Don Stark Biography – 5 Fast Facts You Need To Know About The TV Actor

Quick Facts

You may only know Don Stark as an American actor and for his role on the sitcom That ’70s Show where he played the character Bob Pinciotti. See five other interesting facts you must know about him.

Don Stark Biography

Don Stark was born Donald Stark on July 5, 1954, in New York City, New York. He was born to his parents who are Alan Stark, his father and Debra Antorelli who is his mother. His father, Alan, who died in 2008, was an actor which reveals who Don stark took after. His mother also appeared on Broadway. He is the third of the four children his parents gave birth to. His other siblings are Anita, Frank, and Barbara Stark. He obtained his high school education at Cleveland High School in Reseda, California and he graduated in 1972.

While in school Stark was keen on football but joined the school’s drama team and played more roles in dramas with the theater arts department in the school than one the pitch. He featured in Guys and Dolls, Dark of the Moon, and Othello, the award-winning Shakespeare drama. After high school, he attended the California State University where he obtained a bachelors degree in theater. Stark is of a mixed ancestry, His father is of German-Jewish descent while his mother was of Italian descent. He holds the American nationality and his ethnicity is white.

Career

Even though Don Stark decided he was going into the entertainment (acting) world in high school and also landed some lead roles which made him popular in high school, his professional TV debut only came in 1973 with the TV sitcom titled Outrage. His first film appearance was in the 1975 feature film Switchblade Sisters. He played small roles in some other TV shows including General Hospital (1963) and Man in the Family (1991).

His major and pronounced act was in the FOX sitcom that aired between 1998 to 2006 titled That ’70s Show as he portrayed the character of Bob Pinciotti, a character which he maintained for the entirety of the eight seasons in which the series lasted. The show made him a household name and revived his acting career which was already grinding to a halt. He rode on the recognition he garnered from the TV series and landed more high profile roles. He played Stu Braudy in the 2000 HBO TV series Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also had a big screen appearance in the blockbuster, John Carter (2012).

5 Fast Facts You Need To Know About The TV Actor

He started his acting career in high school

Don Stark began his career as a student in high school – Cleveland High School – and the circumstances that pushed him to it are quite unnatural. It was not his passion or interest at first, but while in school, his friend put it up as a challenge that he could not do it – joining the school drama group. But to the amazement of his friend, he took up the challenge and joined the drama club and that was how his acting career began. His first outing with the team was getting the lead role in the play “Dark of the Moon” by Howard Richardson. The production was very successful and turned out really well which meant Stark had to appear in other productions in high school including the award-winning Othello and Guys and Dolls.

He is best known for his comedic role as Bob Pinciotti

His best role in television is perhaps his interpretation of the character of Bob Pinciotti in the 1998 TV series That ’70s Show. The character seemed to have stuck with him even after the show ended in 2006 as he is widely known for his role in the series. And it is important to note that Stark consistently appeared on the show throughout its eight-season long duration – from 1998 to 2006.

His career was taking a downturn before he was cast in “That ’70s Show”

Before he was featured in That ’70s Show, Stark’s acting career was already going downhill. In 1995, he was cast in the TV sitcom Bless This House as he desperately searched for a career-reviving screen role. His involvement in the latest series was not for long as the show was canceled after the first season. It didn’t help matters that he featured in the 1996 movie Santa with Muscles which was rated as “one of the worst Christmas movies of all time.” He starred alongside in the movie. After that was in another role that was also a flop in 1997. He was featured in the adaptation of the sci-fi movie Timecop (1997) where he played the character of a commanding officer. It was until the next year in 1998, that he struck the right cord in his career with That ’70s Show (1998-2006) where he played the role of Bob Pinciotti.

He has other interest asides from acting

Don Stark has a list of other pastimes which he indulges in when he is not acting including bodybuilding and martial arts.

He has been married twice

Don has been married to Aubrey Robinson since 1989. Though information about his married life is very limited, it is known that he has been married before to Julie Stark and they had two daughters together, Nicole and Samantha before they divorced.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.