1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Wes Anderson to Sarah Badel

Alan Arkin Biography (1934-)

Full name, Alan Wolf Arkin; born March 26, 1934, in Brooklyn, NY; son of David I. (an artist and teacher) and Beatrice (a teacher; maiden name, Wortis) Arkin; married Jeremy Yaffe, 1955 (divorced, 1960); married Barbara Dana (an actress and author), June 16, 1964; children: (first marriage) Adam (an actor),Matthew; (second marriage) Anthony Dana (an actor). Addresses: Agent:William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, director, producer, composer, writer

Birth Details

March 26, 1934

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• Singer, Heloise, Gate Theatre, New York City, 1958
• Compass Players, Crystal Palace, St. Louis, MO, 1959
• Member of ensemble, From the Second City (revue), Royale Theatre,New York City, 1961 then off-Broadway production, 1962
• Jimmy, Man Out Loud, Girl Quiet and The Spanish Armada (double-bill), Cricket Theatre, New York City, 1962
• Seacoast of Bohemia: Alarums and Excursions, Second City, Square East Theatre, New York City, 1962
• David Kolowitz, Enter Laughing, Henry Miller Theatre, New York City, 1963
• Member of ensemble, A View from under the Bridge (revue), Second City, Square East Theatre, 1964
• Harry Berlin, Luv, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1964
• The Opening, 1972
• De Recha, "Virtual Reality," Power Plays, Promenade Theater, Chicago, IL, then Promenade Theater, New York City, 1998
• Also appeared in The Sunshine Boys; The Sorrows of Stephen.
• Major Tours
• David Kolowitz, Enter Laughing, U.S. cities, 1964
• Stage Director
• (As Robert Short) Eh?, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1966
• Hail Scrawdyke!, Booth Theatre, 1966
• Little Murders, Circle in the Square, 1969
• The White House Murder Case, Circle in the Square, 1970
• The Sunshine Boys, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Molly, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1973
• Joan of Lorraine, 1974
• Rubbers and Yanks 3 Detroit 0, Top of the Seventh (double-bill), American Place Theatre, New York City, 1975
• The Soft Touch, Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA, 1975
• Joan of Lorraine, Hartman Theatre, Stamford, CT, 1976
• Sorrows of Stephen, Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre, Jupiter, FL, 1984
• Room Service, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1986
• Forgive Me, Evelyn Bunns, Asolo State Theatre, Sarasota, FL, 1986
• Power Plays, Promenade Theater, Chicago, IL, then Promenade Theater, New York City, 1998
• Taller Than a Dwarf, Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA, then Longacre Theatre, New York City, 2000
• Film Appearances
• (As part of musical group the Tarriers) Calypso Heat Wave, Columbia, 1957
• That's Me (short film), 1963
• The Last Mohican (short film), 1965
• Lieutenant Rozanov, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (also known as The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!),United Artists, 1966
• Various roles, including Fred, Woman Times Seven (also known as Sept fois femme and Sette volte donna), Embassy, 1967
• Harry Roat Jr., Roat, and Roat, Sr., Wait until Dark, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, 1967
• John Singer, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, 1968
• Inspector Jacques Clouseau (title role), Inspector Clouseau, 1968
• Himself, The Monitors, Commonwealth United Entertainment, 1969
• Abraham Rodriguez, Popi, United Artists, 1969
• Captain John Yossarian, B-52 bombadier, Catch-22, Filmways, 1970
• Lieutenant Practice, Little Murders, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1971
• Barney Cashman, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Paramount, 1972
• Bean, Freebie and the Bean, Warner Bros., 1974
• Kessler, Hearts of the West (also known as Hollywood Cowboy), United Artists, 1975
• Gunny Rafferty, Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (also known as Rafferty and the Highway Hustlers), Warner Bros., 1975
• Ezra Fikus, Fire Sale, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
• Sigmund Freud, The Seven-per-cent Solution (also known as SevenPer Cent Solution and The Seven Percent Solution), Universal, 1977
• Sheldon Kornpett, The In-Laws, Warner Bros., 1979
• Yasha Mazur, The Magician of Lublin (also known as Ha-Kosem Mi'Lubin and Der Magier), Cannon, 1979
• Professor Simon Mendelssohn (title role), Simon, Warner Bros., 1980
• Flash, Chu Chu and the Philly Flash, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
• Jeffrey Martley, Improper Channels, Rank-Crown International, 1981
• Cooper, Deadhead Miles, Paramount, 1982
• Dr. Jacob Brand, Full Moon High, Filmways, 1982
• Voice of Schmendrick the Magician, The Last Unicorn (animated), ITC, 1982
• Captain Invincible (title role), The Return of Captain Invincible(also known as Legend in Leotards), Seven Keys, 1983
• (Archive footage) Roat, segment "Wait until Dark," Terror in the Aisles (also known as Time for Terror), 1984
• Dr. Ramon Madera, Bad Medicine, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
• Reuben Shapiro, Joshua Then and Now, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
• Leonard Hoffman, Big Trouble, Columbia, 1986
• Fred Libner, Coupe de Ville, Universal, 1990
• Bill Boggs, Edward Scissorhands, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990
• Joe Volpi, Havana, Universal, 1990
• Peevy, The Rocketeer, Buena Vista, 1991
• George Aaronow, Glengarry Glen Ross, New Line Cinema, 1992
• Uncle Lou Handler, Indian Summer, Touchstone, 1993
• (Uncredited) Police chief, So I Married an Axe Murderer, TriStar,1993
• The director, Samuel Beckett Is Coming Soon, I'mnd Productions/Tiny Baby Productions, 1993
• Lazarro, The Jerky Boys, Buena Vista, 1994
• Judge Buckle, North, Columbia, 1994
• Lou Perilli, Ruben's partner, Steal Big, Steal Little, Savoy Pictures, 1995
• George Kraft, Mother Night, Fine Line, 1996
• Dr. Oatman, Grosse Pointe Blank, Buena Vista, 1997
• Charles Burke Elbrick, Four Days in September (also known as Oque e isso, companheiro?), Miramax, 1997
• Hugo Coldspring, Gattaca (also known as The Eighth Day), Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1997
• Hugo Pool, BMG Independents, 1997
• Murray Abromowitz, The Slums of Beverly Hills, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1998
• Max Frankfurter, Jakob the Liar (also known as Jakob le menteur), TriStar, 1998
• Arigo, True Crime Productions, 1998
• Milo, Magicians, 2000
• Wellness guide, America's Sweethearts, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2001
• Gene, 13 Conversations about One Thing, 2001
• Film Work
• Producer, That's Me (short film), 1963
• Producer, The Last Mohican (short film), 1965
• Director, Thank God It's Friday (short film; also known as T.G.I.F.), Columbia, 1967
• Director and producer, People Soup (short film), Columbia, 1969
• Director, Little Murders, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1971
• Director, Fire Sale, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
• Executive producer, The In-Laws, Warner Bros., 1979
• Director and producer, Samuel Beckett Is Coming Soon, I'mnd Productions/Tiny Baby Productions, 1993
• Director, Arigo, True Crime Productions, 1998
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Larry, Sesame Street (also known as Canadian Sesame Streetand Open Sesame), PBS, 1970-1972
• Harry Porschak, Harry, CBS, 1987
• Joe Rifkind, 100 Centre Street, Arts & Entertainment, 2001
• Movies
• It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy, 1974
• Frank Dole, The Other Side of Hell (also known as Escape from Hell and The Next Howling Wind), NBC, 1978
• Title role, The Defection of Simas Kudirka, CBS, 1978
• Harold Kaufman, A Deadly Business, CBS, 1986
