Aniston was born in Pervolakia, Chania on the island of Crete, Greece, on July 24, 1933,[1][2][3] to Stella Joanne (née Koume; 1899–1991) and Antonios Anastassakis (1891–1966).

[5] Aniston attended Eddystone High School and later graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor's degree in theater arts.

[6] After college, he served in the United States Navy as an intelligence officer on active duty in Panama and later in the Reserve, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander.

[citation needed] He appeared in soap operas regularly starting in 1970, when he first joined Days of Our Lives as a character named Dr. Eric Richards.

(1964), My Big Fat Greek Life (2002), Star Trek: Voyager (2001), American Dreams (with Days co-star Frances Reid), Journeyman, and Mad Men.