Alan Arkin

Biography

Alan Arkin was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. Born in Brooklyn in 1934, he began his career as a singer and guitarist with the folk group The Tarriers, then joined The Second City and won a Tony Award for Enter Laughing on Broadway. He earned an Academy Award nomination for The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966) and later appeared in Wait Until Dark (1967), The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Catch-22 (1970), The In-Laws (1979), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Get Smart (2008), Argo (2012) and Spenser Confidential (2020). He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Little Miss Sunshine (2006). His television work included Escape from Sobibor (1987), The Pentagon Papers (2003) and The Kominsky Method, and he voiced roles in The Last Unicorn (1982) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). He directed Little Murders (1971).

89years old at death

Born March 26, 1934Brooklyn
Died June 29, 2023Carlsbad
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Alan Wolf Arkin (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 65
Career span: 56 years1966 to 2022

Genres

Comedy63%, 41 films
Drama51%, 33 films
Crime18%, 12 films
Adventure15%, 10 films
Thriller12%, 8 films

First and latest

Photos

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First role
Arkin's first feature film acting job came in 1957, when he took a small part in the musical Calypso Heat Wave.
Early training
Arkin began acting lessons at age 10 and later studied on scholarships at drama academies, including one led by Benjamin Zemach, a student of Stanislavsky.
A change of course
In the 1950s, Arkin began his career singing and playing guitar with the folk group The Tarriers. The group had two hits in 1956-7, "Cindy, Oh Cindy" and "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)".

Alan Arkin movies on Netflix

"Sr."2022IMDb rating 7.2as Himself
Minions: The Rise of Gru2022IMDb rating 6.5as Wild Knuckles
Spenser Confidential2020IMDb rating 6.2as Henry
Dumbo2019IMDb rating 6.2as J. Griffin Remington
Going in Style2017IMDb rating 6.6as Albert Garner
Love the Coopers2015IMDb rating 5.8as Bucky
Million Dollar Arm2014IMDb rating 7.0as Ray
Grudge Match2013IMDb rating 6.4as Louis 'Lightning' Conlon
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone2013IMDb rating 5.9as Rance Holloway
Argo2012IMDb rating 7.7as Lester Siegel
Stand Up Guys2012IMDb rating 6.4as Hirsch
The Change-Up2011IMDb rating 6.3as Mitch's Dad
The Muppets2011IMDb rating 7.1as Tour Guide
Thin Ice2011IMDb rating 6.2as Gorvy Hauer
City Island2009IMDb rating 7.3as Michael Malakov
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee2009IMDb rating 6.3as Herb Lee
Get Smart2008IMDb rating 6.5as The Chief
Marley & Me2008IMDb rating 7.0as Arnie Klein
Sunshine Cleaning2008IMDb rating 6.8as Joe
Wisdom2008IMDb rating 8.1as Himself
Rendition2007IMDb rating 6.8as Senator Hawkins
Firewall2006IMDb rating 5.8as Arlin Forester
Little Miss Sunshine2006IMDb rating 7.8as Grandpa Edwin Hoover
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause2006IMDb rating 4.9as Bud Newman
Noel2004IMDb rating 6.1as Artie
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself2003IMDb rating 6.5as Sam Drebben
The Pentagon Papers2003IMDb rating 6.5as Harry Rowen
America's Sweethearts2001IMDb rating 5.7as Wellness Guide
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing2001IMDb rating 7.0as Gene
Jakob the Liar1999IMDb rating 6.5as Frankfurter
Slums of Beverly Hills1998IMDb rating 6.7as Murray
Gattaca1997IMDb rating 7.7as Detective Hugo
Grosse Pointe Blank1997IMDb rating 7.3as Dr. Oatman
Mother Night1996IMDb rating 7.1as George Kraft
The Jerky Boys1995IMDb rating 4.8as Ernie Lazarro
North1994IMDb rating 4.6as Judge Buckle
Indian Summer1993IMDb rating 6.6as Unca Lou Handler
Glengarry Glen Ross1992IMDb rating 7.6as George Aaronow
The Rocketeer1991IMDb rating 6.6as Peevy
Coupe de Ville1990IMDb rating 6.7as Fred Libner
Edward Scissorhands1990IMDb rating 7.8as Bill
Havana1990IMDb rating 6.1as Joe Volpi
Necessary Parties1988IMDb rating 6.5as Archie Corelli
Escape from Sobibor1987IMDb rating 7.3as Leon Feldhendler
Big Trouble1986IMDb rating 5.2as Leonard Hoffman
Bad Medicine1985IMDb rating 4.7as Dr. Ramon Madera
The Fourth Wise Man1985IMDb rating 7.0as Orontes
The Return of Captain Invincible1983IMDb rating 5.6as Captain Invincible
The Last Unicorn1982IMDb rating 7.3as Schmendrick (voice)
Chu Chu and the Philly Flash1981IMDb rating 4.2as Flash
Full Moon High1981IMDb rating 4.8as Dr. Brand
Improper Channels1981IMDb rating 5.8as Jeffery Martley
Simon1980IMDb rating 6.3as Prof. Simon Mendelssohn
The In-Laws1979IMDb rating 7.3as Sheldon Kornpett
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution1976IMDb rating 6.6as Dr. Sigmund Freud
Hearts of the West1975IMDb rating 6.5as Kessler
Freebie and the Bean1974IMDb rating 6.6as Bean
Little Murders1971IMDb rating 6.8as Lt. Practice
Catch-221970IMDb rating 7.1as Yossarian
Popi1969IMDb rating 6.6as Abraham
Inspector Clouseau1968IMDb rating 4.7as Insp. Jacques Clouseau
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter1968IMDb rating 7.6as John Singer
Wait Until Dark1967IMDb rating 7.7as Roat / Roat Jr. / Roat Sr.
Woman Times Seven1967IMDb rating 5.8as Fred
The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!1966IMDb rating 7.0as Lt. Rozanov

