Arkin (pictured), who was known for his characteristic dry humor but was equally effective at playing tragedy, won his Oscar for his supporting role in the indie comedy Little Miss Sunshine in 2007. He scored a second nomination for his spirited and blasphemous role in Ben Affleck's Best Picture winner Argo. Arkin received two previous nominations in his film career, for The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming in 1967 and for The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in 1969.
More recently, Arkin received back-to-back Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method, in which he co-starred with Michael Douglas. Arkin received four more Emmy nominations (in other categories) earlier in his career. He gave his vote to J.D. Salinger on the adult animated series BoJack Horsemen and guest starred on Will & Grace and Get Shorty, among others. He also had a regular role in 100 Center Street, an A&E Network series that ran for two seasons from 2001 to 2002.
In addition to his film career, Arkin started out in the entertainment world as a stage performer. He was an early member of the Chicago comedy troupe Second City before making his Broadway debut in 1961 in From the Second City. Two years later, he received a Tony Award for his role in Joseph Stein's comedy Enter Laughing.
In Argo, he played Lester Siegel, the Hollywood veteran recruited to produce a fictional sci-fi film whose production would cover the rescue of American hostages in Iran. Siegel, wrote Pete Hammond in his review, "goes so far as to announce the project in a Variety ad and article. 'If I'm going to make a fake movie, I want a fake hit,' says Lester, played with amusing perfection by Arkins."
In Little Miss Sunshine, Arkin played the foul-mouthed, heroin-snorting grandfather Edwin. The San Francisco Chronicle said, "The cast is so perfect it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the roles. Arkin's spontaneity gives the impression he's improvising."
Abigail Breslin played Arkin's granddaughter, whose desire to enter a talent show takes the whole family on a road trip in Little Miss Sunshine.
“Alan Arkin was one of the kindest, most gentle and hilarious actors I’ve ever worked with,” said Breslin. “We may not have been related in real life, but in my heart he will always be Grandpa. Wife Suzanne and his family.”
