Аким Тамиров: Жизнь и карьера актера

American actor (1899 1972)

Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character actors of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tamiroff developed a prolific career despite his thick accent, appearing in at least 80 motion pictures over a span of 37 years.

Tamiroff was born Hovakim Tamiryants to Armenian parents living in the Russian Empire. Different sources cite either Tiflis (in modern day Georgia) or Baku (in modern day Azerbaijan) as places of birth. His father was an oil worker, and his mother a seamstress. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school for nine years from the age of 19, where he was a pupil of Konstantin Stanislavski. During that time, he changed his name to the russified moniker Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff (Аким Михайлович Тамиров).

During his time at the Moscow Art Theatre, he became acquainted with fellow Armenian Nikita Balieff. Following the Russian Revolution, Tamiroff and several other émigrés joined Balieff in Paris to form the La Chauve Souris touring revue. He joined the Theatre Guild in New York City, where he met his wife Tamara Shayne. Both were later naturalized as United States citizens.

In 1944, Tamiroff was the first Golden Globe Award winner for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his work in For Whom the Bell Tolls. He was twice nominated for Academy Awards, both times for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The first was for his work in The General Died at Dawn, and the second was for his work in For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Tamiroff's accepted birth year was 1899, although in at least two instances this appeared to be different. In his second trip to America in November 1923 his age is given as 27 and in the 1930 census as 32. He married fellow actress Tamara Shayne, with whom he performed nightclub acts, in Los Angeles. Yet, according to the above mentioned 1930 census, the couple was living in Chicago, Illinois as married under the (misspelled) name Tameriroff. the male half of the villainous husband and wife team Boris and Natasha on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. He was also spoofed in a 1969 episode of the TV show H. R. Pufnstuf entitled "The Stand in" in which a frog named "Akim Toadanoff" directs a movie on Living Island. He is mentioned in J. D. Salinger's "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut" (New Yorker, 1942), and Walker Percy's 1961 novel The Moviegoer.

