Exit laughing: Actor Alan Arkin dies at 89

June 30, 2023 10:07 PM

The Second City alum won an Oscar late in the game for “Little Miss Sunshine” and was memorable in “The Russians Are Coming,” “The In-Laws” and “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.”
posted by kitten kaboodle (79 comments total)

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posted by Rash at 10:09 PM on June 30, 2023

Yossarian in "Catch-22"
posted by Rash at 10:11 PM on June 30, 2023 [18 favorites]

There were two movies that my parents were willing to watch anytime they showed up on television back in the day before video tape: The Russians Are Coming and It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. (What is it about ‘60s comedies and their repetitive titles?) But they loved both of those movies and my mom thought he was just the cat’s pajamas so his movies were kind of a fixture at my house. I remember how impressed I was when I saw him in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:16 PM on June 30, 2023 [3 favorites]

We just watched “The In-Laws” tonight. He did well as a perpetually exasperated straight man, kinda Dustin Hoffman-esque, and it was great to see him opposite Peter Falk. But I love the out-of-fucks version of him as seen in “Little Miss Sunshine” and "The Kominsky Method".

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posted by credulous at 10:20 PM on June 30, 2023 [6 favorites]

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I’m sorry to see him go. I’m very glad that he got that well-deserved Oscar for “Little Miss Sunshine” before he did.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:23 PM on June 30, 2023 [6 favorites]

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posted by johnxlibris at 10:49 PM on June 30, 2023

Loved him in Glengarry Glenross too.

"I can't make a sit."
"Why are you doing this to me?"
posted by Meatbomb at 11:13 PM on June 30, 2023 [7 favorites]

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Kevin Pollak messes with Alan (SLYT)
posted by zaixfeep at 11:19 PM on June 30, 2023 [12 favorites]

I have great affection for him, what a wonderful actor. Favorites? Grosse Point Blank and Indian Summer.
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posted by ApathyGirl at 12:18 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

Also Robot and Frank and Bojack Horseman! Rest in peace, sir
posted by Going To Maine at 12:19 AM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

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Arkin was someone I caught pieces of performances from TV back in the 70s when I was a child; and as I got older I realized how good he was when I started seeing full films of his.
My favourite story about Arkin is he was asked about not being nominated for an Oscar for his performance as the absolutely ruthless criminal who terrorizes a blind Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark(1967). His response: "You don't get nominated for being mean to Audrey Hepburn!"
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 12:31 AM on July 1, 2023 [23 favorites]

If you like extremely dark absurdist comedy, you absolutely must watch Little Murders, which Arkin directed.
posted by Gerald Bostock at 12:34 AM on July 1, 2023 [7 favorites]

Little Murders is one of my favorite movies, and he has a great performance in it as well.

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posted by dhalgren at 12:40 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

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There are many, many great Arkin performances, but I want to mention his work in a very, very bad movie, The Jerky Boys. He plays a mafiosi and the boys prank call him (but of course), calling him “Fruity Ass” among many other insults.

After the call, Arkin’s character seriously ponders this insult. “Fruity Ass? What does that even mean?” It’s playing it straight for laughs and somehow I found his delivery of this hilarious. Arkin elevated anything he was in.
posted by zardoz at 12:56 AM on July 1, 2023 [6 favorites]

Also worth noting is that he played Inspector Clouseau in the third Pink Panther movie of 1968. I watched it a few years ago; an oddity, but it had its moments. It gave the character his distinctive hat, which Peter Sellers adopted in the 1970s films.
posted by rory at 1:26 AM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

(I know twitter is a cesspool these days, but even still) Someone on twitter embedded Arkin's iconic scene from Grosse Pointe Blank and John Cusack himself responded :

Alan worked with me the night before and re wrote the whole scene - It’s all Alan -

I'm most fond of his later work, including especially Little Miss Sunshine and ohh god the delightfulness of The Kominsky Method. I almost didn't mind that one ending so soon, because it was such a perfect ending and I had a hunch at the time (and I still wonder if we'll ever find out) Alan Arkin had a [spoiler removed, in case you haven't seen it, but really, really you absolutely should watch it] talk with the higher-ups about his character's arc.

What a goddamn talent. I'm glad he got to live as long as he did and we got to see such a tapestry of his talent over these many years. If you need a laugh, here's Kevin Pollock on three funny stories about tormenting him.
posted by revmitcz at 1:32 AM on July 1, 2023 [8 favorites]

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posted by Faintdreams at 1:47 AM on July 1, 2023

Within the space of a door slamming, he becomes a totally different person. [yt link]

RIP.
posted by FallibleHuman at 2:51 AM on July 1, 2023 [8 favorites]

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posted by Silvery Fish at 3:38 AM on July 1, 2023

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I’m very glad that he got that well-deserved Oscar for “Little Miss Sunshine” before he did.