• Leon Feldhandler, Escape from Sobibor, CBS, 1987
• Harry Willette, Cooperstown, TNT, 1993
• Tommy Canard, Taking the Heat, Showtime, 1993
• Colonel Yossi, Doomsday Gun, HBO, 1994
• Dogcatcher, Heck's Way Home (also known as The Long Way Home), Showtime, 1996
• Willy the Hammer, Blood Money, Showtime, 1999
• Freier, Varian's War, 2000
• Specials
• "The Love Song of Barney Kempinski," ABC Stage 67, ABC, 1966
• Husband, "Double Trouble," The Trouble with People, NBC, 1972
• Lawrence, "Natasha Kovolina Pipishinsky," Love, Life, Liberty, and Lunch, ABC, 1976
• To America, CBS, 1976
• Flagg Purdy, "A Matter of Principle," American Playhouse, PBS, 1984
• Bo, "The Emperor's New Clothes," Faerie Tale Theater (also known as Faerie Tale Theater: The Emperor's New Clothes), Showtime, 1985
• Orontes, The Fourth Wise Man, ABC, 1985
• The Second City Twenty-fifth Anniversary Special, 1985
• Archie Correlli, "Necessary Parties," WonderWorks, PBS, 1988
• The Kennedy Center 25th Anniversary Celebration, PBS, 1996
• Interviewee, "Catch-22," Great Books, TLC, 1996
• Presenter, The 49th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1997
• Episodic
• (With Second City) The David Susskind Show, syndicated, 1962
• "The Beatnik and the Politician," East Side/West Side, CBS, 1964
• The Les Crane Show, ABC, 1964 1965
• Busting Loose, CBS, 1977
• Himself, The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1979
• "The Ties That Bind," St. Elsewhere, NBC, 1983
• "Newheart," St. Elsewhere, NBC, 1983
• "E.M. 7, Raiders Minus Three and a Half for a Nickel," A Year in the Life, NBC, 1987
• Tully, "Soir Bleu," Picture Windows, Showtime, 1995
• Zoltan Karpathein, "The Son Also Rises," Chicago Hope, CBS, 1997
• Also appeared in Captain Kangaroo, CBS.
• Television Executive Producer
• Series
• (With others) Harry, CBS, 1987
• Television Work
• Specials
• (With Clark Jones) Director, Twigs, CBS, 1975
• (With others) Producer, "Necessary Parties," WonderWorks, PBS, 1988
• Television Director
• Episodic
• "The Visit," Trying Times, PBS, 1987
• "The Boss," Trying Times, PBS, 1989
• Pilots
• (With others) Fay, NBC, 1975
• Television Work
• Other
• Director of a number of short films.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums (Cast Recordings)
• Luv: A New Comedy, Columbia, 1965
• Albums (with the Babysitters)
• The Babysitters, 1958
• Songs and Fun with the Babysitters, 1960
• The Family Album, 1965
• The Babysitters Menagerie, 1968
• Singles (with the Tarriers)
• "The Banana Boat Song," 1957
• Also recorded other projects with the Tarriers.
• WRITINGS
• Stage Music
• Man Out Loud, Girl Quiet, Cricket Theatre, 1962
• (And author of lyrics and sketches) A View from under the Bridge,Square East Theatre, 1964
• Composer of songs, including "Cuddle Bug," "That's Me," and "Best Time ofthe Year."
• Stage Plays
• "The Way of All Fish," Power Plays, Promenade Theater, Chicago, IL, then Promenade Theater, New York City, 1998
• Screenplays
• Thank God It's Friday (short; also known as T.G.I.F.), Columbia, 1967
• People Soup (short film), Columbia, 1969
• Arigo, True Crime Productions, 1998
• Television
• Specials
• (With others) "Necessary Parties," WonderWorks, PBS, 1988
• Juvenile Fiction
• Tony's Hard Work Day, illustrated by James Stevenson, Harper, 1972
• The Lemming Condition, illustrated by Joan Sandin, Harper, 1976
• The Clearing, Harper, 1986
• Some Fine Grandpa, HarperCollins, 1995
• One Present from Flekman's, HarperCollins, 1999
• Cassie Loves Beethoven, Hyperion, 2000
• Autobiographies
• Halfway through the Door: An Actor's Journey toward the Self, Harper, 1979
• Other Writings
• Contributor to periodicals, including Galaxy.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Contemporary Authors, Volume 112, Gale, 1985, pp. 30-32
• Something about the Author, Volume 59, Gale, 1990, pp. 1-8

Periodicals

• Entertainment Weekly, April 11, 1997, p. 63
• New York Times, February 9, 1986