Allen Garfield

Born Allen Goorwitz on November 22, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, Allen Garfield became a prominent figure in American cinema and television. Before his acting career, Garfield was a sports reporter and a Golden Gloves boxer. He honed his acting craft at the esteemed Actors Studio in New York City, where he studied under influential figures such as Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. His early career included extensive work on the stage, which provided a foundation for his transition into film in 1968.

Garfield’s distinct physical presence and nuanced portrayal of intense, often morally ambiguous characters made him a recognizable talent. He frequently took on roles as weaselly criminals, lecherous villains, or corrupt public figures. A notable example of his work is his role as the Beverly Hills police chief in the 1987 film “Beverly Hills Cop II”. Over his career, he appeared in over 100 films and television shows, demonstrating his versatility. He collaborated with acclaimed directors like Francis Ford Coppola in films such as “The Conversation” (1974) and “The Cotton Club” (1984), and Robert Altman in “Nashville” (1975). He also worked with Wim Wenders on “Der Stand der Dinge” (1982) and “Until the End of the World” (1991).

Midway through his career, Garfield briefly used his birth name, Allan Goorwitz, for screen credits as a tribute to his deceased father, before reverting to his stage name, Allen Garfield. Beyond his acting contributions, he was also the founding director of the Actors Shelter, where he taught acting and directing. His career was impacted by a series of strokes, starting before his role in “The Ninth Gate” (1999) and a more severe one in 2004, which ultimately led to his retirement from acting. He passed away on April 7, 2020, at the age of 80 due to complications from COVID-19 and previous strokes.