John Aniston, ‘Days of Our Lives’ Star, Dead at 89

By Greta Bjornson @greatbjornson
Published Nov. 14, 2022, 10:14 a.m. ET

John Aniston, soap opera legend, has died. He was 89.

Aniston, who starred on Days of Our Lives and is the father of actress Jennifer Aniston, died Friday (Nov. 11). His daughter confirmed John’s death on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two of them when she was a baby.

“Sweet papa…⁣ John Anthony Aniston,” Jennifer began. “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! You always had perfect timing. That number will forever hold an even greater meaning for me now 🕊️I’ll love you till the end of time💔⁣.”

She added, “Don’t forget to visit 💫🤗❤️.”

John was born Yiannis Anastasakis on July 24, 1933, on the Greek island of Crete, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He and his family moved to Pennsylvania in 1935, and John went on to act in high school and in college at Penn State. After graduating, he served in the Navy and later moved to New York, where his professional acting career began.

John was best known for his role as Victor Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives, which he first starred on between 1969 and 1970 as a different character, before returning to the show in 1985 to play Victor. John, who has appeared in nearly 3,000 episodes of the long-running soap, was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2017.

While John was a key figure in Days of Our Lives, he also appeared in series like Mission: Impossible, Kojak, Star Trek: Voyager, The West Wing, Gilmore Girls and Mad Men.

John was married to the late Nancy Dow — Jennifer’s mother — between 1965 and 1981. John later wed Sherry Rooney in 1984. He is survived by Jennifer, Sherry and his son, Alexander.