Wissenswertes

Was adopted when only a few months old. Never knew his birth parents.

Lost out to Michael Landon for the title lead in Der Tod hat schwarze Krallen (1957).

Played Frankie Avalon's best pal in a few "beach party" flicks of the 1960s.

Married actress Deborah Walley in 1962 and they subsequently became sand-and-surf playmates in the film Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). They had one son, TV associate producer Anthony Brooks Ashley born on May 4, 1963, but divorced three years later.

Died of a sudden heart attack while in his parked car in a parking lot just outside the New York City studio where the film Scar City (1998) was being made, which Ashley was one of the producers.

Earned a B.A. in economics at Oklahoma State University.

Both Lederjacken rechnen ab (1957) and Schnelle Jungs und kesse Mädchen (1958) featured John's singing skills. He later had recording contracts with a few labels

Produced exploitation films shot in the Philippines, and even produced Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now as it was filmed there.

Interviewed by Tom Weaver in the book "Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers" (McFarland & Co., 1988).

Father of Anthony Brooks Ashley.