🎬 John Kapelos 🎬

ENTERTAINER GUEST OF HONOR

"I am the eyes and ears of this institution my friends" — one of cinema's most iconic lines. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Actor, Writer, Producer and Jazz Musician, John Kapelos? Once you see his picture you will always be taken back to the role of Carl the Janitor in John Hughes' now legendary film The Breakfast Club.

⭐ The John Hughes Connection

The way John tells it, Hughes had written The Breakfast Club before Sixteen Candles, and cast him as Rudy in that film. When it became a huge success, Hughes called Kapelos and offered him the role of the Janitor in the now High School classic.

While he was apprehensive about taking the role of the custodial engineer, Hughes explained that Carl was a mentor to the kids, so he agreed to the picture and gave a truly memorable career performance that still stands out today.

This success would lead to Hughes' next film, Weird Science, where Kapelos played the owner of the Kandy Bar in the hilarious teen angst film of creating the perfect woman on a computer, with sometimes disastrous results.

🎥 Film Highlights

His filmography began with James Caan's Thief in 1981 and includes roles in:

Tootsie (Dustin Hoffman), Doctor Detroit (Dan Aykroyd), Class (Rob Lowe), Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Nothing in Common (Tom Hanks/Jackie Gleason), Roxanne (Steve Martin), Internal Affairs (Richard Gere), Man Trouble (Jack Nicholson), The Shadow (Alec Baldwin), The Craft (Fairuza Balk), The Relic (Penelope Ann Miller), Legally Blonde (Reese Witherspoon), Mimic: Sentinel (Lance Henriksen), and the 2018 Academy Award Winning Best Picture The Shape of Water where he played Mr. Arzoumanian.

📺 Television Career

John's true acting versatility showed up early in his career on Television, leading to a very long career to come. His roles began with Miami Vice, then moved onto guest roles in Who's The Boss, L.A. Law, Murder She Wrote, Matlock, Quantum Leap, Seinfeld, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Diagnosis Murder, Home Improvement, Nash Bridges, The Practice, and Timecop: The Series where he played the notorious Chicago Mobster, Al Capone.

Additional TV Guest Appearances: The West Wing, Angel, The X-Files, ER, Judging Amy, The Dead Zone (reunited with Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science co-star Anthony Michael Hall), Frasier, Crossing Jordan, Without a Trace, Boston Legal, Gilmore Girls, Desperate Housewives, CSI:NY, Monk, Las Vegas, Chuck, Shark, House, ICarly, The Mentalist, Law & Order: LA, Castle, Shameless, Criminal Minds, Modern Family, Psych, NCIS, Suits, Big Sky, Magnum P.I., The Lincoln Lawyer, and more.

🎭 Notable Series & Special Projects

John has had some longevity in a few series that gained him solid accolades:

  • Days of Our Lives (53 episodes, 2009-2024) as Konstantin Meleounts
  • Umbrella Academy (5 episodes) as Jack Ruby
  • Justified (9 episodes) as Picker
  • Flight 29 Down (5 episodes)
  • Forever Knight (1992-1995) — His fan-favorite role as Detective Don Schanke

In Forever Knight, shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (close to his original hometown of London, Ontario), Kapelos was the only actor to reprise his role from the originally pitched TV Pilot, Nick Knight, starring Rick Springfield as a century-old vampire turned cop seeking redemption. While Kapelos was wisecracking and arrogant in the original pilot, his character was rewritten to be the inquisitive, naïve, and at times the comic relief of the series—and fans loved his character for being exactly this way.

🎵 Beyond Acting

John is a deft jazz musician and his music can be heard on the album: "Too Hip for the Room."

🎯 Meet John

John will be appearing all weekend (February 20-22, 2026) and is available for table meet and greets, autographs, table selfies, and amazing panels.

This is your chance to meet a true legend! Don't miss the opportunity to connect with this Hollywood icon and the man behind one of cinema's most beloved characters!