Tamiroff, Akim

Post by **PeplumParadise** » 01/06/2023, 20:24

: Akim Tamiroff in China Seas (1935)

Akim Tamiroff is regarded as one of the great character actors of Hollywood's golden era. He was active in Hollywood films from 1932 and in European films, including many Italian productions, from 1949 until the end of the 60's.

He was born Hovakim Tamiryants on October 29th 1899, to Armenian parents, his father an oil worker and his mother a seamstress. There is some uncertainty over the location, with the options being either Tiflis (in modern-day Georgia) or Baku (in modern-day Azerbaijan), both of which were in the Russian Empire at the time of his birth. He was 1.70m (5'7") tall and had green eyes.

From the age of 19 he trained at the Moscow Art Theatre, where he studied under Stanislavski. During this period he changed his name to the more-Russian-sounding Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff. Following the Russian revolution he relocated to Paris where he formed the La Chauve-Souris touring revue with other Russian emigres. After first visiting the United States with the troupe in 1923, when they returned in 1929 he chose to stay. In New York he joined the Theatre Guild, where he met his wife, Tamara Shayne (they would remain married until his death).

After some small success on the stage, the couple moved to Hollywood in the hope of Akim launching a film career. After 9 months he finally started to land bit-parts, making his screen debut in 1932. Within 2 years he was starting to get small credited roles, with his thick Russian accent serving him well to play any roles that Hollywood considered "foreign". In 1936 he was signed to a contract with Paramount, who soon cast him in the title role in The General Died at Dawn (1937), for which he received the first of his 2 Oscar nominations for best supporting actor and which resulted in him getting bigger roles and higher billing. By 1938 he was playing lead roles in B-pictures and prominent character parts in bigger films. He continued working steadily in Hollywood films for the next decade, scoring a second Oscar nomination for his performance in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943).

In 1949 he came to Italy for the first time to film Black Magic. The production also marked his first professional association with film's star, Orson Welles, who would go on to cast Akim in some of his most critically acclaimed roles, including Confidential Report (1955), Touch of Evil (1958) and The Trial (1962). Over the next 2 decades it appears he divided his time between the U.S. and Europe, where, in addition to the many films he made in Italy, he also appeared in productions shot in Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, The Netherlands, Turkey and Yugoslavia. Throughout this time he remained on-call to Welles for his role as Sancho Panza in his uncompleted passion project, Don Quixote.

Akim died of cancer in Palm Springs, California, on September 17th 1972. He was aged 72.

Akim's life and career are well documented and his biography has been compiled by myself from a wide variety of sources.

Filmography

1933

Clear All Wires! .... Moscow Hotel clerk (uncredited)
Gabriel Over the White House .... Delegate at the debt conference (uncredited)
Professional Sweetheart .... Hotel waiter (uncredited)
Queen Christina .... Pedro (uncredited)
Storm at Daybreak .... Gypsy fiddler (uncredited)
The Devil's in Love .... Witness (uncredited)

1934
Chained .... Pablo (credited)
Fugitive Lovers .... Deaf-mute bus passenger (uncredited)
Here Is My Heart .... Hotel Manager (credited)
Now and Forever .... French jeweller (uncredited)
Sadie McKee .... Riccori (credited)
Straight Is the Way .... Mr. Slavko (uncredited)
The Captain Hates the Sea .... General Salazaro (credited)
The Merry Widow .... Manager of Maxim's (uncredited)
Whom the Gods Destroy .... Peter Korotoff (credited)

1935
Black Fury .... Sokolsky (credited as "Akin Tamiroff")
China Seas .... Romanoff (credited)
Go Into Your Dance .... Mexican in La Cucaracha Cantina (credited)
Naughty Marietta .... Rudolpho (credited)
Paris in Spring .... Cafe manager (credited)
Reckless .... Chef at the wedding (uncredited)
Rumba .... Tony (uncredited)
The Big Broadcast of 1936 .... Boris (credited)
The Gay Deception .... Spellek (credited)
The Last Outpost .... Mirov (uncredited)
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer .... Emir (credited)
The Winning Ticket .... Giuseppe (credited)
Two Fisted .... Taxi driver (credited)

1936
Anthony Adverse .... Carlo Cibo (credited)
Desire .... Avilia (credited)
The General Died at Dawn .... General Yang (credited)
The Jungle Princess .... Karen Neg (credited)
The Story of Louis Pasteur .... Doctor Zaranoff (credited)
Woman Trap .... Joe Ramirez de la Valle (credited)

