Larry Hankin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry Hankin
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Larry Hankin in 2011
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Lawrence Alan Hankin
December 7, 1937 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1963–present |
Lawrence Alan Hankin (born December 7, 1937) is an American character actor. A character actor is someone who often plays unusual or interesting supporting roles instead of the main hero. Larry Hankin is known for his memorable parts in many movies and TV shows.
He played Charley Butts in Escape from Alcatraz and Carl Alphonse in Billy Madison. You might also know him as Doobby in Planes, Trains and Automobiles or Sergeant Larry Balzak in Home Alone. He was also Mr. Heckles in Friends and Old Joe in Breaking Bad and El Camino.
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Early Life and Training
Larry Hankin was born in New York City on December 7, 1937. He grew up in the Far Rockaway area of Queens. He went to Far Rockaway High School and then to Syracuse University. There, he became friends with writer and director Carl Gottlieb.
Larry Hankin was one of the first members of a famous comedy group called The Second City. He learned about improvisational theater from great teachers like Viola Spolin. In 1963, he moved to San Francisco. He helped start another improv group called The Committee.
Acting Career Highlights
Larry Hankin has had a long and busy career in both movies and television.
Famous Film Roles
He acted in the movie Escape from Alcatraz (1979) with Clint Eastwood. He also appeared in the Adam Sandler movie Billy Madison (1995).
Larry Hankin made short appearances in three movies by director John Hughes. These include Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), She's Having a Baby (1988), and Home Alone (1990). In Home Alone, he played Sergeant Larry Balzak. He also had a small role as a landlord in Pretty Woman (1990).
In 1982, he played the dog catcher in the movie Annie.
Popular TV Show Appearances
Larry Hankin is well-known for his role as Mr. Heckles in the popular TV show Friends. He appeared in five episodes of the show.
He also had a recurring role in the hit series Breaking Bad. He played Old Joe, a junkyard owner. He later returned as Old Joe in the Breaking Bad movie, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Hankin also appeared in shows like Matlock, Married... with Children, and Home Improvement. He even had roles in three episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
On Seinfeld, he played Tom Pepper. This character was an actor who played Kramer in a TV show within the show. He also appeared in Malcolm in the Middle as a homeless man.
In 2021, he was part of Friends: The Reunion special. In 2022, he won the Best Actor award at the Casablanca Film Factory Awards for his role in the movie I Hear the Trees Whispering.
Other Interesting Work
One of Larry Hankin's first roles was playing Farley in an educational film from 1964 called Too Tough to Care.
In 1980, Larry Hankin's short film Solly's Diner was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. This is a big honor in the film world!
He also appeared in the music video for Janet Jackson's 1986 song "What Have You Done for Me Lately". He played a cook or waiter in the video.
Images for kids
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Larry Hankin in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Larry Hankin para niños
