Meet John Pappas: The Renaissance Actor

By Dominique Martin


With a career that has spanned more than forty-five years, he has appeared in countless movies and television shows. People who see John Pappas in public are likely to think they somehow know him, rather than thinking they saw him acting in a movie. With his chameleon like acting skills, he may not be recognizable from one role to the next.

He hails for Northern California, spending his youth in Oakland and attending college at San Francisco State University. Since 1974 he has spent most of his time in the greater Hollywood area. Seems that he went where he could find work in his chosen fields. That was not going to happen in Oakland.

He has always been a man of multiple talents. If the acting jobs were not forthcoming, no problem. It was time for some stand-up comedy or improvisation. He proved extremely resourceful at keeping himself employed. During the 1970s he regularly made the rounds of daytime talk shows. He was always a welcome guest.

As if acting and comedy were not enough, this talented actor also made his mark in the theater. He did not merely perform, he also wrote and directed plays. He spent time in the Los Angeles theater circuit, but he was no stranger to New York either. When he was the original actor to play a given role, he showed the ability to take the character from the West to the East Coast.

He is known for playing small roles that are pivotal to the story line. His versatility provided the opportunities to get the acting jobs he wanted. He has not been the star that eclipses everyone else, but he has been the star that shines clear and constant.

He made many guest appearances on one of the longest running soap operas of all time. He also has a long stint, twenty-two years, as a regular in the same soap opera. Most fans did not recognize him from one role to the next. He played his character, rather than playing himself.

For a time when he was doing stand up comedy he part of a two man comedic team. The pair would tell jokes and sing, not unlike another popular duo of that era, the Smothers Brothers. It was all good, clean fun. The team poked more fun at themselves than anyone else.

His talents even extend to painting. His style is generally abstract impressionism. This well-rounded artist has been producing wonderful paintings for more than 30 years. His work hangs in private venues and in art galleries.

He is not the only character actor who became successful without being a household name. Super stardom may have been elusive, but steady work and good life have not. He and his wife live in Long Beach, California and are part of that artistic community. The couple are devoted to their two Golden Retrievers, who are sometimes the muse for his paintings. Fully developing all facets of his creativity and staying happily married to his first wife are characteristics of a Renaissance man. Hurray for you, sir.




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