Akim Tamiroff
(1899 - 1972)Although we think of him in roles as Spanish or Hispanic, he was actually an Armenian. Short and stocky with dark hair, thick eyebrows over intense eyes, often with a black mustache, he was cast in a variety of ethnic roles as both hero and heavy. Born on October 29, 1899 in Baku, U.S.S.R. on the Caspian Sea (now and before Baku, Azerbaijan) some reports falsely say Tiflis, Georgia (the Russian Empire) now known as Tbilisi, Georgia...he trained for acting at the Moscow Art Theatre Drama School. He was touring with its repertory company in the U.S. in 1923 when he decided to stay on in America. With his wife, actress Tamara Shayne (1903-83), he joined Balieff's Chauve Souris troupe and did Russian nightclub acts. He also conducted a makeup academy in New York where he worked on stage and in Broadway productions. With the advent of sound films he was attracted to the screen and did many bit parts in films which led to a solid career as a character actor. His over 100 film credits include: "Okay, America!" (1932), his film debut; "Now and Forever" (1934) as French Jeweler; "Chained" (1934) as Pablo, the Ranch Chef; "Two-Fisted" (1935); "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935) as the Emir of Gopal; "Naughty Marietta" (1935) as Rudolpho; "The Story of Louis Pasteur" (1936) as Dr. Zaranoff; "The General Died at Dawn" (1936) as Gen. Yang, his first Oscar nominated role; "The Big Broadcast of 1936" (1936) as Boris; "The Great Gambini" (1937) as Gambini; "Ride a Crooked Mile" (1938) as Mike Balan; "The Buccaneer" (1938) as Dominique You; "Union Pacific" (1939) as Fiesta; "The Way of All Flesh" (1940) as Paul Kriza; "The Great McGinty" (1940) as The Boss; "The Corsican Brothers" (1941) as Colorra; "Tortilla Flat" (1942) as Pablo; "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1943) as Pablo, for which he received his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination; "Dragon Seed" (1944) as Wu Lien, unusual casting as a Chinese; "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" (1944) as Uncle Pio; "Pardon My Past" (1946) as Jim Arnold; "A Scandal in Paris" (1946) as Emile; "The Gangster" (1947) as Nick Jammey; "Relentless" (1948) as Joe Faringo; "Black Magic" (1949) as Gitano; "Desert Legion" (1953) as Pvt. Plevko; "Mr. Arkadin" (1955) as Jacob Zouk; "Anastasia" (1956) with Ingrid Bergman, as Chernov; "Ocean's Eleven" (1960) as Spyros Acebos; "Romanoff and Juliet" (1961) as Vadim Romanoff; "Topkapi" (1964) as Geven; "The Liquidator" (1965) as Sheriek; "Lord Jim" (1965) with Peter O'Toole, as Schomberg and "The Great Bank Robbery" (1969) as Papa, his last film. He also guested on TV series including: "Naked City"; "The Rifleman"; "Wagon Train" and "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse." He died of cancer on September 17, 1972 in Palm Springs, California at age 72.
From Great Character Actors, Page 4.
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