Dark haired, usually mustachioed US actor with a cheeky grin who achieved pop culture status through his portrayal of the kooky patriarch "Gomez Addams" in the hit TV series The Addams Family, John Astin was born March 30, 1930, in Baltimore, MD. He attended Johns Hopkins University and studied mathematics. However he discovered a passion for the theater and began performing in minor plays and doing voice-over work for commercials. He first got noticed in a small role in West Side Story, then appeared in several other films before being cast as "Gomez Addams". While "The Addams Family" was initially a huge hit, its popularity petered out after two years, and Astin moved on to other work including the offbeat Bunny O'Hare, playing a grizzled but not particularly bright gunfighter in the western spoof Evil Roy Slade, an appearance in the Disney comedy Freaky Friday and dual roles in European Vacation.

He has since lent his comedic talents to numerous appearances as "Dr. Gangreen" in several corny "Killer Tomato" movies, and has contributed his voice to recreate "Gomez Addams" in the animated series The Addams Family, and then played "Grandpa Addams" in the short-lived TV series The New Addams Family. In addition, Astin has contributed voices to several animated shows, and still regularly appears in films.
Father, Allen Astin, was the 5th Director of the National Bureau of Standards. Father of actors Sean Astin and Mackenzie Astin Is a vegetarian He and his wife Val are leaders of a Buddhist group in Santa Monica. Grandfather of actress Alexandra Astin, Elizabeth Louise Astin and Isabella Louise Astin. Appeared in three separate episodes of Rod Serling's Night Gallery. During each episode, his character was killed, and during two episodes, his character found himself in Hell. Also directed three episodes of the show. Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. pg. 31-32. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387 Three generations of his family have worked with director Peter Jackson. He appeared in _Frighteners, The (1996/I)_ , while his son Sean Astin appeared in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sean's real-life daughter, Alexandra Astin, played the daughter of his character in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Currently a visiting theater professor at Johns Hopkins University. His new facility is the "Old Barn," former home of Theater Hopkins, a top-scale community theater outfit. Astin won rave reviews for his portrayal of the Stage Manager in a performance of "Our Town" with Hopkins as well as for a recent portrayal of Edgar Allen Poe. Has twice played father to Jodie Foster. They appeared together as father and daughter in Freaky Friday. In the live action The Addams Family, John plays Gomez Addams. In an animated series in the early 1970s, Jodie Foster voiced Pugsley Addams. Three generations of his family have worked with Christopher Lee. His son, Sean Astin, and granddaughter, Alexandra Astin, appeared in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He and Lee appeared together in Gremlins 2: The New Batch. He and his son Sean have both appeared in films that won Best Picture, four decades apart. John had a small role in West Side Story, while Sean had a lead role in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Attended Washington and Jefferson College, graduated from Johns Hopkins University and did graduate work at the University of Minnesota. Brother of Alexander W. Astin, professor emeritus at UCLA who is considered one of the most influential scholars in the field of higher education research. Is portrayed by Arthur Taxier in Call Me Anna