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{{Short description|American teacher and lyricist (1906–1980)}}
{{For|the actor of the same name|David Arkin}}{{Infobox person
{{For|the actor of the same name|David Arkin}}
{{Infobox person
| name = David Arkin
| name = David Arkin
| birth_date = December 19, 1906
| birth_date = December 19, 1906
| birth_place = [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| death_date = October 8, 1980 (aged 73)
| death_date = October 8, 1980 (aged 73)
| death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| known_for = "[[Black and White (Three Dog Night song)|Black and White]]"
| known_for = "[[Black and White (Three Dog Night song)|Black and White]]"
| children = [[Alan Arkin]]
| children = Three, including [[Alan Arkin]]
| relatives = [[Adam Arkin]] and [[Matthew Arkin]] (grandsons)
}}
}}

'''David F Arkin''' (December 19, 1906 &ndash; October 8, 1980)<ref>{{cite news|last=Oliver|first=Myrna|coauthors=|title=Teachers Fired in McCarthy Era Win Their Case|pages=|publisher=The Los Angeles Times, June 6, 1981}}</ref> was an American [[teacher]], [[Painting|painter]], [[writer]], [[lyricist]], and the father of actor [[Alan Arkin]].
'''David I. Arkin''' (December 19, 1906 &ndash; October 8, 1980)<ref>{{cite news|last=Oliver|first=Myrna|title=Teachers Fired in McCarthy Era Win Their Case|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=June 6, 1981}}</ref> was an American [[teacher]], [[Painting|painter]], [[writer]], [[lyricist]], and the father of actor [[Alan Arkin]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Arkin was born in [[New York (state)|New York]], the son of [[Russian-Jewish]] immigrants.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sierchio|first=Pat|coauthors=|title=Alan Arkin—not just another kid From Brooklyn|pages=|publisher=The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Feb. 15, 2007|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=17205|accessdate =2007-02-16|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223023918/http://jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=17205|archivedate=2007-02-23}}</ref>
Arkin was born in [[New York (state)|New York]], the son of [[Russian-Jewish]] immigrants.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sierchio|first=Pat|title=Alan Arkin—not just another kid From Brooklyn|publisher=The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles|date=February 15, 2007|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=17205|access-date =2007-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223023918/http://jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=17205|archive-date=2007-02-23}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}


== Career ==
== Career ==
In 1945, Arkin moved his family to [[Los Angeles, California]] to take a teaching job. Arkin attempted to obtain work in the entertainment industry, but was unsuccessful. An eight-month Hollywood strike cost Arkin a [[set designer]] job, but the greater blow was as a result of the [[McCarthyism|McCarthy]] "witch hunt". Arkin, a leftist, was accused of being a [[communist]] but Arkin refused to answer questions regarding his political affiliation. As a result, he was fired from his teaching job and was unable to gain work in Hollywood. Arkin challenged his dismissal, but did not achieve exoneration until after his death. He died of cancer in October, 1980, at the age of 73 at his home in Silverlake, California.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|coauthors=|title=Obituary|pages=|publisher=Variety, Oct 22, 1980, p.115.}}</ref>
In 1945, Arkin moved his family to [[Los Angeles, California]] to take a teaching job. Arkin attempted to obtain work in the entertainment industry, but was unsuccessful. An eight-month Hollywood strike cost Arkin a [[set designer]] job, but the greater blow was as a result of the [[McCarthyism|McCarthy]] "witch hunt". Arkin, a leftist, was accused of being a [[communist]] but refused to answer questions regarding his political affiliation. As a result, he was fired from his teaching job and was unable to gain work in Hollywood. Arkin challenged his dismissal, but did not achieve vindication until after his death, when a judge ruled that though the firing was legal at time, Arkin should have been considered for reinstatement when the school board changed its policy in 1968.<ref>{{cite news|title=Patience Proves Hard Lesson for Teachers|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=June 4, 1982|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/389093681/?match=1&clipping_id=127358719}}</ref> He died of cancer in October, 1980, at the age of 73 at his home in Silverlake, California.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obituary|publisher=Variety|date=October 22, 1980|page=115}}</ref>


Arkin's most memorable song-writing contribution was in creating the lyrics to the song "[[Black and White (Three Dog Night song)|Black and White]]", with music by [[Earl Robinson]] in 1954.<ref>[http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/collections/music/songs/popb.html Louise Hanson-Dyer Music Library, Popular Songs List<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The song was written to celebrate the [[United States]] [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] decision of [[Brown v. Board of Education]] striking down [[racial segregation]] in public schools.
Arkin's most memorable song-writing contribution was in creating the lyrics to the song "[[Black and White (Three Dog Night song)|Black and White]]", with music by [[Earl Robinson]] in 1954.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/collections/music/songs/popb.html |title=Louise Hanson-Dyer Music Library, Popular Songs List |access-date=2007-02-26 |archive-date=2007-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609202119/http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/collections/music/songs/popb.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The song was written to celebrate the [[United States]] [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] decision of [[Brown v. Board of Education]] striking down [[racial segregation]] in public schools.