First rule of time travel club...
posted by fairmettle at 4:21 AM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

A grumpy, exasperated, albeit affectionate dot for one of the greats.

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posted by Etrigan at 4:57 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

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posted by lalochezia at 4:58 AM on July 1, 2023

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posted by eclectist at 5:12 AM on July 1, 2023

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posted by faceplantingcheetah at 5:12 AM on July 1, 2023

The Señor Pepe / General Garcia schtick in "The In-Laws"
posted by DJZouke at 5:22 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! Everybody to get from street!
posted by skippyhacker at 5:48 AM on July 1, 2023 [4 favorites]

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posted by pangolin party at 5:52 AM on July 1, 2023

"Shoes... boots... yes..."

Loved his work. My two faves are Last of the Red Hot Lovers and Glengarry Glen Ross.
posted by dobbs at 5:54 AM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

well, skippyhacker beat me, but here's the clip anyway. Makes me giggle every single time.
posted by hearthpig at 5:55 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

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It's a crap movie, but his performance in Argo as the larger-than-life Lester Siegel was glorious. I'm pretty sure he and John Goodman were told to just make some shit up as they went along, and they so obliged. The dodgy grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine was unforgettable too.

He was also my dad's favourite actor, and for years dad regretted letting tiny me watch Catch-22 and having me run around giving the finger to everyone as Arkin's Yossarian did in a flight scene.
posted by scruss at 6:24 AM on July 1, 2023 [5 favorites]

We also just watched the In-Laws last night. What a beauty of a movie.

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This is me breathing.
posted by kbanas at 6:37 AM on July 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

Slums of Beverly Hills.
posted by Don Pepino at 6:39 AM on July 1, 2023 [9 favorites]

I always loved his performances.

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posted by Songdog at 6:49 AM on July 1, 2023

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posted by JoeXIII007 at 7:10 AM on July 1, 2023

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posted by Hobgoblin at 7:29 AM on July 1, 2023

Shout-out to his Schmendrick from the animated The Last Unicorn.

"I am called Schmendrick, the magician! Um... you won't have heard of me."
posted by humbug at 7:50 AM on July 1, 2023 [11 favorites]

Loved all his work but Yossarian to me was his most iconic character in a movie filled with them, Catch-22.
posted by Lynsey at 8:38 AM on July 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

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serpentine! serpentine (from the in-laws) is a standard in our house for dodging responsibility or well, anything
posted by Jesse the K at 9:13 AM on July 1, 2023 [8 favorites]

Since no one else has mentioned it, I have to call out Simon (1980). I saw it in the theater when I was very young, annd Alan Arkin’s madcap performance made it enjoyable even though I probably missed a lot of the adult humor. (Or did I? I guess I have to watch it again.)
posted by ejs at 9:22 AM on July 1, 2023 [4 favorites]

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posted by doctor_negative at 9:28 AM on July 1, 2023

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He elevated everything he was in.
posted by gauche at 9:32 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!

“Remark to this, WhittakerWalt:”

One of one a handful of actors to be Oscar-nominated as a lead for his big-screen debut.

“Am wounded in dignity only.”
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:37 AM on July 1, 2023

I loved him in "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming" when I saw it as a kid. Still a great movie.

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posted by jabo at 9:53 AM on July 1, 2023

He was a master of the craft of acting and a talented fiction writer. Every once in a great while another piece would crop up. The first I noticed, but not his first by any means, was I believe, in a Fantasy & Science Fiction issue. I cannot recall any piece of his acting that I failed to enjoy, even if the film was meh.

My sympathies and condolences to his family.

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posted by Ignorantsavage at 9:55 AM on July 1, 2023

May his memory be a blessing.

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posted by tzikeh at 9:58 AM on July 1, 2023

Loved him in Glengarry Glenross too.

Alan Arkin Could Do It All. In ‘Glengarry Glen Ross,’ He Did.

Also, Argo.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 10:05 AM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

Don't forget "So I Married an Axe Murderer".
posted by AJScease at 10:11 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

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posted by Splunge at 10:12 AM on July 1, 2023

Little Murders is a gem. I just assume he directed the entire movie so he could cast himself as the police lieutenant and deliver that absolutely unhinged 5-minute performance.

