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 (1964). John Astin standing at a height of 5' 11" (1.8 m) was born March 30, 1930 (Aries), in Baltimore, MD as John Allen Astin to Allen V. Astin and Margaret Astin with a brother Alexander Astin. He is an American actor, voice actor and director. He attended Washington, Jefferson College and Johns Hopkins University where he studied mathematics. However he discovered a passion for the theater and began performing in minor plays and doing voice-over work for commercials. Married Suzanne Hahn on March 26, 1956, had 3 sons: David Aston (born 1953), Allen J. Astin (born March 23, 1961) and Thomas E. Astin (born March 19, 1965), then divorced June 14, 1972. He first got 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". While "The Addams Family (1964–1966)" 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 (1971), playing a grizzled but not particularly bright gunfighter in the western spoof Evil Roy Slade (1972), an appearance in the Disney comedy Freaky Friday (1976), reprising the role in the television film Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) and dual roles in National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), Teen Wolf Too (1987) and The Frighteners (1996). Married Patty Duke on August 5, 1972, had 2 sons: Mackenzie Astin (born May 12, 1973) and adopted Sean Astin (born February 25, 1971), when he was 3 years old, then divorced November 3, 1985. Roughly four years later, he married Valerie Ann Sandobal on March 19, 1989 and is still presently married. 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 (1992), and then played "Grandpa Addams" in the short-lived TV series The New Addams Family (1998). In addition, Astin has contributed voices to several animated shows, and is still active (1957-present) regularly appearing in films. Currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland with current wife. Astin was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his directorial debut, the comedic short Prelude (1968).
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Biography from TMDB.
- March 30, 1930 (96)
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Actor, also director
- 63 on Motif · 129 credits in all
What are John Astin's films like?
Across their 30 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
A split, not a type: Ironic 7 · Wry 4 · Earnest 13
Light 21 · Serious 3 · Dark 1
Grounded 8 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 6
Gentle 16 · Charged 7 · Intense 2
A split, not a type: Steady 16 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 6
Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 15
A split, not a type: Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 3
Casual 22 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 21 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 1
Resolved 23 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1
Roles they play
Usually the Shadow: 5 of 19 analyzed roles.
Show the 19 rolesHide the roles
- Tricksteras Mr. Everett Beasley in That Touch of Mink (1962)
- Shapeshifteras Hector Vanson in The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
- Heroas Gomez Addams in The Addams Family (1964)
- Shapeshifteras Dr. Stanley Remington in Two on a Bench (1971)
- Shapeshifteras Mr. Turnbull in Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972)
- Heroas Evil Roy Slade in Evil Roy Slade (1972)
- Heroas Pepper in Wacky Taxi (1972)
- Shadowas Desperate Ambrose J. Littleberry in The Brothers O'Toole (1973)
- Tricksteras Michael O'Toole in The Brothers O'Toole (1973)
- Tricksteras Dr. Harvey Osterman in Only with Married Men (1974)
- Allyas Mr. Andrews in Freaky Friday (1976)
- Heroas Gomez Addams in Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977)
- Allyas Tonga Tom in Body Slam (1986)
- Shadowas Dean Dunn in Teen Wolf Too (1987)
- Shadowas Professor Gangreen in Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)
- Shadowas Professor Mortimer Gangreen in Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1992)
- Mentoras Prof. Albert Wickwire in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993)
- Mentoras Norman Warner in School of Life (2005)
- Shadowas Professor Mortimer Gangreen in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence (2026)
Moods and endings
- Happy23
- Bittersweet2
- Tragic1
- Ambiguous4
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch John Astin's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 39 of their 63 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (22).
- West Side Story (1961) · actor · free
- Eerie, Indiana (1991) · actor · free
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) · actor · free
- The Addams Family (1964) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- The Donna Reed Show (1958) · actor · free
- School of Life (2005) · actor · free
- Hazel (1961) · actor · free
- The Doris Day Show (1968) · actor · free
- Dennis the Menace (1959) · actor · free
- The Facts of Life (1979) · actor · free
- Mad About You (1992) · actor · free
- +10 more
- Eerie, Indiana (1991) · actor
- Night Court (1984) · actor
- Route 66 (1960) · actor
- The Donna Reed Show (1958) · actor
- McMillan & Wife (1971) · actor, director
- Hazel (1961) · actor
- The Doris Day Show (1968) · actor
- Dennis the Menace (1959) · actor
- The Pusher (1960) · actor
- Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) · actor
- Fantasy Island (1977) · actor
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988) · actor
- +4 more
- Eerie, Indiana (1991) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- The Donna Reed Show (1958) · actor · free
- School of Life (2005) · actor · free
- McMillan & Wife (1971) · actor, director · free
- Hazel (1961) · actor · free
- The Doris Day Show (1968) · actor · free
- Dennis the Menace (1959) · actor · free
- The Facts of Life (1979) · actor · free
- Mad About You (1992) · actor · free
- Fantasy Island (1977) · actor · free
- The Partridge Family (1970) · actor · free
- +4 more
- The Twilight Zone (1959) · actor · free
- The Odd Couple (1970) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- That Touch of Mink (1962) · actor · free
- The Donna Reed Show (1958) · actor · free
- The Doris Day Show (1968) · actor · free
- Dennis the Menace (1959) · actor · free
- Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) · actor · free
- Body Slam (1986) · actor · free
- Candy (1968) · actor · free
- The Love Boat (1977) · actor · free
Subscription and free streaming for John Astin's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
129 credits, 63 with a Motif page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Justice League Action(2016)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Betaville (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

