Allen Garfield facts for kids

Allen Garfield (born Allen Goorwitz; November 22, 1939 – April 7, 2020) was an American actor. He appeared in many films and TV shows.

Early Life and Start in Acting

Allen Garfield was born in Newark, New Jersey. His family was Jewish. Before he became an actor, he was a sports reporter. He also boxed as a Golden Gloves boxer. This means he was an amateur boxer who competed in a special tournament.

He went to The Actors Studio in New York City. There, he learned acting from famous teachers like Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. He started his acting career on stage before moving to movies.

His Acting Career

Allen Garfield acted in over 100 movies and TV shows. He was often known for playing characters who were a bit nervous. He also played dishonest business people or politicians. These were often characters who were not very trustworthy.

He worked with famous directors. He appeared in two special films by German director Wim Wenders. These were Der Stand der Dinge and Bis ans Ende der Welt. Even director Quentin Tarantino studied acting with Garfield when he was starting out.

Some of Garfield's main roles included the 1971 movie Cry Uncle!. He also starred in the 1978 film Skateboard with Leif Garrett. Another big role was in the 1982 movie Get Crazy. He also appeared in an episode of the TV show Tales from the Darkside called "The Deal" in 1988.

Later Life and Passing

For about a year after his father passed away, Allen used his family name, Goorwitz, in his movie credits. This was a way to honor his father.

Allen Garfield faced some health challenges. Before filming his role in The Ninth Gate (1999), he had a stroke. The director, Roman Polanski, decided to use Garfield's appearance as part of his character in the movie. This showed Garfield's dedication to acting.

He had another major stroke in 2004. After that, he lived in a special nursing care home for actors called The Motion Picture Home.

Allen Garfield passed away on April 7, 2020, at the age of 80. He died from problems related to COVID-19 and his earlier strokes.

Selected Films

• 1968: Greetings
• 1970: Hi, Mom!
• 1971: Cry Uncle!
• 1972: The Candidate
• 1974: The Conversation
• 1975: Nashville
• 1978: Skateboard
• 1980: The Stunt Man
• 1982: Der Stand der Dinge
• 1983: Get Crazy
• 1984: The Cotton Club
• 1987: Beverly Hills Cop II
• 1990: Dick Tracy
• 1991: Until the End of the World
• 1999: The Ninth Gate
• 2001: The Majestic
• 2016: Chief Zabu (This was his last movie, filmed in 1986)

See also

In Spanish: Allen Garfield para niños