"[[Black and White (Three Dog Night song)|Black and White]]" has been recorded by [[Pete Seeger]], [[Sammy Davis Jr]], [[Greyhound (band)|Greyhound]], [[The Maytones]] and [[Three Dog Night]]. The lyric has been the basis of an illustrated book <ref>David Arkin - Black and White - Ward Ritchie Press, Los Angeles, 1966</ref> by Arkin, which was first published in 1966. More recent editions feature a new introduction by [[Pete Seeger]].
"[[Black and White (Three Dog Night song)|Black and White]]" has been recorded by [[Pete Seeger]], [[Sammy Davis Jr]], [[Greyhound (band)|Greyhound]], [[The Maytones]] and [[Three Dog Night]]. The lyric has been the basis of an illustrated book by Arkin,<ref>David Arkin - Black and White - Ward Ritchie Press, Los Angeles, 1966</ref> which was first published in 1966. More recent editions feature a new introduction by [[Pete Seeger]].


== Personal life ==
==Personal life==
Arkin and his wife, Beatrice Wortis, had one son, actor [[Alan Arkin]]. David died on October 8, 1980 in [[Silver Lake, Los Angeles]].
Arkin and his wife, Beatrice Wortis, had two sons, actor Alan Arkin and bass musician Bobby Arkin, and a daughter, author Bonnie Cordova.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.songfacts.com/facts/three-dog-night/black-and-white Songfacts: "Black and White"] by Three Dog Night
*{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | vauthors = | title = Alan Arkin biography | work = | publisher = Yahoo! Movies | date = | url = https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800021870/bio | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2006-12-09 }}

*{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | vauthors = | title = Hollywood's Big Night | work = | publisher = New Jersey Jewish Standard | date = | url = http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2322/1/Hollywood%92s-big-night | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-02-26 }}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Arkin, David}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arkin, David}}
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[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:Songwriters from California]]
[[Category:Songwriters from California]]
⚫
[[Category:20th-century American musicians]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Jewish American songwriters]]
[[Category:Jewish American songwriters]]
⚫
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American songwriters]]

Latest revision as of 23:32, 5 October 2024

For the actor of the same name, see David Arkin.
David Arkin
BornDecember 19, 1906
New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 8, 1980 (aged 73)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Known for"Black and White"
ChildrenThree, including Alan Arkin
RelativesAdam Arkin and Matthew Arkin (grandsons)

David I. Arkin (December 19, 1906 – October 8, 1980)[1] was an American teacher, painter, writer, lyricist, and the father of actor Alan Arkin.

Early life

[edit]

Arkin was born in New York, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants.[2][citation needed]

Career

[edit]

In 1945, Arkin moved his family to Los Angeles, California to take a teaching job. Arkin attempted to obtain work in the entertainment industry, but was unsuccessful. An eight-month Hollywood strike cost Arkin a set designer job, but the greater blow was as a result of the McCarthy "witch hunt". Arkin, a leftist, was accused of being a communist but refused to answer questions regarding his political affiliation. As a result, he was fired from his teaching job and was unable to gain work in Hollywood. Arkin challenged his dismissal, but did not achieve vindication until after his death, when a judge ruled that though the firing was legal at time, Arkin should have been considered for reinstatement when the school board changed its policy in 1968.[3] He died of cancer in October, 1980, at the age of 73 at his home in Silverlake, California.[4]

Arkin's most memorable song-writing contribution was in creating the lyrics to the song "Black and White", with music by Earl Robinson in 1954.[5] The song was written to celebrate the United States Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education striking down racial segregation in public schools.

"Black and White" has been recorded by Pete Seeger, Sammy Davis Jr, Greyhound, The Maytones and Three Dog Night. The lyric has been the basis of an illustrated book by Arkin,[6] which was first published in 1966. More recent editions feature a new introduction by Pete Seeger.

Personal life

[edit]

Arkin and his wife, Beatrice Wortis, had two sons, actor Alan Arkin and bass musician Bobby Arkin, and a daughter, author Bonnie Cordova.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Oliver, Myrna (June 6, 1981). "Teachers Fired in McCarthy Era Win Their Case". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ Sierchio, Pat (February 15, 2007). "Alan Arkin—not just another kid From Brooklyn". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
  3. ^ "Patience Proves Hard Lesson for Teachers". Los Angeles Times. June 4, 1982.
  4. ^ "Obituary". Variety. October 22, 1980. p. 115.
  5. ^ "Louise Hanson-Dyer Music Library, Popular Songs List". Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
  6. ^ David Arkin - Black and White - Ward Ritchie Press, Los Angeles, 1966
[edit]
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