David Arkin Movies and Career Information

David G. Arkin (December 24, 1941 – January 14, 1991) was an American actor best known for his numerous supporting appearances in the films of Robert Altman. These roles were part of Altman’s frequent ensemble and included Staff Sergeant Vollmer in MASH (where he also wrote and voiced the PA Announcements), Harry in The Long Goodbye, Norman in Nashville, The Mailman/The Police Officer in Popeye. Arkin was known among his friends and colleagues for having introduced his friend Arnold Schwarzenegger (then Arnold Strong) to Robert Altman, at the time The Long Goodbye was being cast. This began Schwarzenegger’s career in film (a story re-told recently by Mitchell Zuckoff in his 2009 book Robert Altman: An Oral Biography). Before MASH he had brief appearances in Valley of the Dolls, All the President's Men, Cannonball, and then had an “introducing” credit co-starring with Peter Sellers in I Love You, Alice B. Toklas (1968). His television credits include Hawaii Five-O, Whitney and the Robot, and a season-long appearance as the character Gabriel Kaye in the CBS television series Storefront Lawyers, co-starring Robert Foxworth and Sheila Larken. He also appeared on The Tonight Show