Akim Tamiroff

Biography

Akim Tamiroff was an Armenian-American character actor whose prolific Hollywood career spanned 37 years and at least 80 films. Born in Tbilisi in 1899, he spent nearly a decade training under Konstantin Stanislavski and later toured the United States with Nikita Balieff's revue. After an uncredited debut in Okay, America in 1932, he became known for playing characters of many nationalities. He received Academy Award nominations for The General Died at Dawn (1936) and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), the second also winning him the first Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. His later work included Orson Welles's Touch of Evil (1958) and The Trial (1962), as well as roles in Ocean's Eleven (1960), Topkapi (1964), and Lord Jim (1965). Welles called him the greatest screen actor.

72years old at death

Born October 29, 1899Tbilisi
Died September 17, 1972Palm Springs
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Հովակիմ Թամիրյանց (birth name)Also credited as Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff

Movie Career

Films: 36
Career span: 35 years1934 to 1969

Genres

Drama44%, 16 films
Comedy36%, 13 films
Romance33%, 12 films
Adventure28%, 10 films
Crime22%, 8 films

First and latest

Photos

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Early training
Tamiroff studied for nine years at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school, beginning when he was 19. There he was taught by Konstantin Stanislavski and adopted the russified name Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff.
Behind the award
For his work in For Whom the Bell Tolls, Tamiroff took home the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture in 1944.

Akim Tamiroff movies on Netflix

100 Rifles1969IMDb rating 6.0as Gen. Romero
Adultery Italian Style1966IMDb rating 6.3as Max Portesi
After the Fox1966IMDb rating 6.4as Okra
Hotel Paradiso1966IMDb rating 6.1as Anniello
Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N.1966IMDb rating 5.9as Tanamashu
Alphaville1965IMDb rating 6.9as Henri Dickson
Lord Jim1965IMDb rating 6.7as Schomberg
The Liquidator1965IMDb rating 5.9as Sheriek
The Black Tulip1964IMDb rating 6.6as Marquis de Vigogne
Topkapi1964IMDb rating 6.9as Gerven - the Cook
The Trial1962IMDb rating 7.6as Bloch
Ocean's Eleven1960IMDb rating 6.5as Spyros Acebos
Me and the Colonel1958IMDb rating 7.0as Szabuniewicz
Touch of Evil1958IMDb rating 7.9as 'Uncle' Joe Grandi
Anastasia1956IMDb rating 7.0as Boris Adreivich Chernov
The Black Sleep1956IMDb rating 6.0as Odo
Mr. Arkadin1955IMDb rating 7.1as Jakob Zouk
They Who Dare1954IMDb rating 5.5as Captain George One
Black Magic1949IMDb rating 6.4as Gitano
A Scandal in Paris1946IMDb rating 6.5as Emile Vernet
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5as The Boss
Five Graves to Cairo1943IMDb rating 7.3as Farid
For Whom the Bell Tolls1943IMDb rating 6.8as Pablo
Tortilla Flat1942IMDb rating 6.2as Pablo
North West Mounted Police1940IMDb rating 6.3as Dan Duroc
The Great McGinty1940IMDb rating 7.2as The Boss
Union Pacific1939IMDb rating 7.0as Fiesta
Desire1936IMDb rating 7.1as Avilia
The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5as General Yang
The Story of Louis Pasteur1936IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. Zaranoff
China Seas1935IMDb rating 6.9as Paul Romanoff
Naughty Marietta1935IMDb rating 6.5as Rudolpho
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer1935IMDb rating 7.0as Otamanu
Now and Forever1934IMDb rating 6.5as French Jeweller
Sadie McKee1934IMDb rating 6.9as Riccori
The Scarlet Empress1934IMDb rating 7.5as Bit Part

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Touch of Evil1958 Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thrilleras 'Uncle' Joe Grandi
IMDb rating 7.9116K votes
Alphaville1965 Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fias Henri Dickson
IMDb rating 6.930K votes
The Trial1962as Bloch
IMDb rating 7.627K votes
For Whom the Bell Tolls1943as Pablo
IMDb rating 6.811K votes
Mr. Arkadin1955as Jakob Zouk
IMDb rating 7.110K votes
Anastasia1956as Boris Adreivich Chernov
IMDb rating 7.010K votes
Five Graves to Cairo1943as Farid
IMDb rating 7.37.7K votes
The Great McGinty1940as The Boss
IMDb rating 7.25.0K votes

