Dark-haired, usually mustachioed American actor with a cheeky grin who achieved pop-culture icon status for his portrayal of the eccentric patriarch "Gomez Addams" in the popular TV series "The Addams Family" (1964). John Astin, 5'11" (1.8 m), was born on March 30, 1930 (Aries) in Baltimore, Maryland, as John Allen Astin, to Allen V. Astin and Margaret Astin, with brother Alexander Astin. He is an American actor, voice actor, and director. He attended Washington and Jefferson College and Johns Hopkins University, where he studied mathematics. However, he discovered a passion for theater and began performing in small plays and voicing commercials. He married Suzanne Hahn on March 26, 1956, and they had three sons: David Aston (b. 1953), Allen J. Astin (b. March 23, 1961), and Thomas E. Astin (b. March 19, 1965), then divorced on June 14, 1972. He was first noticed in a small role in "West Side Story" (1961), then appeared in several other films: "That Touch of Mink" (1962), "Move Over, Darling" (1963), before being cast as "Gomez Addams." Although "The Addams Family" (1964–1966) was initially a huge hit, its popularity waned after two years, and Astin moved on to other work, including the unusual film "Bunny O'Hare" (1971), where he played a gray-haired but not particularly bright gunman in the Western parody "Evil Roy Slade" (1972), an appearance in the Disney comedy "Freaky Friday" (1976), reprising his role in the TV movie "Halloween with the New Addams Family" (1977), and dual roles in "National Lampoon's European Vacation" (1985), "The Double" (1987), and "Goosebumps" (1996).

He married Patty Duke on August 5, 1972, and they had two sons: Mackenzie Astin (b. May 12, 1973) and adopted Sean Astin (b. February 25, 1971), when he was 3 years old, then divorced on November 3, 1985. About four years later, he married Valerie Ann Sandobal on March 19, 1989, and is still married. Since then, he has lent his comedic talents to numerous appearances as "Dr. Gangrene" in several silly "killer tomato" films and voiced "Gomez Addams" in the animated series "The Addams Family" (1992), and then played "Grandpa Addams" in the short-lived TV series "The New Addams Family" (1998). In addition, Astin has voiced several animated shows and is still active (1957–present), regularly appearing in films. He currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland, with his current wife. Astin was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his directorial debut, the comedy short "Prelude" (1968).