# Harvey Atkin

Elliot Harvey Atkin (18 December 1942 – 18 July 2017) was a Canadian actor best known for his roles as Morty Melnick in Meatballs, Sergeant Ronald Coleman in Cagney & Lacey, and for voicing King Koopa in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and Sam in The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police.

## Early life

Atkin was born 18 December 1942 in Toronto, Ontario to parents of Russian-Jewish descent. He developed his interest in acting while a student at Northview Heights Secondary School by performing in a high school production of Eugene O'Neill's one-act play The Rope, for which he won an award at the Simpson's Drama Festival. Atkin initially worked at his father's construction company. He then became a real estate agent, eventually transitioning to acting in commercials.

## Career

Atkin played Morty Melnick in the comedy film Meatballs (1979), for which performance he earned a Genie nomination.
Atkin had a role in William Fruet's horror film Funeral Home (1980), as well as the role of Sam in The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police, and also played Mario's and Luigi's archenemy King Koopa on DiC Entertainment's cartoon version of Super Mario Bros. (notably, he was the first English voice actor for the character). Playing Koopa in all three Mario animated series, he was one of the only voice actors to appear in all three series as the same character.
He voiced Mr. Mushnik on Little Shop, loosely based on the movie Little Shop of Horrors. He also played characters in other series such as Beetlejuice, Bad Dog and Ruby Gloom. Atkin appeared in more than 75 films and on many television series. He did voice-over work in approximately 3,000 television and radio commercials, notably for the Leon's Furniture chain, for which he won three Clio Awards.
He appeared in 95 episodes of Cagney & Lacey as Sergeant Ronald Coleman. Atkin played Judge Alan Ridenour in a recurring role on the television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role he also played in Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order, and was the voice-over in Leon's and "Buy Israel Bonds" commercials in Canada. He also made a cameo playing a bus driver in the classic film Atlantic City (1980) starring Burt Lancaster, and was the voice for Morty in the television series Jacob Two-Two. He made a guest appearance in 2010 as a rabbi on the CBC Television series 18 to Life.

## Personal life

Atkin married Celia Tessler in 1963. Together they had two children, and went on to become grandparents to five.

## Death

Atkin died of a brain tumor on 18 July 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 74.

### Legacy

A re-animated version of the Super Mario World episode "Mama Luigi", commissioned and directed by animation artist Andrew Dickman within a year with over 227 animators and artists participating, was dedicated to Atkin alongside Tony Rosato (Luigi) who died earlier that year on 10 January. The video was released on 29 August 2017.

## Filmography

Film performances :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | Silver Streak | Conventioneer | |
| 1977 | The War Between the Tates | Dr. Bernard M. Kotelchuk | Television film |
| 1978 | High-Ballin' | Buzz | |
| 1978 | Power Play | Anwar | |
| 1979 | Meatballs | Morty Melnick | |
| 1980 | Atlantic City | Bus Driver | |
| 1980 | Funeral Home | Harry Browning | |
| 1981 | The Incubus | Joe Prescott | |
| 1981 | Improper Channels | Sergeant | |
| 1981 | The Last Chase | Jud | |
| 1981 | Heavy Metal | Alien / Henchman | Voice |
| 1981 | Ticket to Heaven | Mr. Stone | |
| 1982 | If You Could See What I Hear | Bert | |
| 1982 | Rubberface | | |
| 1982 | Visiting Hours | Vinnie Bradshaw | |
| 1983 | All in Good Taste | | |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers | | |
| 1985 | Carried Away | | Voice |
| 1985 | Joshua Then and Now | Dr. Jonathan Cole | |
| 1986 | Separate Vacations | Henry Gilbert | |
| 1986 | Every Dog's Guide to Complete Home Safety | Bernard | Voice |
| 1987 | Mr. Nice Guy | Jerry Reeman | |
| 1989 | Speed Zone | Gus Gold | |
| 1989 | Mindfield | | |
| 1989 | Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! | Lew Eisen | |
| 1991 | Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster | | |
| 1991 | The Lump | | Voice |
| 1991 | Every Dog's Guide to the Playground | Bernard | Voice |
| 1991 | The Apprentice (L'Apprenti) | | Voice |
| 1992 | Terror on Track 9 | | Television film |
| 1993 | Guilty as Sin | Judge Steinberg | |
| 1994 | Seasons of the Heart | | Television film |
| 1994 | Janek: The Silent Betrayal | Medical Examiner | Television film |
| 1995 | Between Love and Honor | | Television film |
| 1995 | Family of Cops | Avrum Weiss | Television film |
| 1996 | The Stupids | Deli Guy | |
| 1996 | Radiant City | | Television film |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault | | Television film |
| 1997 | Love and Death on Long Island | Lou | |
| 1997 | Critical Care | Judge Fatale | |
| 1998 | One Tough Cop | Rudy | |
| 1998 | Joe's Wedding | | |
| 2000 | Out of Sync | Sidney Golden | Television film |
| 2001 | Club Land | Morty | Television film |
| 2006 | Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy | | Television film |
| 2010 | Barney's Version | Second father in-law | |
| 2013 | Let’s Rap | Neighbor | Short film |
| 2014 | Bastards | Uncle Lem | Short film |
| 2015 | Trailer Dangerous Lessons | Principle Winters | Television film |
| 2017 | A Change of Heart | Cardiologist | |
| 2017 | Progress (and Unrelated Things) | Max | Final role |
Television series performances :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | Down Home Country | Chuck Wagon | |
| 1977–1980 | King of Kensington | Various | 4 episodes |
| 1979–1985 | The Littlest Hobo | Various | |
| 1981–1988 | Cagney & Lacey | Sergeant Ronald Coleman | 95 episodes |
| 1982 | Claim to Fame | |
| 1986 | Every Dog's Guide to Complete Home Safety | Bernard | |
| 1986–1993 | Under The Umbrella Tree | The Great Goldberg | |
| 1987–1989 | ALF: The Animated Series | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1988–1989 | AlfTales | Additional voices |
| 1988 | Robocop: The Animated Series | K.R.U.D. TV station manager, Zokastani shiek | Episodes "No News Is Good News" and "A Robot's Revenge" (Uncredited) |
| 1989 | The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! | King Koopa, Tryclyde, Koopa Troopas, Elvin Parsley, Flab Bro #1, Hercufleas, Hooded Robin, Mark Twang, Dealin' Delbert, Joilet's Father, Captain Clump, Murphy, Mushroom Mayor, Sergeant Kooperman, Snifit | 65 episodes |
| 1989–1991 | Beetlejuice | Lipscum, Exorcist | |
| 1990 | Piggsburg Pigs! | Additional voices | |
| 1990 | The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 | King Koopa | 26 episodes |
| 1991 | Swamp Thing | Tomahawk | Recurring role |
| 1991 | Little Shop | Additional Voices | 13 episodes |
| 1991 | Wish Kid | Additional Voices | 13 episodes |
| 1991 | Super Mario World | King Koopa | 12 episodes |
| 1991–1994 | Hello Kitty and Friends | Guala, Mr. Jones, William | 3 episodes |
| 1992 | Stunt Dawgs | Badyear, Half-A-Mind | |
| 1992 | The Adventures of Tintin | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1993 | X-Men | Sasquatch, Dr. Walter Langkowski | |
| 1993–1994 | Keroppi and Friends | Mary and Johnny's Father, King Richard | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Tales from the Crypt | Uncle Harry, Harold Klump | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Sailor Moon | Pox, Bumboo | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | The Neverending Story | Mr. Rockchewer | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Goosebumps | Mr. Malik | Episode: "Bad Hare Day" |
| 1997–1998 | The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police | Sam | 24 episodes |
| 1998–2000 | Bad Dog | Mr. Potanski | |
| 1998–2001 | Bob and Margaret | Additional voices | |
| 2000–2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Judge Alan Ridenour | 18 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | The Ripping Friends | Crag, The Indigestible Wad, Cereal CEO, Pungent Puss Husband, Dad #1 Santa, Fish | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | Jacob Two-Two | Morty | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | Braceface | Mr. Stone | Episode: Ms. Spitz Goes to Warsch and Stone |
| 2005 | Time Warp Trio | Beaner, Journalist | |
| 2006 | Sons of Butcher | | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Ruby Gloom | Mr. White | |
| 2006–2008 | 6teen | George Bickerson | 3 episodes |
| 2010–2013 | Scaredy Squirrel | | 7 episodes |