Paris Themmen (born June 25, 1959) is an American actor who started his career as a child actor. He is best known for his role as Mike Teavee in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. After leaving acting, he worked in business as a real estate broker and casting director.
Early life Themmen was born on June 25, 1959, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Ivana Marburger Themmen and Harold B. Themmen, both classical musicians.Fanfare Magazine, Volume 6, Issues 3-4, 1983 page 276 Themmen's mother was a composer for orchestras in the late 20th century.American Woman Composers News, Volume 1, Issues 2-3 A guitar concerto of hers was in final contention for the 1982 Kennedy Center Friedheim Award. Themmen's father, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, was a clarinetist and librarian for the American Ballet Theatre, and also played for the Boston Pops Orchestra.Teck, Catherine. Music for the Dance: Reflections on a Collaborative Art. Greenwood Press, 1989, page 108
Career
Child actor Themmen appeared in radio and TV commercials, voice-overs and theater performing on Broadway in Mame with Ann Miller in 1967 and in The Rothschilds in 1970. In 1971, aged 11, he got his breakthrough role in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as Mike Teevee.
Business careers Declaring a hiatus from acting at age 14 to "just be a kid," Themmen went on to receive a B.F.A. in theatre from New York University. He founded Access International, a travel service that arranged Europe-bound charter flights for backpackers.
Following brief stints in real estate, film production, commercial casting, business representation at Walt Disney Imagineering, and a few other ventures, he now signs autographs at movie conventions, runs a photography business, and makes sporadic appearances in commercials, plays and TV shows.
Film appearance Themmen's adult acting appearances include "Virtuoso", a 2000, sixth-season episode of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager, as a fawning fan. He was billed as a "former child star" in two 2008 episodes of the American game show Duel.Duel April 18, 2008Duel, July 4, 2008, broadcast
On May 4, 2011, Themmen appeared on the British television morning show Daybreak, alongside the other child actors from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory: Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt), Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregarde) and Michael Böllner (Augustus Gloop). They made an additional 40th Anniversary reunion appearance on NBC's Today Show eleven days later. He reunited with the partial Wonka cast again on the program in 2015.
On January 23, 2015, Themmen appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor Podcast. The episode was recorded live in Wilmington, Massachusetts during North East ComicCon.
Themmen was a Jeopardy! contestant on March 13, 2018, finishing in second place. His wife, Nikki Grillos, previously appeared on the program in 2015, returning twice as a champion before being defeated on her third appearance.
Personal life
Themmen has been married to Nikki Grillos since 2014. Together, the couple currently reside in Los Angeles, California.
Themmen's sister Allegra Themmen-Pigott (1967–2019) was a coloratura soprano opera singer and music therapist.Themmen-Pigott, Allegra. Life in the Key of Allegra: A Personal and Professional Journey with the Healing Powers of Music. 2019 His sister Tania Themmen is married to voice actress and voice director Susan Blu.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Mike Teevee
Television Year Title Role Notes 1975 The Rock 'n' Fun Magic Show Himself 1994 Macross Plus Additional Voices TV mini-series 1999 Screenplay Mail Room Clerk TV movie 2000 Star Trek: Voyager Fawning Fan Episode: Virtuoso 2003 After They Were Famous Himself Documentary 2011 Daybreak 1 episode Pure Imagination: The Story of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Documentary Top Chef: Just Desserts Episode: Pure Imagination 2011; 2015 Today 2 episodes 2012 Beyond the Marquee Episode: Meet the Wonka Kids Men with No Lives Episode: Who Is Hugh Jardon? Stan Lee's Comikaze Special 2016 Cake Wars 1 episode LeagueOne: In the Spotlight! Episode: Child Star Remembers Gene Wilder! 2018 Jeopardy! 1 episode 2021 To Tell the Truth 1 episode
Film work Year Title Role Notes 1991 Until the End of the World Production Assistant Uncredited 2005 Citizen Candy Man: A Chocumentary Special Thanks 2011 Something Borrowed Production Assistant 2012 The Owner First Assistant Director
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1967 Mame Performer 1970–1971 The Rothschilds Young Jacob Rothschild Broadway
References
External links