave Bishop
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988): As Professor Mortimer Gangreen.note
- Batman (1966): The Riddler (Two episodes only; played by Frank Gorshin in other appearances)
- Bonanza: Abner Willoughby
- Diff'rent Strokes: C.W.
- Duckman: Terry Duke Tetzlov
- The Facts of Life: Vito Miles.
- Fantasy Island: Charles D. Preston
- The Flying Nun: Father Lundigan
- Freaky Friday (1976): Bill Andrews
- The Frighteners: The Judge
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch: Janitor
- Gunsmoke: Hard-Luck Henry Haggen
- Higglytown Heroes: Santa Claus
- Homeboys in Outer Space: Rhymer
- Justice League Action: Uncle Dudley
- The Love Boat: Dave, the Hermit
- Maverick: Joe Lambert
- National Lampoon's European Vacation: Kent Winkdale (host of "Pig in a Poke")
- The New Addams Family: Grampapa Addams
- The New Scooby-Doo Movies: Gomez Addams
- Night Court: Kenny and Buddynote
- Night Gallery: Jonathan (episode "Pamela's Voice), Randy Miller (episode "Hell's Bells"), Munsch (episode "The Girl With the Hungry Eyes")
- Recess: Supt. Skinner and Hank
- St. Elsewhere: Kevin Kiem (episode "Visiting Daze")
- Tales from the Crypt: Nelson Halliwell (episode "Top Billing")
- Taz-Mania: Bull Gator
- That Touch of Mink: Everett Beasley
- The Twilight Zone (1959): Charlie (episode "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim")
- Viva Max!: Sgt. Valdez
- West Side Story: Glad Hand note
- The Wild Wild West: Count Nikolai Sazanov
