Joseph Ashton
Born (1986-11-18) November 18, 1986
Cherokee, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of La Verne
OccupationActor
Years active1994–2004
RelativesMathew Valencia (brother)

Joseph Ashton (born November 18, 1986)[1] is an American former child actor, who was best known for his role as Oswald "Otto" Rocket in Nickelodeon's animated series Rocket Power.

Early life

Joseph Ashton was born on November 18, 1986, in Cherokee, California. Both of his parents claim Cherokee descent. He is the younger brother of actor Mathew Valencia.[2][1]

Career

Ashton begin his acting career in 1994, he first appeared before the camera as an infant in a national McDonald's commercial.[1] He had a regular role on the CBS drama L.A. Doctors.[3] His guest-starring roles on television series include ER,[4] Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Walker, Texas Ranger, Martial Law, Cracker and Smart Guy. He appeared in Asylum as Young Tordone on HBO,[4] and the NBC mini series Blind Faith.

Ashton's film debut was in the 1994 remake of The Little Rascals.[1] He notably starred in the title role of the 1997 film, The Education of Little Tree, a well-reviewed low-budget film about a 1930s-era boy discovering his Native American heritage. He earned a Young Artist Award for Best Performance In A Feature Film for the movie.[5] Roger Ebert, in his review said "Ashton, as Little Tree, is another of those young actors who is fresh and natural on camera; I believed in his character."[6] The Boston Phoenix lauded him as "adorable and energetic."

Ashton starred as 'Sonny', in Slappy and the Stinkers and won a Young Artist Award for Best Young Ensemble Performance in a feature film.[7] He also appeared in the 2003 remake of Where the Red Fern Grows, playing the main character, Billy Coleman.[8]

Ashton was also the voice of Otto Rocket in Nickelodeon's animated series Rocket Power from 1999 to 2004.[9][10] He reprised his role as the voice of Otto Rocket in the television movie Rocket Power: Race Across New Zealand for Nickelodeon and in the video games. Ashton has lent his voice to other animated projects including Hey Arnold, Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? and the animated films Babes in Toyland and Tarzan.[3]

Ashton has also teamed up with EndlessEntertainment Co., and even produced his own films.[11]

Personal life

He is a graduate of the University of La Verne, where he majored in TV and radio broadcasting.[11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994The Little RascalsRascal
1997 The Education of Little TreeLittle TreeYoung Artist Award
Babes in ToylandJack (voice)[4]
1998Slappy and the StinkersSonnyYoung Artist Award
1999 TarzanApe Boy (voice)[3]
FalloutEthan McCord[12]
2003Where the Red Fern GrowsBilly Coleman

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996Dr. Quinn Medicine WomanLooks For The SunEpisode: "Hearts and Minds"
1997 Walker, Texas RangerNicholas MatacioEpisode: "A Father's Image"
Smart GuyEldinEpisode: "Pilot"
AsylumYoung Nicholas TordoneHBO film
1998Cracker: Mind Over MurderJamie RamosEpisode: "If" (part 1 and 2)
1998–1999L.A. DoctorsNick Newman9 episodes
1998–2002Hey Arnold!Iggy (voice)2 episodes[13]
1999Martial LawSean NolanEpisode: "Substitutes"
1999–2004Rocket PowerOswald "Otto" Rocket (voice)Recurring role
2001ERJeremy NorrisEpisode: "If I Should Fall From Grace"
2002Rocket Power: Race Across New ZealandOtto Rocket (voice)Television film
2004Rocket Power: Island of the Menehune

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 Mugen Additional voices Archive recordings
2001 Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue Oswald "Otto" Rocket
Nicktoons Nick Tunes [13]
2002 Nickelodeon Party Blast
2002 Rocket Power: Beach Bandits [13]
2004 Nicktoons Movin' Eye Toy [13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Joseph Ashton".
  2. ↑ Taylor, Melanie Benson (2011). Reconstructing the Native South: American Indian Literature and the Lost Cause. University of Georgia Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-8203-4066-1.
  3. 1 2 3 "Joseph Ashton". BFI. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Joseph Ashton". Rotten Tomatoes.
  5. ↑ "Nineteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards 1996-1997". Archived from the original on August 10, 2002. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  6. ↑ Ebert, Roger (January 20, 1998). "The Education of Little Tree".
  7. ↑ Richardson, Elaine (February 6, 1998). "'Stinkers' is a Bad Joke Even For Kids". Chicago Tribune.
  8. ↑ Spencer, Hawes (April 17, 2003). "Dave's debut: Red Fern to premiere at Tribeca". The Hook. Archived from the original on October 12, 2015.
  9. ↑ Perlmutter, David (2014). America Toons In: A History of Television Animation. McFarland. p. 259. ISBN 978-1-4766-1488-5.
  10. ↑ "Down The Drain (Klasky-Csupo)". The Big Cartoon DataBase.
  11. 1 2 McAdams, Taylor (July 15, 2019). "The Little Rascals Child Actors Are Nothing Like What We Expected". Noteabley.
  12. ↑ "Fallout (1999)". The Movie Scene.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Joseph Ashton (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 14 July 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
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