Alan Arkin, Oscar-Winning Actor in 'Little Miss Sunshine, Dies
Today's news and condolences. "Alan Arkin, the Oscar-winning actor of 'Little Miss Sunshine', dies at 89".
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| Alan Arkin (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File) |
"Our father was a very talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, great-grandfather, he was adored and will be greatly missed," his sons Adam, Matthew, and Anthony Arkin said in a statement to CNN.
Behind the figure of Oscar winner Alan Arkin
Born in Brooklyn to Russian-German Jewish immigrant parents, his family moved to Los Angeles when he was a child.
Arkin attended Bennington College but dropped out to form a band, The Tarriers where he sang and played guitar. The group did not last long but became a hit with "The Banana Boat Song" in 1957.
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But acting is his passion. Arkin won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut performance in the 1963 play "Enter Laughing" and a Drama Desk award for directing the 1968 play "Little Murders," which he also directed for the screen.
Arkin also directed the original Broadway version of Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys," which ran for more than 500 performances.
In his film work, he became one of a handful of actors nominated for Oscars for their first leading roles. In Arkin's case, he was nominated for his role as Rozanov in the 1966 war comedy, "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.
He also earned Oscar nominations for his performances in "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" (1967), and "Argo" (2012).
Most recently, Arkin was nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG awards for a comedic role in the Netflix series "The Kominsky Method".
Following Arkin's passing, fellow actors including Viola Davis and Patton Oswalt paid tribute to Arkin on social media.
"Our work inspires generations of actors and reminds us how powerfully our art can transform us," Davis wrote on Instagram. "Rest in peace!"
"Who owns the character that Alan Arkin has?" Oswalt tweeted. "Funny, creepy, crazy, tragic. There is no mood that he can't live. RIP."
Natasha Lyonne, who played alongside Arkin in 1998's "Slums of Beverly Hills," shared her feelings on her Instagram Stories, writing the late actor, "So much in love with this sweet and brilliant man" and "Favorite movie dad &; hero of all time."
Arkin is survived by his wife Suzanne, sons Matthew, Anthony, and Adam, grandchildren Molly, Emmet, Atticus, and Abigail, and great-grandson Elliott.