Born: December 18, 1942 – Died: July 17, 2017
Harvey Atkin, born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, brought his acting talents to the world of entertainment. His parents, Ida Garshon, and his father, who worked for a living, instilled in him a passion for the arts. Harvey's notable contributions to the industry include memorable roles in films such as "Meatballs" (1979), "Barney's Version" (2010), and "Speed Zone" (1989). With his distinctive voice, he even lent his talents to animated characters like King Koopa. Despite his death on July 17, 2017, Harvey Atkin's legacy continues to shine in the world of film and television.
Early Life and Career
Harvey Atkin's early life and upbringing were marked by a strong interest in drama. He was persuaded to join his high school's drama club, where he discovered his passion for acting. In his first year of participation, he even won a best actor award at a local drama festival, hinting at his promising future in the industry.
After high school, Harvey pursued his passion for acting further. He embarked on his professional acting career, landing his first roles in television series like "Police Surgeon" in 1975, which marked the beginning of his journey in the entertainment world.
It was in the late 1970s when Harvey Atkin gained recognition with his role as Morty in the comedy film "Meatballs" (1979). This role helped establish him as a comedic talent and set the stage for his future successes.
While he had a prolific career with numerous film and television appearances, Harvey's portrayal of Morty in "Meatballs" remained one of his most iconic roles. Although he continued to work in various projects, he didn't have one specific role that catapulted him into mainstream stardom, but he was highly regarded for his versatility as an actor.
In his personal life, Harvey was married to Celia Tessler, and they had two children together.
Harvey Atkin's legacy in Hollywood and the entertainment industry is defined by his ability to bring humor and depth to his characters. Although he may not be considered an icon or legend in the traditional sense, he stands out as a respected actor who contributed his talents to a wide range of projects. His work continues to be appreciated by fans and fellow professionals, keeping his memory alive in the world of film and television.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Progress (and Unrelated Things) | Max |
| 2017 | A Change of Heart | Cardiologist |
| 2015 | Dangerous Lessons (TV Movie) | Principle Winters |
| 2014 | Bastards (Short) | Neighbour |
| 2013 | Let's Rap (Short) | Uncle Lem |
| 2011–2013 | Suits (TV Series) | Judge N. Palermo | Judge Palermo |
| 2012 | King (TV Series) | Sal Wolf |
| 2011 | The Seder (Short) | Arik |
| 2011 | Being Erica (TV Series) | Zayde Strange |
| 2011 | The Balcony Affair (Short) | Stefan |
| 2000–2011 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) | Judge Alan Ridenour | Alan Ridenour | Judge Ridenour |
| 2011 | Producing Parker (TV Series) | Judge |
| 2010 | Barney's Version | 2nd Mrs. P's Father |
| 2010 | 18 to Life (TV Series) | Rabbi Goldstein |
| 2007–2008 | 6Teen (TV Series) | George Bickerson |
| 2008 | Growing Up Creepie (TV Series) | Sal | President |
| 2006 | Ruby Gloom (TV Series) | Mr. White (voice) |
| 2006 | Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy (TV Movie) | Geralyn's Dad |
| 2006 | Sons of Butcher (TV Series) | (voice) |
| 2003–2006 | Jacob Two-Two (TV Series) | Morty (voice) |
| 2006 | G-Spot (TV Series) | Rabbi |
| 2005 | Time Warp Trio (TV Series) | Beaner | Journalist (voice) |
| 2002–2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) | Judge Alan Ridenour |
| 2004 | Kevin Hill (TV Series) | Judge Larson |
| 2004 | The Black Mirror (Video Game) | Henry the Gardener (voice) |
| 2003 | Braceface (TV Series) | Mr. Stone (uncredited) |
| 2001–2002 | The Ripping Friends (TV Series) | Crag | Punchinpuss | Mr. Wilson (voice) |
| 2002 | Doc (TV Series) | Lou (as Harvey Aitken) |
| 2002 | The Suite Life of Hudson & James | 10 (TV Series) | Mr. Rubi (voice) |
| 2000–2001 | Ed (TV Series) | Customer |
| 2001 | Club Land (TV Movie) | Morty |
| 2000 | Big Wolf on Campus (TV Series) | Dr. Laszlo |
| 2000 | Out of Sync (TV Movie) | Sidney Golden |
| 1998–2000 | Law & Order (TV Series) | Judge Ronald Manheim | Judge Ronald Mannheim |
| 1999 | Something from Nothing (TV Movie) | Mr. Fischbein | Herschel | Rotund Customer (voice) |
| 1999 | The Famous Jett Jackson (TV Series) | Ol' Fred |
| 1999 | I Was a Sixth Grade Alien (TV Series) | Grandpa's Brain |
| 1997–1998 | The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police (TV Series) | Sam |
| 1998 | One Tough Cop | Rudy |
| 1998 | Bad Dog (TV Series) | Vic Potanski (voice) |
| 1997 | Critical Care | Judge Fatale |
| 1997 | Love and Death on Long Island | Lou |
| 1995–1996 | The Neverending Story (TV Series) | Mr. Rockchewer (voice) |
| 1996 | Maxwell Saves the Day (Video) | (voice) |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (TV Movie) | Marty Glickman |
| 1996 | Joe's Wedding | Rankin |
| 1996 | Goosebumps (TV Series) | Mr. Malik |
| 1996 | The Stupids | Deli Guy |
| 1996 | Radiant City (TV Movie) | Mr. Lewis |
| 1996 | Harrison: Cry of the City (TV Movie) | Hotel clerk |
| 1995 | Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods (Video Game) | Additional Voices (voice) |
| 1995 | Long Island Fever (TV Movie) | Jenner |
| 1995 | Family of Cops (TV Movie) | Avrum Weiss |
| 1995 | Sailor Moon (TV Series) | Pox | Bumboo (voice) |
| 1991–1995 | Hello Kitty and Friends (TV Series) | Mr. Jones (voice) |
| 1995 | The Great Defender (TV Series) | Shtob |
| 1995 | Between Love and Honor (TV Movie) | Lerner |
| 1994 | Janek: The Silent Betrayal (TV Movie) | Medical Examiner |
| 1994 | Tales from the Cryptkeeper (TV Series) | Uncle Harry | Harold Klump (voice) |
| 1994 | Due South (TV Series) | Tex Markles |
| 1994 | Seasons of the Heart (TV Movie) | Myron |
| 1994 | RoboCop (TV Series) | Lawyer |
| 1994 | Kero kero Keroppi (Video) | King Richard (voice) |
| 1994 | The Mighty Jungle (TV Series) | Berkowitz |
| 1993 | X-Men: The Animated Series (TV Series) | Sasquatch | Dr. Walter Langkowski (voice, as Harvey Aitken) |
| 1993 | The Lump (Short) | (voice) |
| 1993 | Guilty as Sin | Judge Steinberg |
| 1993 | Top Cops (TV Series) | Charles Falzon |
| 1993 | Stunt Dawgs (TV Series) | Badyear | Half-a-Mind |
| 1992 | Rupert (TV Series) | The Sultan of Shandalar (voice) |
| 1992 | The Adventures of Tintin (TV Series) | Additional Voices | Ben Kalish Ezab (voice) |
| 1992 | Terror on Track 9 (TV Movie) | Verona |
| 1991 | Super Mario World: Yoshi the Superstar (Video) | King Koopa |
| 1991 | Every Dog's Guide to the Playground (Short) | Bernard (voice) |
| 1991 | Wish Kid (TV Series) | Additional Voices (voice) |
| 1991 | Super Mario World (TV Series) | King Koopa (voice) |
| 1991 | Little Shop (TV Series) | Additional Voices | Mr. Mushnik (voice) |
