Allen Garfield (born Allen Goorwitz; November 22, 1939 – April 7, 2020) was an American film and television actor.
Early life Garfield was born in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish family, the son of Alice (née Lavroff) and Philip Goorwitz."Allen Garfield Biography (1939-)". Filmreference.com. accessed July 9, 2017.Allen Garfield Biography, Yahoo.com; accessed July 9, 2017. He had one sister, Lois. A 1957 graduate of Weequahic High School,"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." 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.
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 of his career as an actor. 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.
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 & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, where he died of complications related to COVID-19 and his previous strokes on April 7, 2020, at age 80.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1968 Orgy Girls '69 Greetings Smut Peddler 1969 Putney Swope Elias, Jr. 1970 The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful Moreno Hi, Mom! Joe Banner The Owl and the Pussycat Dress Shop Proprietor 1971 Roommates Martin Axborough Taking Off Norman Bananas Man on Cross Cry Uncle! Jake Masters You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat Herby Moss The Organization Benjy Believe in Me Stutter 1972 Top of the Heap Taxi Driver The Candidate Klein Get to Know Your Rabbit Vic 1973 Slither Vincent J. Palmer Deadhead Miles Juicy Brucey Uncredited 1974 Busting Carl Rizzo The Conversation Bernie Moran The Front Page Kruger 1975 Nashville Barnett 1976 The Commitment Gable and Lombard Louis B. Mayer Mother, Jugs, and Speed Harry Fishbine Paco Padre 1978 Skateboard Manny Bloom The Brink's Job Vinnie Costa 1979 Sketches of a Strangler Jack Garvey Fyre Preacher 1980 The Stunt Man Sam One Trick Pony Cal van Damp 1981 Continental Divide Howard McDermott 1982 One from the Heart Restaurant Owner Der Stand der Dinge Gordon 1983 The Black Stallion Returns Kurr Get Crazy Max Wolfe 1984 Irreconcilable Differences Phil Hanner Teachers Carl Rosenberg The Cotton Club Abbadabba Berman 1986 Desert Bloom Mr. Mosol Sins Adam Gore 1987 Beverly Hills Cop II Harold Lutz My Best Friend's Birthday Entertainment Magnate 1989 Night Visitor Zachary Willard Let It Ride Greenberg 1990 Dick Tracy Reporter #1 Club Fed Harrison Farnsworth IV 1991 Until the End of the World Gebrauchtwagenhändler 1992 Miracle Beach Magnus O'Leary Jack and His Friends Jack 1993 Family Prayers Cantor Cyborg 2 Martin Dunn 1994 The Patriots Eagleman 1995 Stuart Saves His Family Maitre D' Wild Side Dan Rackman Destiny Turns on the Radio Vinnie Vidivici 1996 Diabolique Leo Katzman 1997 Obsession Simon Frischmuth The Elf Who Didn't Believe Twisp 1998 Get a Job Mr. Berger / Psychiatrist 1999 The Ninth Gate Witkin 2001 The Majestic Leo Kubelsky 2002 White Boy Mr. Rosen 2016 Chief Zabu Ben Sydney Final film role; filmed in 1986
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1971The Mod SquadCharles WeaverEpisode: "Welcome to Our City"The Young LawyersBernie YoakumEpisode: "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs"BonanzaCharlieEpisode: "The Iron Butterfly"1972McCloud RalphieEpisode: "A Little Plot at Tranquil Valley"Search Marty ZackarianEpisode: "One of Our Probes is Missing"BanyonHenry SpearEpisode: "A Date with Death"Love, American StyleGorkSegment: "Love and the First Kiss"1973The Bob Newhart ShowThe ManagerEpisode: "Let's Get Away from It Almost"KojakMario PortelloPilot film: "The Marcus-Nelson Murders"Adam's RibAttingerEpisode: "The Unwritten Law"Ironside Baxter FlynnEpisode: "Double-Edged Corner"1975RhodaDavid BloomEpisode: "Strained Interlude"GunsmokeHenry DeCoryEpisode: "The Fires of Ignorance"Kate McShaneMarty GoodmanEpisode: "Accounts Receivable"1976McCoyJ. Carter SloanEpisode: "In Again, Out Again"SerpicoThe Professor/Redman2 episodes1980Trapper John, M.D.Brody (as Allen Goorwitz)Episode: "Warning: I May Be Hazardous to You Health"1982TaxiMr. Ratledge (as Allen Goorwitz)Episode: "Crime and Punishment"1983Lottery!(as Allen Goorwitz)Episode: "Being a Winner"1986Sins Adam Gore (as Allen Goorwitz)Miniseries1987The Magical World of DisneyHowieEpisode: "You Ruined My Life"1988Tales from the DarksideDonald/Kingsley Diamond/Michael Rudnick/The DevilEpisode: "The Deal"1990MatlockDetective Richard CoxEpisode: "The Informer"1991Equal Justice Sam (uncredited)Episode: "In Confidence"StatEpisode: "The Wilding"Eddie DoddBenny SchaefferEpisode: "Welcome Home"Palace GuardSy Hertzog4 episode1992Law & OrderCarl BergEpisode: "Vengeance"Citizen CohnAbe FellerTV film1993Jack's Place Tommy Episode: "Play It Again, Jack"1994-1995Chicago HopeDr. Raymond Kadalski4 episodes1997Michael Hayes Donal MorrisEpisode: "The Doctor's Tale"1998Dharma & GregStan GottliebEpisode: "Do You Want Fries With That?"1999The Lot Harry Sylva3 episodes2000Sports NightChuck "Cut Man" KimmelEpisode: "The Cut Man Cometh"The West WingRoger BeckerEpisode: "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part II"
References
External links
Allen Garfield at the University of Wisconsin's Actors Studio audio collection.