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Vale: Alan Arkin

Veteran US character actor, best known for Little Miss Sunshine, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming and The Kominsky Method has died.

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Veteran US character actor, director and writer Alan Arkin, best known for Little Miss Sunshine, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming and The Kominsky Method has died, aged 89.

Sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony, announced his death in a joint statement: “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

Brooklyn-born Arkin first made a name for himself on Broadway in 1963 when he won a Tony Award for Enter Laughing.

He received a rare best actor Oscar nomination for playing a Russian sailor in Norman Jewison’s satire The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming (1966).

A long list of acclaimed roles would follow in films including The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The In-Laws, Rafferty and the Gold-Dust Twins, Freebie and the Bean, Hearts of the West, Wait Until Dark, Catch-22, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Edward Scissorhands, The Rocketeer, Glengarry Glen Ross, Slums of Beverly Hills Going in Style, Inspector Clouseau, Popi, Red Hot Lovers, Big Trouble, Get Smart, Little Murders and Argo.

He won an overdue Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine in 2006.

He starred opposite Michael Douglas in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method but bowed out before the show’s third and final season.

Other small screen credits include Harry, Will & Grace, Bojack Horseman, Get Shorty, Chicago Hope (which featured son Adam), St. Elsewhere, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show.

There were also numerous stage performances and composing of 100 songs and recorded albums for children.

Arkin once said, “I’m an actor. My life as an actor depends on who sends me what. I’m just taking the best stuff that I can find that’s sent my way, regardless of how big or little the paycheck is. I don’t want to work for scale anymore.”

Source: Hollywood Reporter

5 Responses

  1. ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ as the scared psychiatrist for John Cusack’s hitman was a favorite-I thought his role as Yossarian in ‘Catch 22’ would have been his best known early film credit
    RIP, Sir..

  3. Alan Arkin was a great actor with natural comedic timing. The last show I watched him in was when he played Graces Dad in Will and Grace, he was so funny, he and Debra Messing were great together. He has a long list of acting credits that are admirable.

  4. Really sad news. One of my favourite actors. I would watch a film purely because he was in it. He brought energy to every scene not to mention buckets of comedic chops.

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