Harvey Atkin

Elliot Harvey Atkin (18 December 1942 – 18 July 2017) was a Canadian actor. He was best known for his roles as Morty Melnick in Meatballs and Sergeant Ronald Coleman in Cagney & Lacey, as well as for voicing Sam in The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police and King Koopa in all three DiC Mario series; The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.

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.

In 1977 he appeared as Talbot, an inept police officer, in an episode of the British television series The New Avengers, the first of four episodes to be set and filmed in Canada. 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 2011 The Seder Arik 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 sheik Episodes "No News Is Good News" and "A Robot's Revenge" (uncredited) 1989 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! King Koopa, Tryclyde, Koopa Troopas, Sergeant Kooperman, others 52 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 role1991 Little Shop Mushnick 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 Cryptkeeper 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 13 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 2006–2007 Ruby Gloom Mr. White 5 episodes 2006–2008 6teen George Bickerson 3 episodes 2011 Producing Parker Judge Episode: "In Dee Block" 2011–2013 Scaredy Squirrel Additional voices 7 episodes