Year Title Role Notes 1932 Okay, America! Bit Role Uncredited 1933 Clear All Wires! Moscow Hotel Clerk Gabriel Over the White House Delegate to The Debt Conference The Barbarian Colonel Professional Sweetheart The Hotel Waiter Storm at Daybreak Gypsy Fiddler The Devil's in Love Adjutant Queen Christina Pedro 1934 Fugitive Lovers Deaf Mute Bus Passenger Sadie McKee Riccori The Great Flirtation Paul Wengler Whom the Gods Destroy Peter Korotoff Straight Is the Way Mr. Slavko Uncredited Now and Forever French Jeweller Chained Pablo The Scarlet Empress Granin Uncredited The Merry Widow Maxim's Manager Lady by Choice Poupolis The Captain Hates the Sea General Salazaro Here is My Heart Manager of Hotel 1935 The Lives of a Bengal Lancer Emir La Veuve joyeuse Le Turc The Winning Ticket Giuseppe Rumba Tony Uncredited Naughty Marietta Rudolpho Black Fury Sokolsky Reckless Chef At Wedding Uncredited Go into Your Dance Mexican In La Cucaracha Cantina Paris in Spring Cafe Manager China Seas Paul Romanoff The Gay Deception Spellek The Big Broadcast of 1936 Boris Two Fisted Taxi Driver The Last Outpost Mirov Uncredited 1936 The Story of Louis Pasteur Dr. Zaranoff Desire Major Avilia Woman Trap Joe Ramirez De La Valle Anthony Adverse Carlo Cibo The General Died at Dawn General Yang Nominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Jungle Princess Karen Neg I Loved a Soldier Unknown Unfinished 1937 Her Husband Lies Ed "Big Ed" Bullock The Soldier and the Lady Ogareff King of Gamblers Steve Kalkas The Great Gambini The Great Gambini High, Wide, and Handsome Joe Varese This Way Please Tartar Chieftain Uncredited 1938 The Buccaneer Dominique You Dangerous to Know Stephan Recka Spawn of the North "Red" Skain Ride a Crooked Mile Mike Balan 1939 Paris Honeymoon Mayor Peter Karloca King of Chinatown Frank Baturin Union Pacific Fiesta The Magnificent Fraud Jules LaCroix / President Alvarado Honeymoon in Bali Tony, The Window Washer Disputed Passage Dr. "Tubby" Forster 1940 The Way of All Flesh Paul Kriza Untamed Joe Easter The Great McGinty The Boss North West Mounted Police Dan Duroc Texas Rangers Ride Again Mio Pio 1941 New York Town Stefan Janowski The Corsican Brothers Baron Colonna 1942 Reap the Wild Wind The Lamb (voice) Uncredited Tortilla Flat Pablo 1943 Five Graves to Cairo Farid For Whom the Bell Tolls PabloGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureNominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor His Butler's Sister Popoff 1944 The Miracle of Morgan's Creek The Boss The Bridge of San Luis Rey Uncle Pio Dragon Seed Wu Lien Can't Help Singing Prince Gregory Stroganovsky 1945 Pardon My Past Jim Arnold 1946 A Scandal in Paris Emile Vernet 1947 Fiesta Chato Vasquez The Gangster Nick Jammey 1948 My Girl Tisa Mr. Grumbach Relentless Joe Faringo 1949 Outpost in Morocco Lieutenant Glysko Black Magic Gitano 1953 Desert Legion Private Plevko 1954 They Who Dare Captain George One You Know What Sailors Are The President of Agraria 1955 Cartouche Il Marchese Di Salpiere The Widow Carlo Serra Mr. Arkadin Jakob Zouk 1956 The Black Sleep Odo Anastasia Boris Andreevich Chernov 1957 Yangtse Incident: The Story of H. M. S. Amethyst Colonel Peng 1958 Touch of Evil Joe "Uncle Joe" Grandi Me and the Colonel Szabuniewicz 1959 Desert Desperadoes The Merchant 1960 Ocean's 11 Spyros Acebos 1961 La moglie di mio marito Presidente Agenzia Pubblicitaria The Bacchantes Teiresias Romanoff and Juliet Vadim Romanoff The Last Judgment The Director The Italian Brigands 'O Zingaro Ursus and the Tartar Princess Khan of the Tartars 1962 Invasion 1700 Jan Onufry Zagłoba The Reluctant Saint Bishop Durso The Trial Bloch A Queen for Caesar Gnaeus Pompeius 1964 The Black Tulip Marquis de Vigogne Panic Button Pandowski Topkapi Gerven, The Cook Spuit Elf Bakker / Brandmeester 1965 Le bambole Monsignor Arcudi Segment: "Monsignor Cupido" Lord Jim Schomberg Crime on a Summer Morning Frank Kramer Alphaville Henri Dickson Marco the Magnificent The Old Man of the Mountain Marie Chantal contre le docteur Kha Professor Lambaré / Dr. Kha The Liquidator Sheriek 1966 Adultery Italian Style Max Portesi Lt. Robin Crusoe, U. S. N. Tanamashu I nostri mariti Cesare Segment: "Il marito di Olga" After the Fox Okra Un gangster venuto da Brooklyn Joe Montano Hotel Paradiso Anniello 1967 The Vulture Professor Hans Koniglich A Rose for Everyone Basilio Monsieur Lecoq Unknown Unfinished 1968 O tutto o niente Pigsty / Dean Light The Girl Who Couldn't Say No Uncle Egidio Great Catherine Sergeant 1969 100 Rifles General Romero Deleted role Marquis de Sade: Justine Du Harpin The Great Bank Robbery Papa Death of a Jew Inspector Mehdaloun 1972 Don Quixote Sancho Panza Unfinished, filmed between 1955 and 1969

Year Title Role Notes 1952 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Unknown Episode: "Trouble in Pier Twelve" 1954 The Black Forest Baron Von Moribund Television film 1955 The Chocolate Soldier Major Ludek Television film The Best of Broadway Nick Verdis Episode: "Broadway" Climax! Albert Ganz Episode: "To Wake at Midnight" 1956 Four Star Playhouse Mendoza Episode: "One Forty Two" Ethel Barrymore Theatre Pancho Villa Episode: "This Is Villa" 1957 Playhouse 90 Mr. Anagnos Episode: "The Miracle Worker" Producers' Showcase General Otakar Zandek Episode: "The Great Sebastians" 1958 DuPont Show of the Month The Governor Episode: "Cole Porter's 'Aladdin'" Matinee Theatre Unknown Episode: "The Inspector General" The Rifleman Cesar Tiffauges Episode: "New Orleans Menace" 1959 The DuPont Show with June Allyson Tony Episode: "Love Is a Headache" 1960 Tales of the Vikings Eyulf 2 episodes Johnny Ringo Andy Baranov Episode: "The Assassins" Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Captain Farago Episode: "Thunder in the Night" 1961 Wagon Train Joe Muharich Episode: "The Joe Muharich Story" 1962 Route 66 Sam Benjamin Episode: "Blues for the Left Foot" The Dick Powell Show Inspector Boulanger Episode: "View from the Eiffel Tower" Kraft Television Theatre Captain Farago Episode: "Thunder in the Night" 1962–1963 Naked City Emil Pappas / Demetru Lapesku 2 episodes 1963 The Defenders John Solasky Episode: "The Trial of Twenty Two" Breaking Point Goldstein Episode: "A Pelican in the Wilderness" 1966 The Man from U. N. C. L. E. Chairman Georgi Koz Episode: "The Jingle Bells Affair" 1969 Then Came Bronson "Papa Bear" Episode: "Pilot"