John Astin

John Allen Astin (born March 30, 1930) is an American actor and director. He has appeared in numerous stage, television, and film roles, primarily in character roles. Astin is best known for his portrayal of patriarch Gomez Addams in the TV series The Addams Family (1964–1966), reprising the role in the television film Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) and the animated series The Addams Family (1992–1993). He has also starred in notable films such as West Side Story (1961), Freaky Friday (1976), and The Frighteners (1996). Astin was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his directorial debut, Prelude (1968).