1937
Her Husband Lies .... Big Ed Bullock (credited)
High, Wide and Handsome .... Joe Varese (credited)
King of Gamblers .... Steve Kalkas (credited)
The Great Gambini .... The Great Gambini (credited)
The Soldier and the Lady .... Ogareff (credited)
This Way Please .... Actor in film (uncredited)

1938
Dangerous to Know .... Stephan Recka (credited)
Ride a Crooked Mile .... Mike Balan (credited)
Spawn of the North .... Red Skain (credited)
The Buccaneer .... Dominique You (credited)

1939
Disputed Passage .... Doctor Tubby Forster (credited)
Honeymoon in Bali .... Tony (credited)
King of Chinatown .... Frank Baturin (credited)
Paris Honeymoon .... Mayor Peter Karloca (credited)
The Magnificent Fraud .... Jules LaCroix / President Alvarado (credited)
Union Pacific .... Fiesta (credited)

1940
North West Mounted Police .... Dan Duroc (credited)
Texas Rangers Ride Again .... Mio Pio (credited)
The Great McGinty .... The Boss (credited)
The Way of All Flesh .... Paul Kriza (credited)
Untamed .... Joe Easter (credited)

1941
New York Town .... Stefan Janowski (credited)
The Corsican Brothers .... Baron Colonna (credited)

1942
Tortilla Flat .... Pablo (credited)

1943
Five Graves to Cairo .... Farid (credited)
For Whom the Bell Tolls .... Pablo (credited)
His Butler's Sister .... Popoff (credited)

1944
Can't Help Singing .... Gregory (credited)
Dragon Seed .... Wu Lien (credited)
The Bridge of San Luis Rey .... Uncle Pio (credited)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek .... The Boss (credited as "The Boss")

1945
Pardon My Past .... Jim Arnold (credited)

1946
A Scandal in Paris .... Emile Vernet (credited)

1947
Fiesta .... Chato Vasquez (credited)
The Gangster .... Nick Jammey (credited)

1948
My Girl Tisa .... Mr. Grumbach (credited)
Relentless .... Joe Faringo (credited)

1949
Black Magic .... Gitano (credited)
Outpost in Morocco .... Lieutenant Glysko (credited)

1953
Desert Legion .... Private Pievko (credited)

1954
They Who Dare .... Captain George One (credited)
You Know What Sailors Are .... President of Agraria (credited)

1955
Cartouche .... Marquis of Salpierre (credited)
Confidential Report .... Jakob Zouk (credited)
La vedova X .... The Uncle (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
The Chocolate Soldier (TV movie) .... Major Ludek (credited)

1956
Anastasia .... Boris Adreivich Chernov (credited)
The Black Sleep .... Odo (credited)

1957
The Great Sebastians (TV movie) .... General Otakar Zandek (credit unknown)
The Miracle Worker (TV movie) .... Dr. Michael Anagnos (credit unknown)
Yangtse Incident .... Colonel Peng (credited)

1958
Cole Porter's Aladdin (TV movie) .... Governor (uncredited)
Desert Desperados .... Arrah (credited)
Me and the Colonel .... Szabuniewicz (credited)
The Rifleman (TV series) S. 1, Ep. 10: "New Orleans Menace" .... Cesar Tiffauges (credited)
Touch of Evil .... 'Uncle' Joe Grandi (credited)

1959
The June Allyson Show (TV series) S. 1, Ep. 7: "Love Is a Headache" …. Tony (credited)

1960
Johnny Ringo (TV series) S. 1, Ep. 20: "The Assassins" .... Andy Baranov (credited)
Ocean's Eleven .... Spyros Acebos (credited)

1961
I briganti Italiani .... (poster credit, but not found)
Il giudizio universale .... Play director (credited)
La moglie di mio marito .... President of the publicity agency (credited)
Le baccanti .... Teiresias (credited)
Romanoff and Juliet .... Vadim Romanoff (credited)
Ursus e la ragazza tartara .... Khan of the Tartars (credited)
Wagon Train (TV series) S. 4, Ep. 29: "The Joe Muharich Story" .... Joe Muharich (credited)

1962
Col ferro e col fuoco .... Baron Mielski Zagloba (credited)
Route 66 (TV series) S. 2, Ep. 22: "Blues for the Left Foot" .... Sam Benjamin (credited)
The Reluctant Saint .... Bishop Durso (credited)
The Trial .... Bloch (credited)
Una regina per Cesare .... Pompey (credited)

1963
Breaking Point (TV series) S. 1, Ep. 8: "A Pelican in the Wilderness" .... Goldstein (credited)
The Naked City (TV series) S. 4, Ep. 23: "The Highest of Prizes" .... Emil Pappas (credited)

