Adam Arkin (born August 19, 1956) is an American actor and director. He is best known for playing the role of Aaron Shutt on ''
Chicago Hope
''Chicago Hope'' is an American medical drama television series created by David E. Kelley, that originally aired for six seasons on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000, with a total of 141 episodes. The series is set in a fictional pr ...
''. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a
Tony (Best Actor, 1991, ''
I Hate Hamlet'') as well as three primetime Emmys, four SAG Awards (Ensemble, ''
Chicago Hope
''Chicago Hope'' is an American medical drama television series created by David E. Kelley, that originally aired for six seasons on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000, with a total of 141 episodes. The series is set in a fictional pr ...
''), and a DGA Award (''
My Louisiana Sky''). In 2002, Arkin won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special for ''
My Louisiana Sky''. He is also one of the three actors to portray
Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck
The following is a list of characters from ''Monk'', an American comedy-drama detective television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk. Monk's assistant Sharona Fleming, portrayed by Bitty Schram, was repl ...
on ''
Monk
A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
''. Between 2007 and 2009, he starred in ''
Life
Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
''. Beginning in 1990, he had a recurring guest role on ''
Northern Exposure
''Northern Exposure'' is an American comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska, that originally aired on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It rec ...
'' playing the angry, paranoid Adam, for which he received an Emmy nomination. In 2009, he portrayed villain
Ethan Zobelle
The following is a list of characters from ''Sons of Anarchy'', and its spin-off ''Mayans M.C.'' Both are American crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter. ''Sons of Anarchy'' aired from 2008 to 2014, ''Mayans M.C.'' from 2018 to 20 ...
, a white separatist gang leader, in ''
Sons of Anarchy
''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American Action film, action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX (TV channel), FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008, to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-k ...
'' and Principal Ed Gibb in ''
8 Simple Rules
''8 Simple Rules'' (originally ''8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter'') is an American television sitcom originally starring John Ritter and Katey Sagal as middle-class parents Paul and Cate Hennessy, raising their three children. ...
'' (2003–2005). His brother
Matthew is also an actor, as was his father,
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin (March 26, 1934 – June 29, 2023) was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. In a career spanning seven decades, he received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony A ...
.
Early life
Arkin was born in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York City, to actor, director and writer
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin (March 26, 1934 – June 29, 2023) was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. In a career spanning seven decades, he received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony A ...
and his first wife Jeremy Yaffe.
Arkin joined his parents singing in the children's music group
the Baby Sitters, along with
Lee Hays
Lee Elhardt Hays (March 14, 1914 – August 26, 1981) was an American folk singer and songwriter, best known for singing bass with the Weavers. Throughout his life, he was concerned with overcoming racism, inequality, and violence in soc ...
and
Doris Willens. He graduated from
Horace Greeley High School
Horace Greeley High School is a public, four-year secondary school serving students in grades 9– 12 in Chappaqua, New York, United States. It is part of the Chappaqua Central School District.
Distinctions
Greeley was ranked No. 46 nationally ...
in Chappaqua, New York. Arkin is
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
.
Career

In 1975, Arkin guest-starred in an episode of the award-winning television show ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...
'' (episode 35, season 2), and an episode of ''
Barney Miller
''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th Street in Greenwich Village (Lower Manhattan). The series was broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from Janu ...
'' ("Grand Hotel"). In 1977, he starred as Lenny Markowitz, the central character in the series ''
Busting Loose''. He has since appeared in numerous television series, including: ''
A Year in the Life
''A Year in the Life'' is an American television drama series that began as a three-part miniseries which was first broadcast in December 1986 and later ran as a weekly series on NBC from September 16, 1987 to April 13, 1988. It was created by ...
'' (1988); ''
The Twilight Zone
''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...
'' (1986); ''
Northern Exposure
''Northern Exposure'' is an American comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska, that originally aired on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It rec ...
'' (CBS, 1990–1995), in which he played the mercurial barefooted chef Adam; and ''
Chicago Hope
''Chicago Hope'' is an American medical drama television series created by David E. Kelley, that originally aired for six seasons on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000, with a total of 141 episodes. The series is set in a fictional pr ...
'' (CBS, 1994–2000); two ''
Law & Order
''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise.
''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...
'' episodes (as jewelry store owner George Costas in "Self Defense," Season 3, 1992, and as a district attorney named Charles Graham in "Red Ball," Season 16, 2005); ''
Picket Fences
''Picket Fences'' is an American family drama television series about the residents of the town of Rome, Wisconsin, created and produced by David E. Kelley. The show ran from September 18, 1992, to June 26, 1996, on CBS in the United States. ...
'' (Season 2, Episode 13); ''
The West Wing
''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...
'' (1999) (as trauma specialist and psychiatrist Dr.
Stanley Keyworth); ''
Frasier
''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Casey, and David Lee (scr ...
'' (as an obsessive fan of Frasier, for which he was nominated for a
); ''
Boston Legal
''Boston Legal'' is an American legal comedy drama television series created by former lawyer and Boston native David E. Kelley, produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC. The series aired from October 3, 2004, to Decem ...
