Robert Arden (11 December 1922 â€" 25 March 2004) was an American
film, television and radio actor born in London who worked and lived
mostly in the United Kingdom.Arden was born from an American father
and an English mother. His father had a successful career as a
professional boxer after World War I. He attended "a combination of
English and American schools."Arden's most famous film appearance was
as lead character Guy Van Stratten in Mr. Arkadin (1955), written and
directed by Orson Welles. Welles had worked with Arden on the Harry
Lime radio series, produced in London, and later cast the little-known
actor in Mr. Arkadin, in the central role of the investigator who
uncovers Arkadin's past. Reportedly, Arden was shocked that Welles
might consider him for the part and initially thought that the
director's phone inquiry was a crank call.Arden's performance in Mr.
Arkadin was panned by some critics : The New York Times called it
"hopelessly inadequate". Film historian Jonathan Rosenbaum has
defended Arden's performance, locating the problem not in the actor's
work but in "the unsavoriness and obnoxiousness of the character", who
was intended by Welles to be unattractive even though he occupied in
the film "the space normally reserved for charismatic heroes".
film, television and radio actor born in London who worked and lived
mostly in the United Kingdom.Arden was born from an American father
and an English mother. His father had a successful career as a
professional boxer after World War I. He attended "a combination of
English and American schools."Arden's most famous film appearance was
as lead character Guy Van Stratten in Mr. Arkadin (1955), written and
directed by Orson Welles. Welles had worked with Arden on the Harry
Lime radio series, produced in London, and later cast the little-known
actor in Mr. Arkadin, in the central role of the investigator who
uncovers Arkadin's past. Reportedly, Arden was shocked that Welles
might consider him for the part and initially thought that the
director's phone inquiry was a crank call.Arden's performance in Mr.
Arkadin was panned by some critics : The New York Times called it
"hopelessly inadequate". Film historian Jonathan Rosenbaum has
defended Arden's performance, locating the problem not in the actor's
work but in "the unsavoriness and obnoxiousness of the character", who
was intended by Welles to be unattractive even though he occupied in
the film "the space normally reserved for charismatic heroes".
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