Best known for

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

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Argo2012 Biography, Drama, Thrilleras Lester Siegel
IMDb rating 7.7673K votes
Little Miss Sunshine2006 Comedy, Dramaas Grandpa Edwin Hoover
IMDb rating 7.8566K votes
Gattaca1997as Detective Hugo
IMDb rating 7.7351K votes
Get Smart2008as The Chief
IMDb rating 6.5240K votes
The Change-Up2011as Mitch's Dad
IMDb rating 6.3207K votes
Minions: The Rise of Gru2022as Wild Knuckles
IMDb rating 6.5109K votes
Spenser Confidential2020as Henry
IMDb rating 6.2108K votes
Going in Style2017as Albert Garner
IMDb rating 6.6101K votes

Most often with

Tim Burton directed two of these films, Peter Segal two and Joe Roth two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Steve Carell

Barbara Dana

John Goodman

Bob Balaban

Olivia Wilde

Richard Libertini

Tim BurtonDirector, 2 films Peter SegalDirector, 2 films Joe RothDirector, 2 films

Films together

Steve Carell4 films together, 2006 to 2022
Steve Carell's page
- Minions: The Rise of Gru2022IMDb rating 6.5Arkin as Wild KnucklesCarell as Gru
- The Incredible Burt Wonderstone2013IMDb rating 5.9Arkin as Rance HollowayCarell as Burt Wonderstone
- Get Smart2008IMDb rating 6.5Arkin as The ChiefCarell as Maxwell Smart
- Little Miss Sunshine2006IMDb rating 7.8Arkin as Grandpa Edwin HooverCarell as Frank Ginsberg
Barbara Dana4 films together, 1979 to 1988
Barbara Dana's page
- Necessary Parties1988IMDb rating 6.5Arkin as Archie CorelliDana as Carol
- The Fourth Wise Man1985IMDb rating 7.0Arkin as OrontesDana as Maacah
- Chu Chu and the Philly Flash1981IMDb rating 4.2Arkin as FlashDana as Betty
- The In-Laws1979IMDb rating 7.3Arkin as Sheldon KornpettDana as Bank Teller
John Goodman3 films together, 1996 to 2015
John Goodman's page
- Love the Coopers2015IMDb rating 5.8Arkin as BuckyGoodman as Sam
- Argo2012IMDb rating 7.7Arkin as Lester SiegelGoodman as John Chambers
- Mother Night1996IMDb rating 7.1Arkin as George KraftGoodman as Major Frank Wirtanen
Bob Balaban3 films together, 1970 to 2011
Bob Balaban's page
- Thin Ice2011IMDb rating 6.2Arkin as Gorvy HauerBalaban as Leonard Dahl
- Jakob the Liar1999IMDb rating 6.5Arkin as FrankfurterBalaban as Kowalsky
- Catch-221970IMDb rating 7.1Arkin as YossarianBalaban as Orr
Olivia Wilde3 films together, 2011 to 2015
Olivia Wilde's page
- Love the Coopers2015IMDb rating 5.8Arkin as BuckyWilde as Eleanor
- The Incredible Burt Wonderstone2013IMDb rating 5.9Arkin as Rance HollowayWilde as Jane
- The Change-Up2011IMDb rating 6.3Arkin as Mitch's DadWilde as Sabrina McKay
Richard Libertini3 films together, 1979 to 1986
Richard Libertini's page
- Big Trouble1986IMDb rating 5.2Arkin as Leonard HoffmanLibertini as Dr. Lopez
- The Fourth Wise Man1985IMDb rating 7.0Arkin as OrontesLibertini as Tigranes
- The In-Laws1979IMDb rating 7.3Arkin as Sheldon KornpettLibertini as General Garcia
Tim BurtonDirector, 2 films, 1990 to 2019
All films by Tim Burton
- Dumbo2019IMDb rating 6.2Arkin as J. Griffin Remington
