Alan Arkin, Oscar-Winning Actor From 'Little Miss Sunshine,' Dead At 89
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Alan Arkin, the Oscar-winning actor from “Little Miss Sunshine,” has died. He was 89.
Variety reported that the Hollywood veteran died Thursday at his home in Carlsbad, California.
“Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man,” sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony confirmed to People in a statement Friday. “A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”
Arkin received his first Oscar nod in 1967 for the lead role in “The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming.” He was nominated for Best Actor in 1969 for “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,” and won the Best Supporting Actor trophy for “Sunshine” in 2007.
He was nominated in the same category for “Argo” in 2013.
Arkin most recently co-starred opposite Michael Douglas in “The Kominsky Method.” He earned Emmy nominations for the Netflix series in 2019 and 2020, and received nods for the show from the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild in 2020 and 2021.
The decorated actor came from humble beginnings, however. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 26, 1934. Arkin finished high school but dropped out of several colleges, including Bennington College in Vermont — which nonetheless lists him as an alumnus.
“They might have thrown me out,” Arkin told People in 1979. “I don’t remember.”
Arkin was drawn to acting since childhood but after college formed the Tarriers folk group, best known for its hit “The Banana Boat Song.” He made his off-Broadway debut in 1958 before joining the Second City improv troupe as a founding member in 1960.
“Second City saved my life,” he’s quoted as saying on the Second City website. “It literally saved my life. I have a feeling it’s true for a lot of other people, too.”
Arkin’s stint at the company ― which also sharpened the skills of Bill Murray, John Belushi, Joan Rivers and many others ― led to his official Broadway debut in 1961. At age 29, he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for “Enter Laughing.”
The actor went on to appear in more than 100 films and television shows. He also directed plays and movies himself in an acclaimed career that spanned over half a century. Arkin often portrayed characters with a dry wit, but tackled diverse roles in all kinds of genres.
“I’m like a horse going down the trail,” Arkin told The Guardian in 2020. “Acting is so ingrained in my physiognomy and the channels of my brain that I find myself missing aspects of the business. But I don’t need it any more. I should probably get over it.”
Some of his most notable films include “Wait Until Dark” (1967), in which Arkin portrayed a home-invading psychopath opposite Audrey Hepburn, “Catch-22” (1970) from director Mike Nichols, and the star-studded silver screen version of “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992).
Arkin is survived by his wife of 17 years, Suzanne Newlander, and three adult children.
