Paris Themmen, who gained fame as the television-obsessed Mike Teavee in the 1971 film "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory," was recently seen in Los Angeles. Themmen, now 67, was spotted shopping for plants while wearing a casual outfit of a dark T-shirt, green sweatpants, and black sneakers. He completed the look with a beige ball cap, which he removed to reveal a partially bald head.
The actor, who was 11 years old when he starred in the Gene Wilder classic, has largely kept a low profile since his days of child stardom. His last significant acting role was a guest appearance as a "fawning fan" in "Star Trek: Voyager" in 2000. Prior to that, he appeared in the 1999 television movie "Screenplay" and provided a voice-over for the 1994 mini-series "Macross Plus."
In 2018, Themmen surprised viewers when he competed on an episode of "Jeopardy!" During his appearance, he identified himself as an entrepreneur and backpacker from North Hollywood, California, and did not initially mention his film career. He shared that he had traveled to 61 countries across six continents. Fans on social media quickly recognized him, expressing their delight at seeing the "Willy Wonka" star on the quiz show.
"Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory," based on Roald Dahl's 1964 book, followed the journey of children who found Golden Tickets granting them entry into Willy Wonka's magical chocolate factory. Themmen has spoken about his experiences on set, recalling that while filming in Germany, the cast and crew were supplied with American chocolate bars, a choice he found peculiar given the proximity to European chocolate-making countries. He did, however, enjoy the taffy used to simulate the famous three-course chewing gum.
Currently, Themmen is involved in multiple ventures. He signs autographs at movie conventions, operates a photography business, and makes occasional appearances in commercials and television shows. In his early twenties, he founded Access International, a travel service that organized charter flights for backpackers traveling to Europe. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Nikki Grillos, whom he has been married to for nine years.
