Improvised life memoir alan arkin biography

This is subtitled “a memoir” but it offers as much of Arkin’s musings about his craft as it provides about the arc of his life.

I was very satisfied with the extra dimension provided by listening to the author read his book.

Arkin sets out his thesis very early by means of this excellent anecdote: “Some years ago I did a film with Madeline Kahn.

A lot of it was shot on location, and one day we found ourselves at a particularly beautiful spot overlooking a panoramic view of the Hudson Valley.

Actor alan arkin biography

During a lull in the shooting, while the cameras were setting up, we went out onto an extensive lawn and sat there for a while, lost in the scenery. While we were musing and chatting, I found myself thinking about Madeline’s many gifts.

She was a fine actress, an excellent pianist; she had an exquisite operatic voice with impeccable technique and she was also a brilliant comedian. I asked her which of her talents she considered to be her primary focus.