John's illustrious career in the entertainment industry began with a membership in Actor Equity, where he performed in over 13 Equity shows in Niles, Illinois, honing his craft in children's theatre.
As the Assistant Entertainment Director for the Mill Run Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, John worked alongside a plethora of talented stars, including Lana Turner, Sammy Davis Jr., Woody Allen, Jack Benny, Jerry Lee Lewis, Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine, Eddy Arnold, Pearl Bailey, Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, David Brenner, Glen Campbell, Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick, Jerry Vale, Danny Thomas, Sandler and Young, Don Rickles, and many more.
As a professional actor, John co-starred as Mr. Shepard in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, and played the role of Cat-Con in Andrey Konchalovsky's Runaway Train alongside Eric Roberts and Jon Voight. He also appeared in Native Son with Geraldine Page and Matt Dillon, and in Mel Brooks' To Be or Not to Be with Jose Ferrer and Tim Matheson.
John's extensive television credits include starring opposite Mark Harmon in the Prince of Bel Air, and being requested back by the producers for the final episode of M*A*S*H to play the Ambulance Attendant. He co-starred in In the Heat of the Night with Carroll O'Connor.
As a producer and director, John has helmed over ten stage plays, and has worked with renowned directors such as Walter Koeing of Star Trek fame. He has also studied acting with esteemed instructors Gordon Hunt, Cory Allen, and Byrne Piven.
John is currently the President of Laddie O Productions and Executive Director of the Film Actors' Studio, where he and Gregory Avellone have produced and/or directed 50 short films. In 1997, he produced a festival short film screening at the Chaplin Theatre at Raleigh Studios, and went on to produce Gregory Avellone's Tina Gets Her Man, which aired on PBS.
John's recent projects include producing and starring in The Red House, which was distributed in the USA, Canada, Germany, and other countries. He was also requested by the director and producer to play a key supporting role, "The Preacher," in the movie Peter Five Eight, which was filmed in the Mt. Shasta area in September 2021.
With multiple film projects currently in development, John continues to be a driving force in the entertainment industry, excelling as a director, producer, and actor.