- Edward Scissorhands1990IMDb rating 7.8Arkin as Bill
Peter SegalDirector, 2 films, 2008 to 2013
All films by Peter Segal
- Grudge Match2013IMDb rating 6.4Arkin as Louis 'Lightning' Conlon
- Get Smart2008IMDb rating 6.5Arkin as The Chief
Joe RothDirector, 2 films, 1990 to 2001
All films by Joe Roth
- America's Sweethearts2001IMDb rating 5.7Arkin as Wellness Guide
- Coupe de Ville1990IMDb rating 6.7Arkin as Fred Libner
Also three films together1 more actor
- Adam ArkinThe Fourth Wise Man (1985), Chu Chu and the Philly Flash (1981) and Full Moon High (1981)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Alan Arkin's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$3.3 billion

37 of the 65 films have a worldwide figure.

37Worldwide figure
9US gross only
8Never in cinemas
11Figure not found

Top grosser

Minions: The Rise of Gru2022Wild Knuckles$940 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 74% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Minions: The Rise of Gru2022as Wild Knuckles
$940M28.9% of the total
2
Dumbo2019as J. Griffin Remington
$353M10.9% of the total
3
Marley & Me2008as Arnie Klein
$256M7.9% of the total
4
Argo2012as Lester Siegel
$232M7.1% of the total
5
Get Smart2008as The Chief
$231M7.1% of the total
6
The Muppets2011as Tour Guide
$165M5.1% of the total
7
America's Sweethearts2001as Wellness Guide
$138M4.2% of the total
8
Little Miss Sunshine2006as Grandpa Edwin Hoover
$101M3.1% of the total

Edward Scissorhands (1990), $86.0 million

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006), $84.5 million

Million Dollar Arm (2014), $38.3 million

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), $31.1 million

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013), $27.4 million

$837 millionfrom the other 29 films with a worldwide figure, 26% of the total

Awards

Twelve awards and honors from 1963 to 2019, seven of them major.

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Alan Arkin's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
2007	Best Supporting Actor	Little Miss Sunshine	Won
Golden Globes
2018	Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture	The Kominsky Method	Won
1966	Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy	The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming	Won
BAFTA
2007	Best Actor in a Supporting Role	Little Miss Sunshine	Won
SAG Awards
2013	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture	Argo	Won
2007	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture	Little Miss Sunshine	Won
Tony Awards
1963	Best Featured Actor in a Play		Won
Other honors
2019	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored
2007	Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male	Little Miss Sunshine	Won
1986	Genie Award for Best Supporting Actor	Joshua Then and Now	Won
1982	Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actor	Improper Channels	Won
1970	Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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