1964
La Tulipe Noire .... Marquis of Vigogne (credited)
Panic Button .... Pandowski (credited)
Spuit Elf .... Baker / Fireman (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
Topkapi .... Gerven (credited)

1965
Alphaville .... Henri Dickson (credited as "Akim Tamirof")
Le bambole .... Monsignor Arendi (credited)
Le meravigliose avventure di Marco Polo .... The Old Man of the Mountain (credited)
Lord Jim .... Schomberg (credited)
Marie Chantal contre Dr. Kha .... Professor Lambaré / Dr. Kha (credited)
Par un beau matin d'été .... Frank Kramer (credited)
The Liquidator .... Sheriek (credited)

1966
Adulterio all'italiana .... Max Portesi (credited)
After the Fox .... Okra (credited)
Hotel Paradiso .... Anniello (credited)
I nostri mariti .... Cesare (credited)
Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. .... Tanamashu (credited)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV series) S. 3, Ep. 15: "The Jingle Bells Affair" .... Chairman Georgi Koz (credited)
The Vulture .... Professor Hans Koniglich (credited)
Un gangster venuto da Brooklyn .... Joe Montano (poster credit - role unconfirmed)

1967
Una rosa per tutti .... Basilio (credited)

1968
Great Catherine .... Sergeant (credited)
O tutto o niente .... Pigsty (credited)
Tenderly .... Uncle Egidio (credited)

1969
Marquis de Sade: Justine .... Du Harpin (credited)
The Great Bank Robbery .... Papa (credited)
Then Came Bronson (TV series) Pilot episode .... Papa Bear (credited)

1992
Don Quixote .... Sancho Panza (credited)

1993
La Classe américaine .... Friend of Dino (credited - re-used footage)

Additional credits

Rashomon (1959 play) New York theatre production, as Woodcutter
Welles en el país de Don Quijote (2000) Documentary including archive footage

Titles to check

Okay America! (1932) IMDb in "bit role"
Lady by Choice (1934) IMDb as Poupolis. I didn't find him, however the "trivia" on IMDb says that there are 9 minutes cut from currently-available prints which include the performances of a number of actors, so presumably Akim is among them.
The Great Flirtation (1934) IMDb as Paul Wengler
La Veuve joyeuse (1935) IMDb as Le Turc. This appears to be a French language version of The Merry Widow, released the year before. The leads, and Akim, reprised their roles, but many other supporting actors were replaced by French actors.
I Loved a Soldier (1936) IMDb. This was an uncompleted film. It could be possible that images or footage of Akim exists, but I didn't find any.
Schlitz Playhouse (1952 TV series) S.2, Ep.6: "Trouble in Pier Twelve". IMDb as Captain Torras
The Black Forest (1954 TV movie) IMDb as Baron von Moribund
Climax! (1955 TV series) S.1, Ep.29: "To Wake at Midnight". IMDb as Albert Ganz
The Best of Broadway (1955 TV series) S.1, Ep.9: "Broadway". IMDb as Albert Ganz
Ethel Barrymore Theatre (1956 TV series) S.1, Ep.1: "This s Villa". IMDb as Pancho Villa
Four Star Theatre (1956 TV series) S.4, Ep.32: "One Forty Two". IMDb as Mendoza
The Inspector General (1958 TV movie) Part of the Matinee Theatre series. IMDb
Tales of the Vikings (1960 TV series) Eps. 18, 19. IMDb as Ayulf
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1960 TV series) S.2, Ep.12: "Thunder in the Night". IMDb as Captain Farago
The Naked City (1962 TV series) S.3, Ep.27: "..And If Any Are Frozen, Warm Them!..". IMDb as Demetru Lapesku
The Dick Powell Show (1962 TV series) S.1, Ep.24: "View from the Eiffel Tower". IMDb as Inspector Boulanger
The Defenders (1963 TV series) S.2, Ep.33: "The Trial of Twenty-Two". IMDb as John Solasky
Moto Shel Yehudi (1969) IMDb as Inspector Mehdaloun

Absent Akim!

Titles where Akim is listed as appearing somewhere online, but cannot be found. There always has to be one!

The Scarlet Empress (1934) IMDb in "Undetermined supporting role". I failed to identify Akim, as, seemingly, so have others. Assuming the information is correct, then he either appears unidentifiably or else his scenes were cut.
Ladies Love Danger (1935) IMDb in "undetermined role", which also informs us that his scenes were cut.
Reap the Wild Wind (1942) IMDb as "The Lamb (voice, uncredited)". Since he does not appear and is uncredited, this is rather difficult to confirm. "The Lamb" is a character, not an animal, so Akim presumably provided dubbing.
100 Rifles (1969) IMDb as General Romero, which once again also informs us that his scenes were cut.