Oklahoma-bred John Ashley got his start in the movie business while on a vacation in California. A friend from Oklahoma State University got him onto the set of the 'John Wayne .
Was adopted when only a few months old. Never knew his birth parents.
Father of Anthony Brooks Ashley.
Married actress Deborah Walley in 1962 and they subsequently became sand-and-surf playmates in the film Beach Blanket Bingo . They had one son, TV associate producer Anthony Brooks Ashley born on May 4, 1963, but divorced three years later.
Earned a B.A. in economics at Oklahoma State University.
Both Motorcycle Gang and Hot Rod Gang featured Johns singing skills. He later had recording contracts with a few labels
Lost out to Michael Landon for the title lead in I Was a Teenage Werewolf .
Played Frankie Avalon s best pal in a few "beach party" flicks of the 1960s.
Interviewed by Tom Weaver in the book "Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers" (McFarland & Co., 1988).
This is a terrible thing to admit, but maybe the key to my success with,exploitation films is that I always LIKED those movies, and I never had,any real reason to turn them down. I just enjoyed doing them. .
