This Day in Indie History: Alan Arkin

by MovieMaker Staff | Published March 26, 2007

New York comeback kid Alan Arkin was born this day back in 1934. The actor began his career as part of the folk group The Tarriers, but soon found his rightful path as an original member of Chicago’s “Second City” acting troupe.

Arkin’s stage career took off with a Tony Award for Carl Reiner’s 1963 comedy “Enter Laughing.” Four years later, he earned his first Oscar nomination for his debut feature, The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. His second nod came in 1969 with The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.

After dozens of screen appearances in-between, Arkin finally received his first Academy Award this year for his supporting role in the independent movie sensation Little Miss Sunshine. Other roles made memorable by Arkin include Captain Yossarian in Catch-22, opposite Peter Falk in The In-Laws, John Cusack’s therapist in Grosse Pointe Blank and a desperate salesman in Glengarry Glen Ross.

Quotable: Never missing a beat, Alan Arkin returned last year as the oddly comforting grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine. Despite a filthy mouth, his Grandpa character cleaned up around young Olive, who counted on him for support. When doubting her beauty, Grandpa classically assured her, “I’m madly in love with you and it’s not because of your personality.”