Most often with

Orson Welles directed three of these films, Lewis Milestone three and Preston Sturges two. Gary Cooper appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Gary Cooper

Orson Welles

C. Aubrey Smith

Brian Donlevy

Porter Hall

Marlene Dietrich

Orson WellesDirector, 3 films Lewis MilestoneDirector, 3 films Preston SturgesDirector, 2 films

Films together

Gary Cooper6 films together, 1934 to 1943
Gary Cooper's page
- For Whom the Bell Tolls1943IMDb rating 6.8Tamiroff as PabloCooper as Robert Jordan
- North West Mounted Police1940IMDb rating 6.3Tamiroff as Dan DurocCooper as Dusty Rivers
- Desire1936IMDb rating 7.1Tamiroff as AviliaCooper as Tom Bradley
- The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5Tamiroff as General YangCooper as O'Hara
- The Lives of a Bengal Lancer1935IMDb rating 7.0Tamiroff as OtamanuCooper as Alan McGregor
- Now and Forever1934IMDb rating 6.5Tamiroff as French JewellerCooper as Jerome 'Jerry' Day
Orson Welles4 films together, 1949 to 1962
Orson Welles's page
- The Trial1962IMDb rating 7.6Tamiroff as BlochWelles as Albert Hastler
- Touch of Evil1958IMDb rating 7.9Tamiroff as 'Uncle' Joe GrandiWelles as Police Captain Hank Quinlan
- Mr. Arkadin1955IMDb rating 7.1Tamiroff as Jakob ZoukWelles as Gregory Arkadin
- Black Magic1949IMDb rating 6.4Tamiroff as GitanoWelles as Joseph Balsamo aka Count Cagliostro
C. Aubrey Smith3 films together, 1934 to 1935
C. Aubrey Smith's page
- China Seas1935IMDb rating 6.9Tamiroff as Paul RomanoffSmith as Sir Guy Wilmerding
- The Lives of a Bengal Lancer1935IMDb rating 7.0Tamiroff as OtamanuSmith as Major Hamilton
- The Scarlet Empress1934IMDb rating 7.5Tamiroff as Bit PartSmith as Prince August
Brian Donlevy3 films together, 1939 to 1944
Brian Donlevy's page
- The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5Tamiroff as The BossDonlevy as Governor McGinty
- The Great McGinty1940IMDb rating 7.2Tamiroff as The BossDonlevy as Daniel 'Dan' McGinty
- Union Pacific1939IMDb rating 7.0Tamiroff as FiestaDonlevy as Sid Campeau
Porter Hall3 films together, 1936 to 1944
Porter Hall's page
- The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5Tamiroff as The BossHall as Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace
- The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5Tamiroff as General YangHall as Peter Perrie
- The Story of Louis Pasteur1936IMDb rating 7.2Tamiroff as Dr. ZaranoffHall as Dr. Rossignol
Marlene Dietrich3 films together, 1934 to 1958
Marlene Dietrich's page
- Touch of Evil1958IMDb rating 7.9Tamiroff as 'Uncle' Joe GrandiDietrich as Tana
- Desire1936IMDb rating 7.1Tamiroff as AviliaDietrich as Madeleine de Beaupré
- The Scarlet Empress1934IMDb rating 7.5Tamiroff as Bit PartDietrich as Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II
Orson WellesDirector, 3 films, 1955 to 1962
All films by Orson Welles
- The Trial1962IMDb rating 7.6Tamiroff as Bloch
- Touch of Evil1958IMDb rating 7.9Tamiroff as 'Uncle' Joe Grandi
- Mr. Arkadin1955IMDb rating 7.1Tamiroff as Jakob Zouk
Lewis MilestoneDirector, 3 films, 1936 to 1960
All films by Lewis Milestone
- Ocean's Eleven1960IMDb rating 6.5Tamiroff as Spyros Acebos
- They Who Dare1954IMDb rating 5.5Tamiroff as Captain George One
- The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5Tamiroff as General Yang
Preston SturgesDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1944
All films by Preston Sturges
- The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5Tamiroff as The Boss
- The Great McGinty1940IMDb rating 7.2Tamiroff as The Boss
Also three films together1 more actor
- Franchot ToneFive Graves to Cairo (1943), The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) and Sadie McKee (1934)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.