Willie Aames is an American actor, film

Film director

A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...

 and television director

Television director

A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...

, television producer

Television producer

The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...

, and screenwriter

Screenwriter

Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...

. He played Tommy Bradford on the 1970s’ Eight Is Enough

Eight Is Enough

Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...

and Buddy Lembeck on the 1980s’ Charles in Charge

Charles in Charge

Charles in Charge is an American sitcom series which starred Scott Baio as Charles, a 19-year-old student at the fictional Copeland College in New Jersey, who worked as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board...

.

Early life

Born Albert William Upton in Newport Beach, California

Newport Beach, California

Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...

, Aames attended Edison High School

Edison High School, Huntington Beach

Edison High School is a secondary school located in Huntington Beach, California which first began operation in 1969. It is a part of the Huntington Beach Union High School District.-History:...

 in Huntington Beach, California

Huntington Beach, California

Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...

, and was in both the choir and the Madrigal Ensemble.

Career

Aames began acting in the early 1970s as a child actor

Child actor

The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...

. In 1971, he originated the role of Leonard Unger, the son of Felix Unger

Felix Unger

Felix Unger was one of the principal characters in Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple. Felix was portrayed in the original Broadway production of the play by Art Carney, in the film by Jack Lemmon, and in the television series by Tony Randall.-Character overview:Felix is a divorced, middle-aged man...

 (Tony Randall

Tony Randall

Tony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...

), on the ABC-TV series The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple (TV series)

The Odd Couple is a television situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. It was based upon the play of the same name, which was written by Neil Simon.Felix and Oscar are two divorced men....

, a part that was later played by Leif Garrett

Leif Garrett

Leif Garrett is an American singer and actor. He became famous in the late 1970s as a teen idol, but received much publicity in later life for his drug abuse and legal troubles.-Early life:...

. The following year, he voiced the character of Jamie Boyle in the animated series Wait till Your Father Gets Home

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home was an animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired in first-run syndication in the United States from 1972 to 1974...

. Aames has guest-starred on various television series including The Waltons

The Waltons

The Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...

and Adam-12

Adam-12

Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...

. In 1974, he portrayed a 12-year old Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...

 in the miniseries

Miniseries

A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...

 Benjamin Franklin. The next year, he co-starred in the short lived series We'll Get By

We'll Get By

We'll Get By is a short-lived American television sitcom that aired on the CBS network. The series was created by Alan Alda and ran for twelve episodes from March 14, 1975 to May 30, 1975.-Synopsis:...

.

In 1977, he landed the role of Tommy Bradford in the dramedy Eight is Enough

Eight Is Enough

Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...

. During this period, he formed a rock band called “Willie Aames & Paradise”, where he was lead singer/guitarist. After Eight is Enough ended in 1981, Aames moved on to roles in films, including Zapped!

Zapped!

Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney...

opposite Scott Baio

Scott Baio

Scott Vincent James Baio is an American actor and television director, best known for his roles as Chachi Arcola on the sitcom Happy Days and its spin-off, Joanie Loves Chachi, and as the title character on the sitcom Charles in Charge....

, and Paradise

Paradise (1982 film)

Paradise is a 1982 English language romance and adventure film starring Phoebe Cates and Willie Aames, written and directed by Stuart Gillard. The original music score was composed by Paul Hoffert with the theme song sung by Phoebe Cates....

with Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates is an American film actress, model, and entrepreneur known for her roles in several teen films, most notably Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins.-Early life:...

.

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

Soap opera

A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

 The Edge of Night

The Edge of Night

The Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...

. From 1983 to 1985, he was the voice of Hank on the cartoon Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons (TV series)

Dungeons & Dragons is an American fantasy animated television series based on TSR's Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A co-production of Marvel Productions and TSR, the show originally ran from 1985 through 1987 for three seasons on CBS for a total of twenty seven episodes.The show focused on a...

. After the end of Charles in Charge in 1990, Aames hosted the game show The Krypton Factor

The Krypton Factor (US game show)

The Krypton Factor was a United States game show based on the UK series of the same name. The series originally ran on ABC from August 7 to September 4, 1981 and NBC from 15th December 1982 to present...

. From 1995 to 2004, he starred in a video series and annual touring performances as the Christian superhero Bibleman

Bibleman

Bibleman is an American video series with an evangelical superhero character . The series includes videos, books and live shows, where they tour locations around North America.-Bibleman Live:...

, although he has since retired from the role.

Personal life

Aames struggled with drugs and alcohol during the 70's and early 80's and it was during this time that he became a born-again Christian and an ordained minister.

Aames resides in California once again and is divorced from his second wife, Maylo McCaslin, with whom he co-wrote the book Grace Is Enough in 2007.
They married on March 15, 1986, and have a daughter, Harleigh Jean. Aames also has a son, Christopher, from his first marriage.

