Allen Garfield
Born
Allen Goorwitz

(1939-11-22)November 22, 1939
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedApril 7, 2020(2020-04-07) (aged 80)
Woodland Hills, California, U.S.[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1968–2002

Allen Garfield (born Allen Goorwitz; November 22, 1939 – April 7, 2020) was an American film and television actor.[2][3]

Early life

Garfield was born in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish family, the son of Alice (née Lavroff) and Philip Goorwitz.[4][5] He had one sister, Lois. A 1957 graduate of Weequahic High School,[6] he was a sports reporter and Golden Gloves boxer before becoming an actor. He attended The Actors Studio in New York City, studying with both Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan, and worked on stage before acting in film.[2]

Career

Garfield appeared in over 100 films and television shows. He is known for having played nervous villains, corrupt businessmen and politicians. In addition he appeared in two art films by German director Wim Wenders, Der Stand der Dinge and Bis ans Ende der Welt. Quentin Tarantino studied with Garfield at the beginning his career as an actor.[7][8] Garfield's lead roles included the 1971 film Cry Uncle!, the 1978 film Skateboard with Leif Garrett and the 1982 film Get Crazy. He appeared in the Tales from the Darkside episode The Deal (1988).

Personal life and death

For a year after his father's death and in tribute to him, Allen used his family name, Goorwitz, for his screen credits.[9]

When Garfield suffered a stroke before filming his role in The Ninth Gate (1999), director Roman Polanski opted to use Garfield's paralyzed face for his character rather than conceal it or recast the role. Garfield suffered another massive stroke in 2004 and thereafter was a long-term nursing care resident at The Motion Picture Home.

Garfield died of complications related to COVID-19 and his previous strokes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on April 7, 2020 at age 80.[2]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1968 Orgy Girls '69
1968 Greetings Smut Peddler [10]: 143 
1969 Putney Swope Elias, Jr.
1970 The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful Moreno
1970 Hi, Mom! Joe Banner [10]: 130 
1970 The Owl and the Pussycat Dress Shop Proprietor
1971 Roommates Martin Axborough
1971 Taking Off Norman
1971 Bananas Man on Cross [11]
1971 Cry Uncle! Jake Masters
1971 You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat Herby Moss
1971 The Organization Benjy
1971 Believe in Me Stutter
1972 Top of the Heap Taxi Driver
1972 The Candidate Klein [12]
1972 Get to Know Your Rabbit Vic [10]: 139 
1973 Slither Vincent J. Palmer
1973 The Marcus-Nelson Murders Mario Portello TV movie
1973 Deadhead Miles Juicy Brucey Uncredited
1974 Busting Carl Rizzo
1974 The Conversation Bernie Moran [13]
1974 The Front Page Kruger
1975 Gunsmoke Henry DeCory Season 20, episode 17
1975 Nashville Barnett [12]
1976 The Commitment
1976 Gable and Lombard Louis B. Mayer [14]
1976 Mother, Jugs, and Speed Harry Fishbine
1976 Paco Padre
1978 Skateboard Manny Bloom
1978 The Brink's Job Vinnie Costa [12]
1979 Sketches of a Strangler Jack Garvey
1979 Fyre Preacher
1980 The Stunt Man Sam [12]
1980 One Trick Pony Cal van Damp
1981 One from the Heart Restaurant Owner
1981 Continental Divide Howard McDermott
1982 Der Stand der Dinge Gordon [13]
1982 Taxi Mr. Ratledge (as Allen Goorwitz) Season 5 Episode 6 - Crime And Punishment
1983 The Black Stallion Returns Kurr
1983 Get Crazy Max Wolfe [15]
1984 Irreconcilable Differences Phil Hanner
1984 Teachers Carl Rosenberg [12]
1984 The Cotton Club Abbadabba Berman [12]
1986 Desert Bloom Mr. Mosol [12]
1986 Sins Adam Gore
1987 Beverly Hills Cop II Harold Lutz [16]
1987 My Best Friend's Birthday Entertainment Magnate
1989 Night Visitor Zachary Willard
1989 Let It Ride Greenberg [17]
1990 Dick Tracy Reporter #1
1990 Matlock Detective Richard Cox Season 4, episodes 20, 21
1990 Club Fed Harrison Farnsworth IV
1991 Until the End of the World Gebrauchtwagenhändler [18]
1992 Citizen Cohn Abe Feller TV movie [19]
1992 Miracle Beach Magnus O'Leary
1992 Jack and His Friends Jack [20]
1993 Family Prayers Cantor [21]
1993 Cyborg 2 Martin Dunn
1994 The Patriots Eagleman [22]
1995 Stuart Saves His Family Maitre D'
1995 Wild Side Dan Rackman
1995 Destiny Turns on the Radio Vinnie Vidivici [23]
1996 Diabolique Leo Katzman [24]
1997 Obsession Simon Frischmuth [25]
1997 The Elf Who Didn't Believe Twisp [26]
1998 Get a Job Mr. Berger / Psychiatrist
1999 The Ninth Gate Witkin
2000 The West Wing Roger Becker Episode: "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part II"
2001 The Majestic Leo Kubelsky [27]
2002 White Boy Mr. Rosen
2016 Chief Zabu Ben Sydney Final film role; filmed in 1986 [28]

