John Anthony Aniston was an American actor of Greek descent. The 89-years old veteran actor passed away on November 11, 2022. His daughter, actor Jennifer Aniston, shared the news in an Instagram post on Monday morning. “Sweet papa…⁣ John Anthony Aniston,” Jennifer Aniston wrote in a tribute post. “You were one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew. I am so grateful that you went soaring into the heavens in peace – and without pain. And on 11/11 no less!”. The cause of death has not yet been made public. 

He was most famous for his role as Victor Kiriakis on the NBC daytime drama Days of Our Lives, which he began in July 1985 and had continued to play ever since.

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Who was John Aniston?

Aniston was born on July 24, 1933, on the Greek island of Crete, to Stella Joanne and Antonios Anastassakis. He earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Pennsylvania State University. Following graduation, he joined the United States Navy as an intelligence agent on active duty in Panama and then in the reserve, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander.

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Aniston had Jennifer Aniston with his first wife, Nancy Dow, and Alexander Aniston with his second wife, Sherry Rooney, whom he had met while co-starring in Love of Life. John also had a stepson, John T. Melick, from Nancy’s previous marriage. 

John Aniston’s career

Aniston debuted in the 87th Precinct as “Officer #1” in the episode New Man in the Precinct in 1962. He had been appearing in soap operas on a regular basis since 1970 including Days of Our Lives,  Love of Life and Search for Tomorrow. He is also renowned for his roles in Airwolf, Gilmore Girls, The West Wing, Combat, and Mad Men amongst many others. 

In 2017, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and in 2022, he was awarded the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award.