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Alan Arkin

Alan ArkinAKA Alan Wolf Arkin

Born: 26-Mar-1934
Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY

Gender: Male
Religion: Jewish
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Actor, Film Director, Musician

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Catch 22

At 14, Alan Arkin appeared in a professional play and got his first paycheck for acting. He later performed with Chicago's Second City improv group, and worked as a television and stage extra. When a few acquaintances formed a folk and pop group called the Tarriers, Arkin sang along, and played guitar and recorder. Their single of "Cindy, Oh Cindy" spent 12 weeks in the top 40 in 1956, peaking at #12. In 1957, they had the #27 song of the year with "The Banana Boat Song" (aka "Day-O"), though the later rendition by Harry Belafonte is the calypso hit everyone remembers.

Arkin made his nominal film debut in 1957's Calypso Heat Wave, which featured the Tarriers. But after about two years touring and recording with the group, he decided to turn to acting professionally. Six years later he won a Tony for his 1963 Broadway performance in Carl Reiner's comedy Enter Laughing. In his first non-Tarrier film role, he was nominated for an Oscar as an odd Soviet officer in the 1966 cold war comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.

His most famous performances include the menacing killer in Wait Until Dark, Yossarian in Catch-22, the Bean to James Caan's Freebie in Freebie and the Bean, Sigmund Freud in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, a dentist opposite Peter Falk's CIA agent in the original The In-Laws, the last honest salesman in Glengarry Glen Ross, the lonely father in Slums of Beverly Hills, and the drug-addled grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine, the role which brought his Oscar in 2007. He also had a recurring role on Sesame Street in that show's early years.

Arkin won another Tony for directing the original Broadway production of Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys. He also directed the film adaptation of Jules Feiffer's Little Murders and the underrated, hilariously mega-Jewish comedy Fire Sale.

Arkin also writes children's books, including The Lemming Condition and The Clearing.

Father: David Arkin (art teacher)
Mother: Beatrice
Wife: Jeremy Yaffe (m. 1955, div. 1960, two sons)
Son: Adam Arkin (actor, b. 19-Aug-1957)
Son: Matthew Arkin (actor)
Wife: Barbara Dana (actress, b. 1940, m. 1964, div., one son)
Son: Anthony Arkin (actor, b. 1967)
Wife: Suzanne (psychotherapist)

    High School: Franklin High School, Los Angeles, CA
    University: Los Angeles City College
    University: Los Angeles State College
    University: Bennington College

    Second City
    Oscar for Best Supporting Actor 2007 for Little Miss Sunshine
    Golden Globe 1967 for The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
    Tony Enter Laughing
    German Ancestry
    Russian Ancestry
    Jewish Ancestry

    TELEVISION
    100 Centre Street

    FILMOGRAPHY AS DIRECTOR
    Fire Sale (6-Jan-1978)
    Little Murders (9-Feb-1971)

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    Dumbo (11-Mar-2019)
    Going in Style (1-Apr-2017)
    Love the Coopers (4-Nov-2015)
    Million Dollar Arm (9-May-2014)
    Grudge Match (16-Dec-2013)
    The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (8-Mar-2013)
    Stand Up Guys (11-Oct-2012)
    Argo (31-Aug-2012)
    The Muppets (4-Nov-2011)
    The Change-Up (5-Aug-2011) · Mitch's Dad
    Thin Ice (25-Jan-2011)
    The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (9-Feb-2009)
    City Island (6-Feb-2009) · Michael Malakov
    Marley & Me (25-Dec-2008)
    Get Smart (18-Jun-2008)
    Sunshine Cleaning (18-Jan-2008) · Joe
    Rendition (7-Sep-2007)
    Raising Flagg (10-Nov-2006)
    The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2-Nov-2006)
    Little Miss Sunshine (26-Jul-2006)
    Firewall (2-Feb-2006)
    Eros (16-Sep-2004)
    Noel (12-Sep-2004)
    And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (7-Sep-2003)
    The Pentagon Papers (9-Mar-2003)
    Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2-Sep-2001)
    America's Sweethearts (17-Jul-2001) · Wellness Guide
    Varian's War (22-Apr-2001)
    Jakob the Liar (24-Sep-1999) · Frankfurter
    Slums of Beverly Hills (14-Aug-1998)
    Gattaca (24-Oct-1997) · Det. Hugo
    Four Days in September (19-Apr-1997)
    Grosse Pointe Blank (11-Apr-1997) · Dr. Oatman
    Mother Night (14-Aug-1996) · George Kraft
    Steal Big, Steal Little (9-Sep-1995) · Lou Perilli
    The Jerky Boys (3-Feb-1995)
    Doomsday Gun (23-Jul-1994)
    North (22-Jul-1994) · Judge Buckle
    Taking the Heat (6-Jun-1993)
    Indian Summer (23-Apr-1993) · Unca Lou
    Cooperstown (26-Jan-1993)
    Glengarry Glen Ross (29-Sep-1992) · George Aaronow
    The Rocketeer (21-Jun-1991) · Peevy
    Havana (12-Dec-1990) · Joe Volpi
    Edward Scissorhands (7-Dec-1990) · Bill
    Coupe de Ville (9-Mar-1990) · Fred Libner
    Escape from Sobibor (12-Apr-1987)
    Big Trouble (30-May-1986)
    Bad Medicine (22-Nov-1985)
    Joshua Then and Now (17-May-1985)
    The Fourth Wise Man (30-Mar-1985)
    The Return of Captain Invincible (1983)
    The Last Unicorn (19-Nov-1982) [VOICE]
    Chu Chu and the Philly Flash (28-Aug-1981)
    Improper Channels (17-Apr-1981)
    Full Moon High (1981) · Dr. Brand
    Simon (1980)
    The Magician of Lublin (12-Sep-1979)
    The In-Laws (15-Jun-1979) · Sheldon Kornpett
    The Other Side of Hell (17-Jan-1978)
    Fire Sale (6-Jan-1978)
    The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (22-Jul-1977) · Sigmund Freud
    Hearts of the West (4-Oct-1975) · Kessler
    Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (2-Feb-1975)
    Freebie and the Bean (25-Dec-1974)
    Last of the Red Hot Lovers (17-Aug-1972)
    Deadhead Miles (1972)
    Little Murders (9-Feb-1971) · Lt. Practice
    Catch-22 (24-Jun-1970) · Yossarian
    The Monitors (8-Oct-1969)
    Popi (27-May-1969)
    The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (31-Jul-1968) · Singer
    Inspector Clouseau (19-Jul-1968) · Insp. Clouseau
    Wait Until Dark (26-Oct-1967) · Roat
    Woman Times Seven (27-Jun-1967)
    The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (25-May-1966) · Rozanov

Author of books:
Halfway Through the Door: An Actor's Journey Toward the Self (1979)
An Improvised Life: A Memoir (2011, memoir)


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