Willie Aames (born Albert William Upton on July 15, 1960) is an American actor, film and television director, television producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for playing Tommy Bradford, one of Tom Bradford's (played by Dick Van Patten) sons, on the 1970s television series Eight Is Enough, Buddy Lembeck on the 1980s series Charles in Charge and the title character in the direct-to-video series Bibleman (1995-2003).
Video Willie Aames
Early life
Aames was born in Newport Beach, California, in 1960. He attended Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California, and was in both the choir and the Madrigal Ensemble.
Maps Willie Aames
Career
Aames began acting in the late 1960s as a child, appearing in shows such as Gunsmoke, The Wonderful World of Disney, Adam-12, and The Courtship of Eddie's Father. In 1971, he originated the role of Leonard Unger, the son of Felix Unger (Tony Randall), on the ABC-TV series The Odd Couple, a part that was later played by Leif Garrett. The following year, he voiced the character of Jamie Boyle in the animated series Wait Till Your Father Gets Home.
He guest-starred on various television series, including The Waltons. In 1974, he portrayed a 12-year-old Benjamin Franklin in the miniseries Benjamin Franklin. The next year, he co-starred in the series Swiss Family Robinson.
In 1977, he landed the role of Tommy Bradford in the comedy-drama Eight Is Enough. During this period, he played in a band called "Willie Aames & Paradise," in which he was lead singer/guitarist. Formed while Aames was in junior high school, the group eventually landed a recording contract with CBS Custom Label. During this time, Aames appeared in his first movie role, in Scavenger Hunt. After the series ended in 1981, Aames appeared in more film roles, including Zapped! opposite Scott Baio and Paradise with Phoebe Cates.
Before portraying the role of Buddy Lembeck in Charles in Charge in 1984, Aames played the character of Robbie Hamlin on the ABC soap opera The Edge of Night. From 1983 to 1985, he was the voice of Hank on the cartoon Dungeons & Dragons. After the end of Charles in Charge in 1990, Aames hosted the game show The Krypton Factor.
Aames began the role of Miles Peterson / Bibleman in the direct-to-video Christian superhero series from 1995 to 2003 before leaving to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by Robert T. Schlipp.
Friendship with Dick Van Patten
Long before Willie Aames met, venerable character actor Dick Van Patten, on the set of Eight is Enough, his first encounter with Van Patten, was he met him, through one of his 3 real-life sons (Vincent Van Patten), on the set of The Courtship of Eddie's Father, where Dick's youngest son guest starred as an older kid of Eddie's that led a gang. From that moment on, the friendship took over, and became close friends, off- and on- for nearly 45 years, until Dick's death on June 23, 2015. Then, in early 1977, having been a novice actor for years, he finally got the role of Tommy Bradford, when he replaced Chris English, in the sitcom Eight is Enough, with Dick Van Patten as his TV father, Tom Bradford, where the two had a great on- and off-screen chemistry, at the end of the 1970s, to the beginning of the 1980s. Off-camera, in the midst of all the fame, an incident, off-camera came when Aames's TV father got mad, only this one time, when the stalker threatens Van Patten's real-life safety. Aames said: "He loved and adored his family." When Eight is Enough was finally canceled in 1981, his TV father had actually read it in the newspaper, when he wasn't told about this. That wasn't the end of the real-life friendship between Van Patten and Aames, as they both moved on to greater success. In 1987, while doing another successful show, Charles in Charge, Aames was reunited with Van Patten in both of the Eight is Enough reunion movies: Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion, which followed by, An Eight Is Enough Wedding, 2 years later. When he finally lost his decades-long acting mentor, he released a statement: "He knew when to laugh, and Dick always had us laughing," He also included: "He was just a very wonderful, sincere man."
Personal life
Aames has been married three times. Aames married Vicki Weatherman in 1979, producing one child, Christopher. He married Maylo McCaslin in 1986, producing one child, Harleigh Jean. Aames is currently married to Winnie Hung.
For some years, Aames had been fighting alcohol addiction. In 2008, he faced ongoing drug abuse and private bankruptcy and worked construction jobs after investing in a failed TV show. After getting clean, Aames found work as a cruise ship director.
Filmography
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments