Larry Hankin

Last updated

Larry Hankin
American actor and comedian Larry Hankin.png
Hankin in 2011
Born
Lawrence Alan Hankin

(1937-12-07) December 7, 1937 (age 86)
New York City, U.S.
Alma mater Syracuse University
OccupationActor
Years active1963–present
Website thereallarryhankin.com

Lawrence Alan Hankin (born December 7, 1937) [6] is an American character actor. He has had major film roles as Charley Butts in Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Ace in Running Scared (1986), and Carl Alphonse in Billy Madison (1995). He had smaller roles as Doobie in Planes, Trains and Automobiles , Sergeant Larry Balzak in Home Alone , Mr. Heckles in Friends , and Joe in Breaking Bad and El Camino . [7]

Contents

Early life

Hankin was born in New York City on December 7, 1937, [1] and grew up in a Jewish family in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens. [8] He graduated from Far Rockaway High School and Syracuse University, where he befriended Carl Gottlieb. [9]

Career

Film and television roles

Hankin was an early member of the Second City, training with improvisational theater teachers Viola Spolin and Paul Sills, and in 1963 moved to San Francisco to co-found the improv troupe, The Committee. [10] His first notable supporting role was as Pt. Romero in Viva Max! in 1969.

He had roles in TV shows Breaking Bad , Matlock , and Friends (as Mr. Heckles), as well as a major role in Escape from Alcatraz (1979) with Clint Eastwood. [7] He also acted in How Sweet It Is! (1968) with Debbie Reynolds and James Garner and the Adam Sandler movie Billy Madison (1995). He had cameo appearances in three John Hughes films: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), She's Having a Baby (1988), and Home Alone (1990), the latter of which coincidentally featured Roberts Blossom (playing Old Man Marley), whom he co-starred with in Escape from Alcatraz. He made a brief appearance in Pretty Woman (1990) as the landlord, and had minor roles in Loose Shoes (1980), as "Handicap" in The Sting II (1983), The Sure Thing (1985), and Running Scared (1986). Hankin also appeared in Married... with Children , as well as one of the Halloween specials of Home Improvement . Hankin also appeared in three episodes of Star Trek: Voyager as Gaunt Gary and one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Hankin and Curtis Armstrong played the hippie entrepreneurs who purchased "Buy the Book" (the bookstore where the titular character works at) on Ellen .

On Seinfeld , Hankin portrayed Tom Pepper, the actor cast as Kramer on the pilot-within-a-TV-show Jerry . He portrayed a homeless man in season 5 of Malcolm in the Middle . He then appeared again with Bryan Cranston in seasons three and five of Breaking Bad as junkyard owner Old Joe. He reprised his old role from Breaking Bad in the Netflix sequel film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie .

Other work

One of Hankin's earliest roles was playing the lead character of Farley in the 1964 educational film Too Tough to Care .

In 1977, Hankin appeared in the episode "The Bums vs. the Reds" of the situation comedy The San Pedro Beach Bums . He also played Mickey the Bartender in a WKRP in Cincinnati episode called "Hotel Oceanview" that also has a cameo appearance by Dr. Joyce Brothers as "Vicky Von Vicky".

In 1982, he played the dog catcher that tries to take Sandy in Annie .

In 1980, Hankin's short film Solly's Diner earned him and the film's producers a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

Hankin was a founding member of the commedia dell'arte improvisation group The Committee in 1963, located at an indoor bocce ball court in San Francisco's North Beach district.

He appeared in the Janet Jackson music video for her 1986 hit single "What Have You Done for Me Lately" as a cook/waiter.

In 2021, he appeared in Friends: The Reunion .

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1964 Too Tough To Care Farley
1967 Funnyman Roger
1968 Yours, Mine and Ours Grocery Clerk
1968 How Sweet It Is! 1st Policeman
1969 Viva Max! P.t. Romero
1977 China DeSade AgentAdult film. Credited as Lance Hunt
1979 Escape From Alcatraz Charley Butts
1979 The Jerk Circus HandUncredited
1980 Loose Shoes 2nd Veteran
1980 Solly’s Dinner Sometimes JonesShort film. Also Writer and Producer. Academy Award nominee for Best Short Film, Live Action.
1982 Annie Pound Man
1983 The Star Chamber Det. Kenneth Wiggan
1983 The Sting II Handicap
1985 The Sure Thing Trucker
1986 Ratboy Robert Jewell
1986 Running Scared Ace
1986 Armed and Dangerous Kokolovitch
1987 Amazon Women on the Moon Man in Pub
1987 Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Doobie
1988 She's Having a Baby Hank
1990 Home Alone Sgt. Larry Balzak
1990 Pretty Woman The Landlord
1990 Death Warrant Mayerson
1991 Black Magic Woman Hank Watfield
1992 T Bone N Weasel Rev. GluckTelevision Film
1994 The Shadow Taxi Driver
1995 Billy Madison Carl Alphonse
1997 Vegas Vacation Preacher
1997 Money Talks Roland
2000 The Independent William Henry Ellis
2003 Nobody Knows Anything! Blind Man
2008 Reach for Me Elliot
2013 Pain & Gain Pastor Randy
2015 The Parting Shot AaronShort Film. Nominated: LAIFF April Award for best Actor in a lead role.
2019 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Old Joe
2021 Bengal HankShort Film.
2021 The Eden Theory Farmer Joe
2021 Friends: The Reunion Himself/Mr. HecklesTelevision Reunion Special
2022I Hear the Trees WhisperingDale

Television series

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969 The Music Scene Himself/host7 Episodes
1978 Free Country Unknown1 Episode
1980 WKRP in Cincinnati Mickey BroadheadEpisode: "Hotel Oceanview"
1981 Barney Miller Earl KelsoEpisode: "The Psychic"
1982 Family Ties PickpocketEpisode: "No Nukes is Good Nukes"
1985 It's a Living JosepEpisode: "Desperate Hours"
1985 Hill Street Blues Earl SchuesterEpisode: "Of Human Garbage"
1986 Matlock Clayton HoodEpisode: "The Ex"
1986 ALF Andrew Seminick, BurglarEpisode: "Strangers in the Night"
1986 Joe Bash Stu2 Episodes
1990 Singer & Sons Homeless ManEpisode: "Our's Not to Reason Why Shmy"
1992 Star Trek: The Next Generation Wind DancerEpisode: "Cost of Living"
1993 Seinfeld Tom Pepper [11] Episode: ‘The Pilot’
1993 Picket Fences Bernie ThompsonEpisode: "Nuclear Meltdowns"
1994 Married... with Children MaryEpisode: "Sofa So Good"
1994 The George Carlin Show KennyEpisode: "George Goes Too Far"
1994-1996 Friends Mr. Heckles5 Episodes
1995 Star Trek: Voyager Gaunt Gary3 Episodes
1996 Home Improvement LarryEpisode: "I Was A Teenage Teenager"
1996 Ellen LarryEpisode: "Give Me Equity or Give Me Death"
1997 Claude's Crib AlSupporting Cast (9 Episodes)
2005 Joan of Arcadia Homeless Man GodEpisode: "Secret Service"
2006 My Name is Earl Tom SparksEpisode: "Van Hickey"
2010-2012 Breaking Bad Old Joe 2 Episodes
2016 Bad Internet HimselfEpisode: "Which of The 'Friends' Are You?"Web Series
2018 Barry StovkaEpisode: ‘Chapter Three: Make the Unsafe Choice
2018Junk Drawer Magical AdventuresMagic AlEpisode: "The Magician Audition"
2019 Baskets MorticianEpisode: "Common Room Wake"

Music videos

YearArtistTitleRole
1986Janet Jackson"What Have You Done for Me Lately"Cook/Waiter
1992Reba McEntire"Take It Back"Lawyer

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Alexander</span> American actor (born 1959)

Jay Scott Greenspan, known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor and comedian. Over the course of his career he has received an Emmy Award and a Tony Award as well as nominations for four Golden Globe Awards. He gained stardom for his role as George Costanza in the NBC sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), for which he won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series and was nominated for seven consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and four Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor in Television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Richards</span> American actor and comedian (born 1949)

Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor and former stand-up comedian. He achieved global recognition for starring as Cosmo Kramer on the NBC television sitcom Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, first entering the national spotlight when he was featured on Billy Crystal's first cable TV special, and went on to become a series regular on ABC's Fridays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Costanza</span> Major character on the TV show Seinfeld

George Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), played by Jason Alexander. He is a short, stocky, balding man who struggles with numerous insecurities, often dooming his romantic relationships through his own fear of being dumped. He is also relatively lazy; during periods of unemployment he actively avoids getting a job, and while employed he often finds ingenious ways to conceal idleness from his bosses. He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George and Jerry were junior high school friends and remained friends afterward. George appears in every episode except "The Pen".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Forster</span> American actor (1941–2019)

Robert Wallace Foster Jr., known professionally as Robert Forster, was an American actor. He made his screen debut as Private L.G. Williams in John Huston's Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), followed by a starring role as news reporter John Casellis in the landmark New Hollywood film Medium Cool (1969). For his portrayal of bail bondsman Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown (1997), he was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barney Martin</span> American actor (1923–2005)

Barney Martin was an American actor, best known for playing Morty Seinfeld, father of Jerry, on the sitcom Seinfeld (1991-1998). He also played supporting roles in Mel Brooks's The Producers (1967), and the Dudley Moore comedy Arthur (1981). He originated the role of Amos Hart in the 1976 Broadway production of Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Strong</span> American actress (born 1960)

Brenda Lee Strong is an American actress. She began her career in television, including guest starring appearances in Twin Peaks, Party of Five, Seinfeld, Scandal, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Blossom and Sports Night. She was a regular cast member in the series Desperate Housewives (2004–2012), Scorch (1992), and The Help (2004).

<i>Escape from Alcatraz</i> (film) 1979 film by Don Siegel

Escape from Alcatraz is a 1979 American prison thriller film directed and produced by Don Siegel. The screenplay, written by Richard Tuggle, is based on the 1963 non-fiction book of the same name by J. Campbell Bruce, which recounts the 1962 prisoner escape from the maximum security prison on Alcatraz Island. The film stars Clint Eastwood as escape ringleader Frank Morris, alongside Patrick McGoohan, Fred Ward, Jack Thibeau, and Larry Hankin with Danny Glover appearing in his film debut.

"The Seinfeld Chronicles" is the pilot episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld, which first aired on NBC on July 5, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Westerfield</span> American actor (1913–1971)

James A. Westerfield was an American character actor of stage, film, and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Gottlieb</span> American actor

Carl Gottlieb is an American screenwriter, actor, comedian, and executive. He is best known for co-writing the screenplay for Jaws (1975) and its first two sequels, as well as directing the 1981 film Caveman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Wasson</span> American actor (born 1954)

Craig Wasson is an American actor. He made his film debut in Rollercoaster (1977). He is best known for his roles as Jake Scully in Brian DePalma's Body Double (1984), and Neil Gordon in Chuck Russell's A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987). For his role as Danilo Prozor in Arthur Penn's Four Friends (1981), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

"The Busboy" is the 17th episode of Seinfeld to air, despite being the eighth produced. The episode was the 12th and final episode of the show's second season. It aired on NBC on June 26, 1991.

"The Fire" is the 84th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and the 20th episode of the fifth season. It originally aired on May 5, 1994, on NBC. This was the final episode to be written by Larry Charles. In this episode, Elaine's co-worker Toby annoys her with her enthusiasm and ruins one of Jerry's shows with well-meaning heckling, Kramer becomes a hero while saving Toby's severed pinky toe, and George exposes his own cowardice when he discovers a fire at a children's birthday party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Plemons</span> American actor (born 1988)

Jesse Plemons is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor and achieved a breakthrough with his role as Landry Clarke in the NBC drama series Friday Night Lights (2006–2011). He subsequently portrayed Todd Alquist in season 5 of the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2012–2013) and its sequel film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019). For his role as Ed Blumquist in season 2 of the FX anthology series Fargo (2015), he received his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination and won a Critics' Choice Television Award. He received a second Emmy nomination for his performance in "USS Callister", an episode of the Netflix anthology series Black Mirror (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 1962 Alcatraz escape attempt</span> Prison break in San Francisco, California

In June 1962, inmates Clarence Anglin, John Anglin, and Frank Morris escaped from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, California, United States. Late on the night of June 11 or early morning of June 12, the three men tucked papier-mâché heads resembling their own likenesses into their beds, broke out of the main prison building via ventilation ducts and an unguarded utility corridor, and departed the island aboard an improvised inflatable raft to an uncertain fate. A fourth conspirator, Allen West, failed in his escape attempt and remained on the island.