| 1991 | Beetlejuice (TV Series) | Exorcist | Lipscum (voice) |
| 1990–1991 | Swamp Thing (TV Mini Series) | Tomahawk (voice) |
| 1991 | Tropical Heat (TV Series) | Mr. Murphy |
| 1990 | Around the World in 80 Days (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1990 | E.N.G. (TV Series) | Kilgour |
| 1990 | Back to the Beanstalk (TV Movie) | The Sidekicks |
| 1990 | Piggsburg Pigs! (TV Series) | Additional Voices (1990) (voice) |
| 1990 | The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (TV Series) | King Koopa | Junior's Dad | Father (voice) ... |
| 1989 | The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (TV Series) | Tryclyde | King Koopa | Sergeant Kooperman ... |
| 1989 | Mindfield | Bob Champlain |
| 1989 | Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster | Sidney Glassberg |
| 1989 | Sorry, Wrong Number (TV Movie) | Det. Kiley (as Harvey Atkins) |
| 1989 | Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! | Lew Eisen |
| 1989 | My Secret Identity (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1989 | Speed Zone | Gus Gold |
| 1989 | Heartbeat (TV Series) | Nadel |
| 1989 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) | Sam Wickes |
| 1988–1989 | A.L.F. (TV Series) | Additional Voices (voice) |
| 1981–1988 | Cagney & Lacey (TV Series) | Ronald Coleman | Desk Sgt. Ronald Coleman | Sgt. Ronald Coleman ... |
| 1988 | ALF Tales (TV Series) | Additional Voices (voice) |
| 1987 | Pet Peeves (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1987 | Street Legal (TV Series) | Ray Amico |
| 1987 | Mr. Nice Guy | Jerry Reemer |
| 1987 | Seeing Things (TV Series) | Morrie |
| 1987 | Carried Away (Short) | (voice) |
| 1986 | Every Dog's Guide to Complete Home Safety (Short) | Bernard (voice, as Harvey Atkins) |
| 1986 | Danger Bay (TV Series) | Lester |
| 1986 | Separate Vacations | Henry Gilbert |
| 1986 | Check It Out (TV Series) | Henderson |
| 1985 | Night Heat (TV Series) | Art Bruckner |
| 1985 | Joshua Then and Now | Dr. Jonathan Cole |
| 1980–1984 | The Littlest Hobo (TV Series) | Neiderhoff | Carmen | Vince |
| 1984 | The Guardian (TV Movie) | Mr. Wallace |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers | Salesman in Train |
| 1984 | Toronto Trilogy | TV Special | Tilac |
| 1983 | All in Good Taste | Cochrane |
| 1982 | Hangin' In (TV Series) | Kelly |
| 1982 | Visiting Hours | Vinnie Bradshaw |
| 1982 | If You Could See What I Hear | Bert |
| 1981 | The Incubus | Joe Prescott |
| 1981 | Rubberface (TV Movie) | T.V. Producer (voice) |
| 1981 | Ticket to Heaven | Mr. Stone |
| 1981 | Heavy Metal | Alien (segment "Harry Canyon") | Henchman (segment "Harry Canyon") (voice) |
| 1981 | Improper Channels | Police Sergeant |
| 1981 | The Last Chase | Jud |
| 1980 | Funeral Home | Harry Browning |
| 1980 | Atlantic City | Bus Driver |
| 1979–1980 | Space Carrier Blue Noah (TV Series) | Webber | Cruiser 2 captain | Grogen ... |
| 1977–1980 | King of Kensington (TV Series) | Mr. Pressler | Jerry | Bernie ... |
| 1979 | Meatballs | Morty |
| 1978 | Power Play | Anwar |
| 1978 | High-Ballin' | Buzz |
| 1978 | Today I am a Fountain Pen (TV Movie) | Yanover |
| 1977 | The New Avengers (TV Series) | Talbot |
| 1977 | Mary and Michael (TV Series) | George |
| 1977 | The War Between the Tates (TV Movie) | Dr. Bernard M. Kotelchuk |
| 1976 | Silver Streak | Conventioneer |
| 1975 | Down Home Country (TV Series) | Chuck Wagon |
| 1975 | Police Surgeon (TV Series) | Morrison | Dr. Harmon |
| 1971 | The Neon Palace | (as Harvey Aitken) |