Also, The Rocketeer's still my favorite super hero movie.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 10:13 AM on July 1, 2023 [5 favorites]

"Emergency! Everybody to get from street!"
I loved that movie when I was kid.
posted by AJScease at 10:14 AM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

RIP Alan Arkin. Owner of the greatest spit take in movie history.
posted by bowline at 10:18 AM on July 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

"Egermancy?"
posted by Rash at 10:24 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

I didn't realize that he VAed J.D. Salinger in BoJack Horseman.

He was a true mensch.

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posted by Halloween Jack at 11:00 AM on July 1, 2023

Totally agree with Phlegmco(tm). He is spectacular in everything, in my opinion, but Wait Until Dark particularly stands out for me.
posted by Scout405 at 11:04 AM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

Loved him in many movies.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:58 AM on July 1, 2023

"Egermancy?"

Nyet, nyet — ee-MAIR-gent-see.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:47 PM on July 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

I remember my family taking me to see The In-Laws. The humor was sometimes a bit over my head, but I remember literally everyone around me gasping with laughter.

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posted by Melismata at 12:49 PM on July 1, 2023

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posted by jim in austin at 12:51 PM on July 1, 2023

The father role he played in "Joshua Then and Now" was awesome as well. RIP
posted by mdrosen at 1:16 PM on July 1, 2023

So Lt. Rozanov finally got from street.
Also the decent-but-ultimately-not-very-helpful dad in Edward Scissorhands.
Also the voice of Wild Knuckles in Minions 2, a character I adored because you gotta love a supervillain who uses reading glasses.
May his memory be a blessing.
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 2:29 PM on July 1, 2023

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posted by detachd at 2:50 PM on July 1, 2023

Freebie and the Bean

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posted by rhizome at 3:08 PM on July 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

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posted by annieb at 3:22 PM on July 1, 2023

https://dangerousminds.net/comments/alan_arkin_folk_singer
posted by aquanaut at 4:16 PM on July 1, 2023

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posted by JustSayNoDawg at 4:39 PM on July 1, 2023

Twice in my life, I've had people ask me "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Twice in my life, I've responded with, "I don't know, were you thinking, holy shit, holy shit, a swordfish almost went through my head? Because if so, yes!"
posted by disconnect at 6:13 PM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

“Little Miss Sunshine” is pretty much my only favorite movie that I can comfortably watch with my mom. I got some good recommendations from this thread though.

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posted by bendy at 6:18 PM on July 1, 2023

How has NOBODY mentioned Wait Until Dark? Roat was a darker character than he had ever done before and would ever do again. (He'd do guys who had done bad things, but were still likeable. Roat had no redeeming qualities.) But he still does an absolutely stunning job in the role.
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posted by dannyboybell at 6:53 PM on July 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

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posted by EvaDestruction at 7:01 PM on July 1, 2023

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posted by hap_hazard at 10:07 PM on July 1, 2023

Oh man, I was so sad to see this. The In-Laws was the first grown-up movie I ever went to see in a theater, and (just like Jesse the k) “Serpentine! Serpentine!” was a family catchphrase all through my childhood- and I still find myself saying it from time to time today. When Arkin showed up in Grosse Pointe Blank, it was such an unexpected joy - IIRC he hadn’t been on screen all that much at that time, and usually not in such comic parts, and he practically stole the movie. Along with Charles Grodin, he was one of the all time slow burn / reaction take comedy greats.
posted by Mchelly at 10:51 PM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

When Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz was making the sneak preview circuit before regular release, one of the stops was the original Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin. The “Hot Fuzztival” featured four cop-themed films before the showing of Hot Fuzz with Wright introducing all of the films and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost joining him for their movie. The fourth movie of the day, just before HF, was Freebie and the Bean, co-starring James Caan as Freebie and Alan Arkin as Bean. The audience reaction was great — we laughed so hard that the ADC’s owner (as I overheard him tell a VIP at another ADC event) was afraid that they scheduled too funny of a movie as a lead in to Hot Fuzz.
posted by Ranucci at 11:27 PM on July 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

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posted by filtergik at 7:54 AM on July 2, 2023

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posted by Joey Michaels at 10:53 AM on July 2, 2023

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posted by ceejaytee at 5:09 AM on July 3, 2023

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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 3:18 PM on July 3, 2023

Watch Glengarry paying attention to how to says "Yes" in response to other characters. [h/t merlinmann]
posted by neuron at 4:45 PM on July 3, 2023

I just discovered he was a talented singer as well!
posted by mefireader at 9:29 AM on July 21, 2023