Adam Arkin

American actor Adam Arkin is recognized for his numerous recurring roles on popular television series, and he is respected across the acting community for his work in film as well as on stage.

Adam Arkin was born August 19, 1956 in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in an acting family, Arkin’s father is well-known, critically acclaimed actor Alan Arkin.

Arkin made his onscreen debut in 1969 with People Soup. His early work also includes a one-episode stint on Happy Days opposite Ron Howard, Marion Ross, Henry Winkler, and Don Most. After a slew of bit parts, his first recurring role was on The Love Boat. He first appeared in 1978 and again in 1983 beside Gavin MacLeod and Doris Roberts.

In 1989, after paying his dues as a small time actor, Arkin earned a six-episode appearance on Knots Landing. Beginning to make a name for himself, 1990 brought his first gig on the highly popular television show Northern Exposure with Rob Morrow, John Corbett, and others. His character was brought back sporadically until the show’s final season in 1995.

By the mid-90s, Arkin was an established character actor with minor star status. He still lacked, however, the leading role that would propel him into stardom. This opportunity came in 1994 when he landed one of the leads in the new medical drama Chicago Hope. His costars included Hector Elizondo, Mark Harmon, Christine Lahti, and Peter Berg. Playing Doctor Aaron Shutt, Arkin appeared in all 141 episodes on the show’s six season run.

Branching out into other fields, Arkin’s film career received a boost when he appeared in the thriller Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. The film contained a star-studded cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, LL Cool J, Jodi Lyn OKeefe, Janet Leigh, and Joseph Gordon Levitt.

Arkin is also noted for his role in The West Wing as well as 8 Simple Rules…for Dating My Teenage Daughter with the late John Ritter, Katey Sagal, Kaley Cuoco, James Garner, and David Spade.

While Arkin’s acting career has been a steady string of work since 1969, he also demonstrated an affinity for directing. His directorial debut came in 1993 with an episode of Northern Exposure, followed by four episodes of Chicago Hope. He also directed two very well-received episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, “Sometimes a Fantasy” and “Some Kind of Miracle.” Both episodes starred regulars Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, T R Knight, Patrick Dempsey, Kate Walsh, and Isaiah Washington.

Others may recognize Arkin for his appearance beside Will Smith, Eva Mendes, and Kevin James in the 2005 romantic comedy Hitch.

In addition to his film and television work, Arkin is an accomplished stage actor who has performed in both Off-Broadway and Broadway productions.

Arkin had a daughter with his first wife, Linda Arkin, before the two divorced. He married Phyllis Lyons on August 21, 1999. They are currently still together and have one child, a son.