Jonathan Daniel Charasuchin was born on November 6, 1914, in the Bronx borough of New York City, to impoverished Russian-Jewish émigrés. His father worked in the garment industry, and young Jonathan contributed to the family income by working as a box boy in a pharmacy at age 12.
After graduating from James Monroe High School, Jonathan earned a pharmacy degree at Fordham University in 1936. However, his desire to act was strong, and he ultimately pursued a career in theater, self-training to shake his thick Bronx accent by watching British movies and pursuing interests in Shakespeare and archaeology.
Jonathan changed his surname to one easier to pronounce and performed in over 100 plays in stock companies nationwide. He made his debut as a Polish officer in the play "Heart of a City" (1942) and entertained World War II troops in the South Pacific. Other notable plays during this era included "Right Next to Broadway" (1944),"A Flag Is Born" (1946),"The Madwoman of Chaillot" (1948),and "The Grass Harp" (1952).
After introducing himself to live television drama in 1948, Jonathan ventured to Hollywood, where he appeared in numerous television anthologies, including "The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre", "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse", "Betty Crocker Star Matinee", "Goodyear Playhouse", and "Hallmark Hall of Fame". He made his film debut in "Botany Bay" (1952) and later appeared in "The Big Fisherman" (1959).
Jonathan's breakthrough role came in the TV series "Lost in Space" (1965),where he played the iconic role of Dr. Zachary Smith, a dastardly spaceship stowaway. He went on to play various villainous roles in TV series such as "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir", "Land of the Giants", "Get Smart", "Bewitched", "McMillan & Wife", and "Night Gallery", among others.
Jonathan's voice was also used frequently in commercials and for sci-fi and animated series, including "The Banana Splits Adventure Hour", "Battlestar Galactica", "Foofur", "Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light", "Problem Child", "The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat", "Freakazoid!", and "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command". He also lent his voice to animated features such as "Happily Ever After", "A Bug's Life", and "Toy Story 2".
In his later years, Jonathan became a drama teacher and vocal coach. He passed away on November 3, 2002, just three days before his 88th birthday, due to a blood clot to the heart. He was survived by his long-time wife, Gertrude Bregman, and son Richard. Jonathan was interred in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
