John Otrin
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Became a member of Actor Equity acting in Children's theatre performing in over 13 Equity shows in Niles, Illinois.
Was the Assistant Entertainment Director for the Mill Run Theatre in Chicago, Illinois and worked with over 100 different 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; He also Co-Starred as Mr. Shepard in Friday the 13 Part VII, The New blood. John was the Cat-Con in Andrel Konchalovsky's Runaway Train with Eric Roberts and John Voight, He played a reporter in Native Son with Geraldine Page and Matt Dillon. He can be seen in such Movies as Mel Brook's To Be or Not to Be with Jose Ferrer and Tim Matheson, Again, played a reporter in Sir Richard Attenborough's Chaplin. He has worked extensively in television starring opposite Mark Harmon was his best friend n the Prince of Bel Air. He was requested back by the Producers for the final episode of "Mash"to play the Ambulance Attendant. He co-starred "In the Heat Of The Night" with Carrol O'Conner.
He has produced and directed over ten stage plays. He also appeared in Twelve Angry Men at The Rita Hayworth Theater, directed by Walter Koeing of Star Trek fame. He also studied acting with Gordon Hunt, Cory Allen, and Byrne Piven.
John is currently the President of Laddie O Productions and Executive Director of the Film Actor's studio where he and Gregory Avellone have produced and /or directed 50 Short films and in 1997 produced a festival short film screening in the Chaplin Theatre at the Raleigh Studios. He produced Gregory Avellone's Tina Gets Her Man, which can be seen on PBS. He produced and starred in the "The Red House" which was distributed in the USA,Canada,Germany,etc. He was requested by the Director and Producer to play a key supporting role, "The Preacher" at the end of the movie, "Peter Five Eight" that was filmed in the Mt Shasta area September 11,2021. He is attached to several film projects currently in development as a Director/ Producer and as Actor.