Credit: DisneyIt is a sad day in the world of show business, as the beloved Alan Arkin passed away at 89 years old. Arkin began his career in 1957, though his first proper role did not happen until 1966 in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. He holds 110 acting credits, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
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Interestingly, Arkin would take on the role of Inspector Clouseau in 1968 from Peter Sellers, though Sellers returned to The Pink Panther series rights after. This meant that Arkin was the second person to portray the iconic character, though it was short-lived. It wasn’t until 1970 that the actor gained massive notoriety with his breakout role as Yossarian in Catch-22 (1970).
During the popularity of his rise in Catch-22, Alan Arkin also starred in five episodes of Sesame Street as a character named Larry, pivoting to take his career in a different direction with more adult films like Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972). He would join fellow legendary actor Peter Falk in The In-Laws (1979), cementing him as a comedic actor.
The 1980s saw Arkin take on various roles in TV and film, like a small arc in St. Elsewhere. He also appeared in films like The Return of Captain Invincible (1983)and Escape From Sobibor (1987).
The 1990s is when Alan Arkin began to hit his stride as he appeared in Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), and Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). His roles began to start leaning heavily into comedy, as he secured supporting roles in So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993), The Jerky Boys (1995), and Grosse Point Blank (1997).
The 2000s were full of more comedic roles, though he secured his lone Academy Award win when he was cast in Little Miss Sunshine. He would follow that up with roles in more Disney-centric properties like The Muppets (2011), The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006), and the live-action Disney remake of Dumbo (2019)—when he got to work with Tim Burton again.
His comedic timing and honesty made him one of the best actors, especially when he appeared in comedies like Get Smart (2008), Stand Up Guys (2012), and Going In Style (2017).
One of the final roles for Alan Arkin was voicing Wild Knuckles in Minions: The Rise of Gru, where he also got to work with Steve Carrell again.
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We join the world in mourning a great actor and our condolences to Arkin’s family and friends. Rest in peace to a truly gifted actor.
What is your favorite Alan Arkin movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!