Alan Arkin, an acclaimed Hollywood actor, director and screenwriter who starred in a number of films died at the age of 89, confirmed his family.
“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,” Arkin’s sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony wrote in a joint statement.
According to Variety, entertainment magazine, Arkin breathed his last in his Carlsbad’s home in California on Thursday.
Alan Arkin’s versatile career
Alan Arkin has won huge number of awards including an Oscar for the 2006 film “Little Miss Sunshine,” in which he played a drug addict grandfather. His role was of a 80-year-old grandfather who developed a bad behaviour due to drug abuse for long tome and became foul-mouthed. He was initially rejected for his role which he called his “best rejection ever”.
His versatility had such mastery that he was apt in both comic and drama roles. He started his career in theatre and went on to star in television and films. His seventy years long career, that went on till he died, is marked with an Oscar, a Golden Globe Award, British Academy Film Award, a Tony Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was nominated for Academy Award four times.
He received Tony Award for his first major stage role in 1963 Carl Reiner’s “Enter Laughing.” Films in which he acted include, “Argo,” “Edward Scissorhands”, series like “BoJack Horseman,” his latest Netflix’s “The Kominsky Method,” among others.
His first biggest role was of a Soviet sailor in the 1966 Cold War comedy “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!”
His roles have transformed from a Soviet sailor, psychopathic killer, a deaf-mute, to a drug addict grandfather. He starred opposite Audrey Hepburn in “Wait Until Dark,” released in 1967. His 1968 movie “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” won him his second Academy Award nomination.
However, not all his movies were successful. According to him, he did “Freebie and the Bean” in 1974 as he “needed the bread.”
