Arnold "Arnie" Markowitz was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, where he also attended Weequahic High School. After graduation, Arnie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, reaching the rank of Sergeant, and he was honorably discharged from the service in 1952. That same year, he married his high school sweetheart, Rita Berger. They moved to the suburbs to raise their boys in Paramus, New Jersey. Arnold made a career as a Real Estate Developer in New Jersey until the late 1970's. At that time, he and Rita relocated to Southern California where he continued to work in the real estate market until 1985. Living near the motion picture capital of the world, it didn't take long for Arnold to get attracted to show business, and over the course of the ten years that followed, Arnold (aka, Arnie Mathews) landed a variety of roles in daytime television day time soap opera dramas such as "General Hospital," "Days of Our Lives," and "The Young and The Restless." His feature film credits included "Short Circuit," "News at 11," and "Murphy's Law." Arnold enhanced his acting career by being seen with the late Elizabeth Taylor in a popular television commercial that has been running for decades. During this time, he was also involved in various aspects of television, motion picture and print production, and voice-overs, due to his extraordinary speaking voice. In 2003, Arnie and Rita relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada where he became a Sales Representative for Marriott Resorts and was able to capitalize on his communication skills to become one of the top producers until his retirement in 2010. Arnold Markowitz passed away on May 3, 2016 in Thousand Oaks, California. He is survived by his four sons, Bruce, Alan, Rick and Todd with their wives, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was laid to rest in Dignity Pierce Brothers, Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, California, with a well-attended, heartfelt service that included family, friends, and a USMC Honor Guard. Ernie will always be remembered for his charm, style, and vivaciousness.