''; ''
Baby Bob''; ''
Monk
A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
''; and ''
8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter'' (2002). In 2007, he starred in the NBC drama ''
Life
Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
'' in the role of Ted Earley. He played a white separatist leader named Ethan Zobelle during the second season of the series ''
Sons of Anarchy
''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American Action film, action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX (TV channel), FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008, to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-k ...
''. In April 2008, Arkin guest-starred in the web series ''
Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show''. In 2011, he appeared in a Season 7 episode of ''
The Closer
''The Closer'' is an American police procedural television series starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department Chief of police#United States, deputy chief. A CIA-trained interrogator originally from Atlanta, G ...
'' ("To Serve with Love"), and portrayed mob boss Theo Tonin on ''
Justified'' as well as an FBI agent in ''
The Chicago Code
''The Chicago Code'' is an American crime drama television series created by Shawn Ryan that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox in the United States. The series was filmed in Chicago, Illinois, originally airing from February 7 to May 23, 20 ...
''.
Arkin's film appearances include ''
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' (1998) and ''
Hitch'' (2005). He also played the part of a divorce lawyer in ''
A Serious Man
''A Serious Man'' is a 2009 black comedy-drama film written, produced, edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1967, the film stars Michael Stuhlbarg as a Minnesotan Jewish man whose life crumbles both professionally and personally, ...
'' (2009), directed by
Ethan and Joel Coen.
Arkin has also done voice acting. He played a minor role in the radio dramatization of ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' as the voice of Fixer. For PBS, he voiced
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...
in
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture. His work is often produced in association with WETA-TV or the Nati ...
's ''
The Voyage of the Corps of Discovery'' (1997). He also provided character voice work for the Emmy-winning series ''
The National Parks: America's Best Idea''.
He has performed in Broadway,
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
, and regional theatre productions, including ''
Brooklyn Boy
''Brooklyn Boy'' is a play by American playwright Donald Margulies. The play premiered in 2004 at South Coast Repertory and then on Broadway in 2005.
Plot
Novelist Eric Weiss, critically celebrated but unsuccessful, "arrives" when his new, aut ...
'' by playwright
Donald Margulies
Donald Margulies (born September 2, 1954) is an American playwright and academic. In 2000, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' Dinner with Friends''.
Background and education
Margulies attended John Dewey High School in Brookly ...
in both its
South Coast Repertory
South Coast Repertory (SCR) is a professional theatre company located in Costa Mesa, California.
South Coast Repertory was founded in 1964. It has three stages and presents plays from all eras. SCR producers new plays, Theatre for Young Audiences ...
world premiere and the Broadway production).
In addition, he is known for his directing work, including episodes of ''
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
'', ''Boston Legal'', ''
The Riches
''The Riches'' (styled as ''the R1¢hes'') is an American drama television series which was originally broadcast from March 12, 2007, to April 29, 2008, on FX. The series stars Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver as members of a family of Irish Trav ...
'', ''
Dirt
Dirt is any matter considered unclean, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty.
Common types of dirt include:
* Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains
* Du ...
'', ''
Ally McBeal
''Ally McBeal'' is an American legal comedy-drama television series created by David E. Kelley that originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997, to May 20, 2002. It revolves around Calista Flockhart in the title role as a lawyer working ...
'', ''Sons of Anarchy'', ''
The Blacklist
''The Blacklist'' is an American crime thriller television series created by Jon Bokenkamp and developed by John Eisendrath. It stars James Spader as Raymond Reddington, an international criminal and one of the FBI's Most Wanted fugitives ...
'', ''
Justified'', and ''
Masters of Sex
''Masters of Sex'' is an American period drama television series that premiered on September 29, 2013, on Showtime. It was developed by Michelle Ashford and loosely based on Thomas Maier's biography '' Masters of Sex''. Set in the 1950s thro ...
''. He won an
Emmy
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...
for directing the Showtime television film ''My Louisiana Sky''. He also directed three episodes of the 2013 Cold War television drama ''
The Americans
''The Americans'' is an American historical drama, period spy fiction, spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg for FX (TV channel), FX. It aired for six seasons from 2013 to 2018. Weisberg and Joel Fields also served as showrunners ...
'', the final episode of the second season (2014) of ''
Masters of Sex
''Masters of Sex'' is an American period drama television series that premiered on September 29, 2013, on Showtime. It was developed by Michelle Ashford and loosely based on Thomas Maier's biography '' Masters of Sex''. Set in the 1950s thro ...
'', and the final two episodes of the critically acclaimed second season of ''
Fargo'' (2015), in which he also had a minor role.
He is a co-executive producer of the television series ''
Get Shorty
''Get Shorty'' is a 1990 novel by American novelist Elmore Leonard. In 1995, the novel was adapted into an eponymous film, and in 2017 it was adapted into a television series of the same name.
Plot summary
The story is about Ernesto "Chili ...
''.
Personal life
He has a daughter, Molly, with his first wife, Linda.
He was married to Phyllis Anne Lyons from 1999 to 2013, and they had one son together. Phyllis filed for divorce in August 2013.
He married Michelle Dunker in 2017.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
*
Interview at Broadway.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arkin, Adam
1956 births
Living people
Male actors from Brooklyn
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American television directors
American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Jewish American male actors
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
Theatre World Award winners
Horace Greeley High School alumni
21st-century American Jews