Hilda Arkoff

Hilda Arkoff Obituary Condolences

Arkoff, Hilda beloved wife of 55 years of Samuel Z. Arkoff, cofounder of American International Pictures (AIP), passed away Thursday, July 26, 2001 of natural causes following a long illness. One of ten children of Russian immigrant parents, she was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She met her husband Sam on a blind date while he was in the Air Force and they married in 1945. She followed him to Los Angeles where she worked as a doctor's assistant while he attended Loyola Law School. During the early years of AIP, she and her sisters, Bess and Suzanne, prepared home-cooked meals for the company's wrap parties. Later, during the 60s, Hilda was the hostess for the much-anticipated annual AIP luncheon at the Hotel du Cap during the Cannes Film Festival. Hilda was a sculptor who had a passion for art. Most of all, she was full of love for her husband, children, grandchildren and her huge extended family. She is survived by her husband Samuel Z. Arkoff; her son Lou Arkoff; daughter-in-law Debbie Arkoff; daughter Donna Arkoff Roth and son-in-law Joe Roth and her six grandchildren. Services will be held as follows: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 at Noon, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Variety Club, 8455 Beverly Blvd., Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA 9048, 323/6551547 or the National SIDS Foundation c/o SIDS Foundation of Southern California, 3428 1/2 Motor Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034 310/558-4511.