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This is a complete filmography of Alan Arkin (1934–2023). Arkin made his film debut as a member of the folk group The Tarriers in Calypso Heat Wave (1957). However, it would be nearly a decade before he would return to the big screen for his breakout performance in Norman Jewison's The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and won him a Golden Globe Award (Best Comedy or Musical Actor). He continuted with equally critically acclaimed performances in Wait Until Dark (1967), The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Popi (1969), and Catch-22 (1970). For Heart, he earned his second Oscar nomination; in addition, that plus Popi earned him two more Golden Globe nominations.
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Arkin had one additionally notable 1960s role, which was temporarily stepping in for Peter Sellers in portraying Inspector Jacques Clouseau in the titular Inspector Clouseau (1968). He subsequently had a busy decade in the 1970s. He directed and co-starred in the films Little Murders (1971) and Fire Sale (1977). Other films he solely acted in during this period include Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972); Freebie and the Bean (1974); Hearts of the West (1975); The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976); and The In-Laws (also executive producer) and The Magician of Lublin (both 1979).
His output tapered down in the 1980s, featuring in a few films such as Simon (1980), Improper Channels (1981), Joshua Then and Now (1985), Big Trouble (1986), and a voice role in The Last Unicorn (1982). However, Arkin was more prolific in the 1990s, with such films as Edward Scissorhands (1990); Glengarry Glen Ross (1992); Indian Summer and So I Married an Axe Murderer (both 1993); North (1994); Four Days in September , Gattaca , and Grosse Pointe Blank (all 1997); Slums of Beverly Hills (1998); and Jakob the Liar (1999).
When the new millennium arrived, Arkin began receiving awards notice once more for his performances. One such film is Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001), which garnered him a few critics' awards. But it was his performance in the indie comedy hit film Little Miss Sunshine (2006) for which he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the corresponding BAFTA. He would later earn his fourth and final Oscar nomination for Ben Affleck's Argo (2012). These latter two films also won him one SAG Award for Best Motion Picture Cast each.
Some other films Arkin acted in during this time period included Rendition (2007); Get Smart , Marley & Me , and Sunshine Cleaning (all 2008); City Island and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (both 2009); The Muppets (2011), in a cameo; Stand Up Guys (2012); The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013); Million Dollar Arm (2014); Going in Style (2017); Dumbo (2019); and another voice role in Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022), which was his penultimate film and the last released during his lifetime.
On stage, he was known for his Tony Award-winning performance in Enter Laughing . He earned another nomination directing Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys . Arkin also had several notable television roles, which included The Defection of Simas Kudirka and The Other Side of Hell (both 1978); Escape from Sobibor (1987); Cooperstown (1993); And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself and The Pentagon Papers (both 2003); and The Kominsky Method (2018–2019). He garnered Emmy nominations for Sobibor, Pentagon, and twice for Kominsky, in addition to two other guest roles on Chicago Hope and ABC Stage 67 —albeit, he never won. His final performance was in a crime caper heist film, The Smack, which has yet to be released.