Selected filmography

Film
Year	Film	Role	Notes
1979	Scavenger Hunt Scavenger Hunt Scavenger Hunt is a 1979 comedy film with a large ensemble cast, in the mold of the 1963 comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.-Plot summary:...	Kenny Stevens
1982	Paradise Paradise (1982 film) Paradise is a 1982 English language romance and adventure film starring Phoebe Cates and Willie Aames, written and directed by Stuart Gillard. The original music score was composed by Paul Hoffert with the theme song sung by Phoebe Cates....	David
	Zapped! Zapped! Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney...	Peyton Nichols
1984	Goma-2	Tony	Alternative title: Killing Machine
2003	The Missy Files	-	Direct-to-DVD release Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... Director, writer
Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1971	The Odd Couple The Odd Couple (TV series) The Odd Couple is a television situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. It was based upon the play of the same name, which was written by Neil Simon.Felix and Oscar are two divorced men....	Leonard	1 episode
1971–1972	The Courtship of Eddie's Father The Courtship of Eddie's Father The Courtship of Eddie's Father is an American television sitcom based on the 1963 movie of the same name, which was based on the book written by Mark Toby...	Harold O'Brien	4 episodes
1971–1973	Gunsmoke Gunsmoke Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....	Tom Andy	2 episodes
1971–1974	Adam-12 Adam-12 Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...	Little Boy Billy Ray	2 episodes
1971–1975	Medical Center Medical Center (TV series) Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976.-Synopsis:The show starred James Daly as Dr. Paul Lochner and Chad Everett as Dr. Joe Gannon, surgeons working in an otherwise unnamed university hospital in Los Angeles. The show focused both on the lives of the doctors...	Eric Jeff	3 episodes
1972	Cannon Cannon (TV series) Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976.The primary protagonist was the title character, Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad....	Macklin Boy	1 episode
1972–1974	Wait Till Your Father Gets Home Wait Till Your Father Gets Home Wait Till Your Father Gets Home was an animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired in first-run syndication in the United States from 1972 to 1974...	Jamie Boyle (Voice)	38 episodes
1973	Adam's Rib	Boy	1 episode
1974	Benjamin Franklin	Benjamin Franklin (12 years old)	Miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
	The Wonderful World of Disney	Jeff Peterson	1 episode
1975	The Waltons The Waltons The Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...	Danny Comley	1 episode
	We'll Get By We'll Get By We'll Get By is a short-lived American television sitcom that aired on the CBS network. The series was created by Alan Alda and ran for twelve episodes from March 14, 1975 to May 30, 1975.-Synopsis:...	Kenny Platt	12 episodes
1975–1976	The Swiss Family Robinson	Fred Robinson	20 episodes
1976	Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Rich Man, Poor Man Book II is an American television miniseries that aired on ABC in one-hour episodes at 9:00pm ET/PT on Tuesday nights between September 21, 1976 and March 8, 1977...	Young Wesley Jordache	Miniseries
1976–1977	Family Family (TV series) Family is an American television drama series that aired on ABC from 1976 to 1980. Creative control of the show was split between executive producers Leonard Goldberg, Aaron Spelling and Mike Nichols...	T.J. Latimer	6 episodes
1977	Little House: A New Beginning	Seth	1 episode
1977–1981	Eight is Enough Eight Is Enough Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...	Tommy Bradford	112 episodes
1982	The Love Boat The Love Boat The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...	Danny — Doc's Nephew	1 episode
1983	The Edge of Night The Edge of Night The Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...	Robbie Hamlin	Unknown episodes
1983–1985	Dungeons & Dragons Dungeons & Dragons (TV series) Dungeons & Dragons is an American fantasy animated television series based on TSR's Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A co-production of Marvel Productions and TSR, the show originally ran from 1985 through 1987 for three seasons on CBS for a total of twenty seven episodes.The show focused on a...	Hank the Ranger (Voice)	27 episodes
1984–1990	Charles in Charge Charles in Charge Charles in Charge is an American sitcom series which starred Scott Baio as Charles, a 19-year-old student at the fictional Copeland College in New Jersey, who worked as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board...	Buddy Lembeck	126 episodes
1986	Blacke's Magic Blacke's Magic Blacke's Magic was a short-lived American TV show about a magician, Alexander Blacke , who, with some help from his con-man father, Leonard , solves mysteries that get in the way of his performances. It ran for one season in 1986 for 13 episodes and featured crimes that tested logic against...	Eric Wilson	1 episode
1987	Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion	Tommy Bradford	Television movie
1989	An Eight Is Enough Wedding	Tommy Bradford	Television movie
1996–2004	Bible Man	Bibleman	Director, producer, writer
2006	Bugtime Adventures Bugtime Adventures Bugtime Adventures is an American children's animated series that began airing in 2006. Episodes air on Christian TV stations like TBN. The entire series is also available on DVD.-Synopsis:...	Narrator	Unknown episodes

External links