Dark, intense character actor who has provided a frequent presence in TV dramas and sitcoms since the mid-1970s. The eldest son of award-winning actor-director Alan Arkin, he began performing as a child after accompanying his father to movie sets around the world. Arkin began taking acting classes at age ten and made his feature debut as a co-screenwriter at age 15 on "Improper Channels" (1971). This Canadian comedy starred the elder Arkin as an eccentric architect who is mistakenly accused of child abuse. Several years later he had his own short-lived sitcom showcase, "Busting Loose" (CBS,