Mutt (<i>G.I. Joe</i>) Character from the G.I. Joe franchise

Mutt is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's dog handler (K-9), and debuted in 1984.

Garry Goodrow was an American actor known for his role in the original stage production of the Obie Award-winning play The Connection (1959) and its 1961 film version, and as one of the original members of The Committee improvisational group. In The Connection, Goodrow played the young, intense, morose, would-be jazz musician Ernie, a heroin addict whose horn is more often than not at the pawn shop.

<i>Breaking Bad</i> season 3 Third season of the AMC crime drama television series

The third season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad premiered on March 21, 2010, and concluded on June 13, 2010. It consisted of 13 episodes, each running about 47 minutes. AMC broadcast the third season on Sundays at 10:00 pm in the United States. The complete third season was released on Region 1 DVD and Region A Blu-ray on June 7, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Pinkman</span> Fictional character of the television drama series Breaking Bad

Jesse Bruce Pinkman is a fictional character in the American crime drama television series Breaking Bad, portrayed by Aaron Paul. He is a crystal meth cook and dealer who works with his former high school chemistry teacher, Walter White. Jesse is the only character besides Walter to appear in every episode of the show. Paul reprised the role for the 2019 spin-off sequel film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, set after its finale, and again in 2022 for the sixth and final season of the spin-off prequel sequel series Better Call Saul, being one of the few characters to appear across both shows and the movie.

<i>El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie</i> 2019 American film by Vince Gilligan

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a 2019 American neo-Western crime thriller film. Part of the Breaking Bad franchise, it serves as a sequel and epilogue to the television series Breaking Bad. It continues the story of Jesse Pinkman, who partnered with former teacher Walter White throughout the series to build a crystal meth empire based in Albuquerque. Series creator Vince Gilligan wrote, directed, and produced El Camino; Aaron Paul reprised his role as Jesse Pinkman. Several Breaking Bad actors also reprised their roles, including Jesse Plemons, Krysten Ritter, Charles Baker, Matt Jones, Robert Forster, Jonathan Banks, and Bryan Cranston. Forster died on the day of the film's release, making it one of his final on-screen appearances.

References

  1. 1 2 "Larry Hankin Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic . Retrieved April 11, 2023. Born December 7, 1937 in New York, NY.
  2. Michaelson, Herb (January 12, 1964). "The Comedian with a Yo Yo Career". The Oakland Tribune . p. 9-EL. Larry Hankin is 26...
  3. Eichelbaum, Stanley (May 31, 1971). "After Five Years, a Logical Reason to Return". The San Francisco Examiner . p. 23. With his hair much longer, Hankin doesn't look 33.
  4. Carroll, Jerry (April 28, 1996). "Committee of One: Larry Hankin, Co-Founder of '60s Comedy Troupe, Bring Solo Show to S.F.". The San Francisco Examiner . p. Theater 30. Now 58...Hankin is a health food nut...
  5. Smith, Gar (July 11, 2021). "SMITHEREENS: Reflections on Bits & Pieces". The Berkeley Daily Planet . ...Larry Hankin—now silver-haired and 83...
  6. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
  7. 1 2 Hal Erickson (2016). "Larry Hankin". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  8. "Breaking Bad's Junkyard Dog: Actor Larry Hankin". September 25, 2013.
  9. "Anchor - The easiest way to make a podcast". Anchor. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  10. "Breaking Bad's Junkyard Dog: Actor Larry Hankin". September 25, 2013.
  11. "The Friends Star Who Auditioned For Kramer On Seinfeld". www.looper.com. July 15, 2022.