John Aniston
Encyclopedia
John Anthony Aniston is a Greek-American actor
and the father of actress Jennifer Aniston
. He is best known for his role as Victor Kiriakis
on the NBC
daytime drama Days of our Lives
, which he originated in July 1985 and has played continually since then.
on the island of Crete
, the son of Stella Joanne (October 1, 1899 — November 7, 1992) and Antonios Anastassakis (January 17, 1889 — May, 1965). His father anglicized his name when he emigrated to the United States
when Aniston was two, and his parents opened a restaurant in Chester, Pennsylvania
.
He graduated from Pennsylvania State University
with a bachelor's degree
in Theater Arts, served in the United States Navy
as an intelligence officer on active duty in Panama
and later in the reserve, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander
.
, with his first wife, Nancy Dow
(from whom he was later divorced), and also has a son, Alexander, from his second wife, Sherry Rooney Aniston.
as Eddie Aleata
. In 1978, he left Love and played Mary Stuart
's new love interest, Martin Tourneur, on Search for Tomorrow
. He played that role until 1984. He joined the cast of Days of our Lives
as Victor Kiriakis
(1985–Present).
He also played a small part on the television series Gilmore Girls
. Aniston made guest appearances on Airwolf
(Season 2), Combat
, My Big Fat Greek Life
, Star Trek: Voyager
, and Mad Men
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and the father of actress Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
. He is best known for his role as Victor Kiriakis
Victor Kiriakis
Victor Kiriakis I is a fictional character on NBC's Days of our Lives. The role has been portrayed by John Aniston since 1985. His time on the show has been 1985 to 1997, 1998 to present with a brief storyline driven absence in 2004 when his character was "killed off" but found alive on the island...
on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
daytime drama Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
, which he originated in July 1985 and has played continually since then.
Early life
Aniston was born Yannis Anastassakis in ChaniaChania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
on the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, the son of Stella Joanne (October 1, 1899 — November 7, 1992) and Antonios Anastassakis (January 17, 1889 — May, 1965). His father anglicized his name when he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when Aniston was two, and his parents opened a restaurant in Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
.
He graduated from Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Theater Arts, served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as an intelligence officer on active duty in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and later in the reserve, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
Personal life
He had his daughter, Jennifer AnistonJennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
, with his first wife, Nancy Dow
Nancy Dow
Nancy Dow is an American actress who appeared in a brief group of films. She was married to Greek-American actor John Aniston with whom she had a daughter, actress Jennifer Aniston....
(from whom he was later divorced), and also has a son, Alexander, from his second wife, Sherry Rooney Aniston.
Career
He has appeared in soap operas almost continually since 1975, when he joined the cast of Love of LifeLove of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
as Eddie Aleata
Edouard Aleata
Edouard Aleata, commonly called Eddie, was a fictional character on the now-cancelled American soap opera Love of Life. He was played by actor John Aniston....
. In 1978, he left Love and played Mary Stuart
Mary Stuart (actress)
Mary Stuart was an American actress and singer/songwriter.She was born as Mary Stuart Houchins in Miami, Florida and grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she graduated from Tulsa Central High School and attended the University of Tulsa before embarking on her professional career...
's new love interest, Martin Tourneur, on Search for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
. He played that role until 1984. He joined the cast of Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
as Victor Kiriakis
Victor Kiriakis
Victor Kiriakis I is a fictional character on NBC's Days of our Lives. The role has been portrayed by John Aniston since 1985. His time on the show has been 1985 to 1997, 1998 to present with a brief storyline driven absence in 2004 when his character was "killed off" but found alive on the island...
(1985–Present).
He also played a small part on the television series Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
. Aniston made guest appearances on Airwolf
Airwolf
Airwolf is an American television series that ran from 1984 until 1987. The program centers on a high-tech military helicopter, code named Airwolf, and its crew as they undertake various missions, many involving espionage, with a Cold War theme....
(Season 2), Combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
, My Big Fat Greek Life
My Big Fat Greek Life
My Big Fat Greek Life is a situation comedy series that ran on CBS in 2003. The series is a continuation on the 2002 movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding and was produced by HBO Television and Tom Hanks' Playtone Productions for Sony Pictures Television....
, Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, and Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
.