Alan Arkin, whose biography is connected with cinema, is not only an American actor, winner of several awards from the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but also a director, producer, writer, singer and composer.
Parents
He was born March 26, 1934 in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants from Russia and Germany. In 1946 they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, California. His father, David Arkin, was a teacher and was fired for refusing to answer a question about his political affiliation. This was in the 1950s, when an atmosphere of fear of the communist threat reigned in the United States. David was blacklisted as a suspected communist sympathizer. Alan's mother, Beatrice Arkin, worked as a teacher and shared her husband's views.
Young years
Alan Arkin in his youth was fond of music and acting, he was engaged in theater circles from the age of 10. He graduated from Franklin High School and attended Los Angeles City College from 1951-1953, and from Bennington College in Vermont from 1953-1954. During his studies, he sang in a folk group, attended a theater studio. Arkin leftfrom college when he created the folk band The Tarriers, in which he was the lead singer and guitarist. He co-wrote the hit "The Banana Boat Song" (1956), which reached 4 on the Billboard charts. At that time, Arkin tried to earn money by acting, embodying episodic roles on television and in the theater. But the money for life brought him work as a courier, dishwasher and babysitter. From 1958 to 1968 he worked with the children's folk group The Babysitters.
Theatrical creativity
In 1958, Arkin began his stage career working in New York. The following year, he joined the Compass Theater Company in St. Louis. There he was spotted by director Bob Sills of Chicago's Second City Theatre. After moving to Chicago, Alan honed his stage skills and became one of the leading actors in the troupe. In 1961, Arkin made his Broadway debut in the musical Second City, for which he wrote the lyrics. In 1963, he starred in the comedy Laughing Out, for which he received a Tony Award.
Direction
In 1966, Alan Arkin, whose photo is known to many fans of American theater and cinema, tried to apply himself as a director in the play "Huh?", In which the young actor Dustin Hoffman made his debut. And in 1969 he won the Drama Desk Theater Award for directing the play Little Murders. The second award "Drama Desk" was not long in coming. He received it in 1970 for The White House Murder Case. Alan was the director of the play "Sunshine Boys", whichrepresented over 500 times!
Most famous works
Alan Arkin, whose filmography is truly impressive today, became an Oscar nominee for his sensational acting debut in the comedy The Russians Are Coming! Russians are coming! (1966). In the film, he played Lieutenant Rozanov, a Soviet submariner who is mistaken for a spy when his submarine runs aground somewhere in New England.
Arkin showed his dramatic talent as a psychopathic killer in Wait Until Dark (1967).
For his performance as a deaf-mute in Heart of a Lonely Hunter, he receives a second Oscar nomination for best actor.
In the 70s, Alan Arkin worked as a television director for several years. In 1976, he returns to the big screen again as Dr. Sigmund Freud in Critical Decision. And in the early 80s, he starred in three films with his son Adam, and his wife Barbara Dana acts as a screenwriter.
In the 90s, Arkin appeared in several notable roles. It's a former baseball player who didn't have a career in the 1993 film Cooperstown. Or the hilarious psychiatrist opposite John Cusack in Murder at Grosse Point (1997). He won a Critics' Award for his portrayal of a divorced father who struggles to get his children to attend Beverly Hills High School in Downhill of Beverly Hills (1998). Arkin gave a brilliant performance with Robin Williams in the film about the Nazi occupation of Poland - "Liar Jacob" (1999).
He then returns to the New York stage, where he directed, co-wrote and acted in the 1998 play Power Plays. And in 2006, the role of the chatty grandfather, a lover of cocaine, in "Little Miss Sunshine", brought Alan his first Oscar.
Other activities
Alan Arkin can be said to be a modern renaissance man. In addition to his accomplishments as an actor, director, musician and producer, Alan has written several books. These include science fiction stories and eight children's books. In 2011, Alan Arkin's memoir, An Improvised Life, was published. These works were appreciated both by fans of the actor and director, and by critics.
Private life
Arkin has been married three times and has three sons - Anthony, Adam and Matthew, who are also actors. He is a supporter of an ecological lifestyle, environmental conservation. Leads a secluded life. Known as an actor who does not care about prestigious awards, but appreciates good roles and the recognition of colleagues in the shop. In his own words, his dream is to “not leave home for at least three months and live as quietly as possible.”
This man has made a huge and invaluable contribution to the development of cinema not only in the United States, but also on a global scale. His performance both on the stage of the theater and in the cinema was striking in its chic and impeccability. Critics of the theater and cinema have repeatedly praised Alan, paying tribute to his talent and even setting him as an example to other artists. And in fact, in creativityAlan has been raised by generations of actors who have tried, to some extent, to play like the great Arkin.
