Matthew Arkin

Actor

Birthday March 21, 1960

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Age 63 years old

Nationality United States

Height 5′ 9″

#39453 Most Popular

1960

Matthew Arkin (born March 21, 1960) is an American actor, acting instructor, and author.

Arkin was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Jeremy Yaffe, a nurse, and actor Alan Arkin.

He is the younger brother of actor Adam Arkin.

After his parents separated when he was an infant, Arkin was raised by his mother in California until age 7.

He then lived with his father and stepmother, actress Barbara Dana, and half-Brother Anthony Dana Arkin, in Greenwich Village.

1968

In 1968, Arkin and his brother were directed by their father in the Academy Award nominated short film People Soup.

Arkin attended Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York.

Arkin graduated from Wesleyan University and earned a J.D. degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Although he was raised in a non-denominational household, Arkin is Jewish and identifies with Jewish culture.

For five years Arkin practiced law with small firms in Tarrytown and White Plains, New York.

He quit to pursue a career in acting.

When asked why he would give up a career in law, Arkin pointed out a laughing audience and said, ""You hear that sound?

You know how many people I made laugh when I was a lawyer?

None... well, maybe a few judges."

Arkin studied acting at the HB Studio under Uta Hagen, Austin Pendleton and Sheldon Patinkin.

1993

In 1993, he debuted on Broadway in Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor and continued during the production's national tour.

Arkin married Pamela Newkirk in May 1993 with whom he has two children.

1997

He played Ben Silverman in the 1997 Broadway revival of The Sunshine Boys.

1999

Arkin was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for his role as Gabe in the 1999 Off-Broadway premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Dinner with Friends.

2006

Arkin played the role of Reggie Ellis in the 2006 Broadway production of Losing Louie.

2007

Arkin also appeared in a variety of films and television shows, including All My Children (2007), Law & Order (1991-2009) and 100 Centre Street (2001).

2008

Beginning in 2008, Arkin taught acting technique at the HB Studio in New York City and later at the Actors Studio in Los Angeles.

2009

At the South Coast Repertory in Orange County, California, Arkin originated roles in the world premieres of Richard Greenberg's Our Mother's Brief Affair (2009) and Steven Drukman's The Prince of Atlantis (2011).

2011

They divorced in 2011.

He resides in Pasadena, California.

2013

In 2013, Arkin portrayed the 600-pound main character in the West Coast premiere of Samuel Hunter's The Whale.

2015

In 2015, Arkin accepted the position as Director of the Acting Intensive Program at South Coast Repertory in Southern California.

2016

In 2016, Arkin published the detective novel In the Country of the Blind.