School of Life(2005)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
As Told by Ginger (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

Becker (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

The New Addams Family (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

The Hughleys (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

The Wild Thornberrys(1998)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows
Recess(1997)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
Quack Pack(1996)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows
The Frighteners(1996)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

Pinky and the Brain(1995)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
Harrison Bergeron(1995)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Runaway Daughters (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

Rebel Highway (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

The Silence of the Hams(1994)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Duckman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Burke's Law (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

The Nanny(1993)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Problem Child (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Stepmonster (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Mad About You(1992)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows
The Addams Family (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

Killer Tomatoes Strike Back! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

Step by Step(1991)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows
Eerie, Indiana(1991)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Taz-Mania (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

They Came from Outer Space (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Night Life(1989)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
The Saint: The Blue Dulac (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

Tales from the Crypt(1989)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Mystery Magical Special (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Teen Wolf Too(1987)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
The Charmings (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

Body Slam(1986)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Mr. Boogedy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

Mary (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Otherworld (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

Charles in Charge(1984)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows
Murder, She Wrote(1984)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Night Court(1984)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
Riptide (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

Just Our Luck (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

St. Elsewhere (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

Simon & Simon (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

Mr. Merlin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

The Facts of Life(1979)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows
Diff'rent Strokes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

Fantasy Island(1977)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
The Love Boat(1977)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows
Operation Petticoat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

CHiPs(1977)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)
Lanigan's Rabbi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

Freaky Friday(1976)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Welcome Back, Kotter(1975)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all showsThe Bob Crane Show (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

The Dream Makers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

Only with Married Men(1974)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Police Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

Hard Day at Blue Nose (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

Skyway to Death (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

The Brothers O'Toole(1973)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Police Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

Scooby-Doo Meets The Addams Family (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

Ghost Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

Temperatures Rising (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Every Little Crook and Nanny (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

Get to Know Your Rabbit(1972)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Evil Roy Slade(1972)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Wacky Taxi(1972)
Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
Two on a Bench(1971)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Bunny O'Hare (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

McMillan & Wife(1971)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
Night Gallery(1969)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
The Partridge Family(1970)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows
The Odd Couple(1970)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Viva Max! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