References

  1. ^ Haring, Bruce (8 April 2020). "Allen Garfield Dies: Veteran Film Actor Had COVID-19 Complications, Was 80". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Barnes, Mike (April 7, 2020). "Allen Garfield, Actor in 'The Conversation,' 'The Stunt Man' and 'Nashville,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. ^ Kuperinsky, Amy (April 8, 2020). "N.J. actor Allen Garfield from 'Nashville' and 'The Conversation,' former Star-Ledger reporter, dies of coronavirus". The Star-Ledger. Newark.
  4. ^ "Allen Garfield Biography (1939-)". Filmreference.com. accessed July 9, 2017.
  5. ^ Allen Garfield Biography, Yahoo.com; accessed July 9, 2017. Archived May 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Distinguished Weequahic Alumni". Weequahic High School Alumni Association. Accessed December 19, 2019. "Allen (Goorvitz) Garfield (1957) an actor who has appeared in over 100 films and television shows."
  7. ^ Peary, Gerald (1998). Quentin Tarantino. University Press of Mississippi. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-5780-6051-1. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  8. ^ Holm, D.K. (December 1, 2004). Quentin Tarantino: The Essential Pocket Guide. Summersdale Publishers. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-8483-9866-5. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  9. ^ Blank, Ed (1980-11-06). "'Stunt Man' Departure For 'Trendy' Director". The Pittsburgh Press. p. D-8. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  10. ^ a b c Greven, David (2013). Psycho-Sexual: Male Desire in Hitchcock, De Palma, Scorsese, and Friedkin. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-74202-4. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  11. ^ Girgus, Sam B. (2002). The Films of Woody Allen. Cambridge University Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-521-00929-4. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Goldstein, Patrick (February 24, 1986). "Allen Garfield Sheds His Heavy Reputation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Peary, Gerald (2013). Quentin Tarantino: Interviews, Revised and Updated. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-61703-876-1. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  14. ^ Ebert, Roger (March 9, 1976). "Gable and Lombard movie review (1976)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020 – via rogerebert.com.
  15. ^ Maslin, Janet (October 14, 1983). "'Get Crazy,' Rock". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  16. ^ Ebert, Roger (May 20, 1987). "Beverly Hills Cop II movie review (1987)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020 – via rogerebert.com.
  17. ^ Holden, Stephen (August 19, 1989). "Review/Film; A Racing Addict's Dream Comes True: One More Win". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  18. ^ Sobczynski, Peter (November 18, 2015). "At Last!". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020 – via Rogerebert.com.
  19. ^ Scott, Tony (August 21, 1992). "Hbo Pictures Citizen Cohn". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  20. ^ Thomas, Kevin (October 22, 1993). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Jack and His Friends': A Trying Trip". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  21. ^ Rainer, Peter (July 16, 1993). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Family Prayers': Helping This Gambler Is a Losing Effort". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  22. ^ Levy, Emanuel (May 23, 1994). "The Patriots Les Patriotes". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  23. ^ Ebert, Roger (April 28, 1995). "Destiny Turns On The Radio movie review (1995)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020 – via Rogerebert.com.
  24. ^ Ebert, Roger (March 22, 1996). "Diabolique movie review & film summary (1996) | Roger Ebert". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020 – via Rogerebert.com.
  25. ^ "OBSESSION". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  26. ^ "The Elf Who Didn't Believe – review". Radio Times. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "THE MAJESTIC". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  28. ^ Linden, Sheri (October 27, 2016). "'Chief Zabu': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 8, 2020.

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