Love, American Style (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

Candy(1968)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
The Doris Day Show(1968)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all showsPrelude (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

The Flying Nun (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

He & She (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

The Spirit Is Willing(1967)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all filmsCBS Playhouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

Occasional Wife (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

Hey Landlord! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

The Pruitts of Southampton (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

Batman(1966)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
The Wild Wild West (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

The Addams Family(1964)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Move Over, Darling(1963)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
The Wheeler Dealers(1963)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all filmsThe Greatest Show on Earth (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

Billy Rose's Jumbo(1962)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Period of Adjustment(1962)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

The Virginian (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

That Touch of Mink(1962)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
West Side Story(1961)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Ben Casey (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

Hazel(1961)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
87th Precinct (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

The Asphalt Jungle (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

Peter Loves Mary (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

Route 66(1960)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
Outlaws (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

Checkmate (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

The Pusher(1960)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Dennis the Menace(1959)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows
The Twilight Zone(1959)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
77 Sunset Strip (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

The Donna Reed Show(1958)
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows
The Kiss (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

Maverick(1957)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
The Night America Trembled (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

Gunsmoke (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)
Career shape
Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 129 titles from 1955 to 2026; peak year 1991.

Biggest box office
National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)

Highest rated
Eerie, Indiana (1991)

Most popular right now
Murder, She Wrote (1984)
Film career
Peak 1991 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 6 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1962Screen debut· That Touch of Mink
- 1977First top-billed film· Halloween with the New Addams Family
- 1996Career best· The Frighteners
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
How do John Astin's films land?
Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 36th percentile, the median of all 30; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 34th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up17
- 50th to 74th16
- 25th to 49th18
- Below 25th12
Shape of the crowd
31 of their 63 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved4
- Universally Panned1
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser31
- Broadly Agreed5
- Mixed20
Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is John Astin's work okay for kids?
Across up to 8 Motif titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does John Astin work with?
People who share at least 2 of John Astin's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jerry Paris shares the most, 3.
Directors
- Jerry ParisShared titles: Only with Married Men (1974), Evil Roy Slade (1972), Two on a Bench (1971)See all 3 shared titles with Jerry Paris

- Bryan SpicerShared titles: The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), Eerie, Indiana (1991)See all 2 shared titles with Bryan Spicer

- Greg BeemanShared titles: The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), Eerie, Indiana (1991)See all 2 shared titles with Greg Beeman

- John De BelloShared titles: Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1992), Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)See all 2 shared titles with John De Bello

Writers
- Costa DillonShared titles: Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence (2026), Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1992), Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)See all 3 shared titles with Costa Dillon

- J. Stephen PeaceShared titles: Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence (2026), Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1992), Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)See all 3 shared titles with J. Stephen Peace
- James L. NovackShared titles: The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), Murder, She Wrote (1984)See all 2 shared titles with James L. Novack
- Tracy FriedmanShared titles: The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), Murder, She Wrote (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Tracy Friedman
Actors
- Dom DeLuiseShared titles: The Silence of the Hams (1994), Only with Married Men (1974), Evil Roy Slade (1972)See all 3 shared titles with Dom DeLuise

- Dee WallaceShared titles: The Frighteners (1996), Huck and the King of Hearts (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Dee Wallace

- Steve LundquistShared titles: Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1992), Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)See all 2 shared titles with Steve Lundquist
- Carolyn JonesShared titles: Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977), The Addams Family (1964)See all 2 shared titles with Carolyn Jones

Composers
- Rick PattersonShared titles: Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1992), Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)See all 2 shared titles with Rick Patterson
- Allyn FergusonShared titles: Murder, She Wrote (1984), Only with Married Men (1974)See all 2 shared titles with Allyn Ferguson
Producers
- Martin MelcherShared titles: Move Over, Darling (1963), That Touch of Mink (1962)See all 2 shared titles with Martin Melcher






