Alan E. Pottinger

Alan Edward Pottinger died tragically and suddenly on September 13, 2021 at the age of 57. A gifted poet, writer, actor and creative arts therapist, with impeccable comedic timing and profound and encyclopedic knowledge, he would have written a much better obituary for himself.

Alan was born July 6, 1964 in New York City and spent his childhood in Queens, New York, getting into mild amounts of trouble in cahoots with his brother David, who tragically predeceases him. Alan was raised by the formidable Carolee, a single mother, with the support of his beloved babysitter Bessie.

A voracious reader and thespian from an early age, Alan found his passion in the performing arts. In 1982, Alan graduated from New York City High School of the Performing Arts (subject of the film Fame (1980) in which you can catch a glimpse of Al) where he thrived and made lifelong friends who share exceptional talent.

In 1986, Alan earned his BFA in Theatre Arts and Film at SUNY Purchase, where he was a graduate of the Professional Actor Training Program. There, Alan was a founding member of the Euclid Hose Company, an on-campus theater group dedicated to performing short plays; befitting the energy and passion of that age, he performed, wrote and directed for the company, probably, in most cases, all at once.

Since 1986, Alan was a freelance actor and proud member of SAG-AFTRA and the Actors Equity Association. Alan delivered memorable performances on- and off-stage. Film credits include Biloxi Blues (1988), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989), Dead Poets Society (1989), Reversal of Fortune (1980), and MacBeth in Manhattan (1999). To the particular delight of his family, Alan starred in an AT&T commercial as a young college jock who ends the commercial on a pay phone (remember those?) in the college lounge, whispering into the receiver “Mommy, I miss you.” As much as Alan enjoyed performing for the big screen, the small stage was his favorite. His stage credits include productions at The Public Theatre, The New York Acting Unit, Manhattan Punch Line, HERE, Syracuse Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Provincetown Playhouse.

Like every good New York City actor, Alan bartended on the side, including a stint at Muffin’s Pub in Manhattan, a gig he shared with his brother David. After David’s untimely death at Muffin’s in 1991, Alan was inspired to redirect his talents to serve the public good.

In 2001, Alan earned his Master of Arts in Creative Arts Therapy from New York University, with a focus on Drama Therapy. He did a one-year fellowship with the NYU Psychoanalytic Institute and became an Educator Associate at NYC DOE P-35 at Bellevue Hospital Center, where he would spend the rest of his esteemed career, and where a part of him will always live on through his beloved colleagues.

As an Assistant Director of Psychiatry and then Assistant Director of Creative Arts Therapies at Bellevue, Alan supervised the programming and Licensed Creative Arts as well as Occupational

Therapists on the Adult Male Prison/Forensic Unit, Child and Adolescent Units both in-patient and out-patient, along with the Adult Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program. Alan also served as Chairman of the Psychiatric Consumer Advisory Board and taught Masters Level Occupational and Pastoral Counseling and Therapy Students. Alan created safe spaces and helped patients deal with myriad trauma and deprivation through improvisation and storytelling, one-act plays, and advanced mask work. He was also Co-Director of the Spirituality group initiatives on all adult in patient units. An avid pet lover, especially of his beloved border collie Daisy May Moon, his cat Sister Mary Godzilla, and adopted father of David’s chocolate labrador Shelby, Alan was responsible for pet therapy and AA and NA meetings on the forensic unit. In addition, Alan ran an afterschool poetry program on the Lower East Side for over a decade.

Alan rightfully took great pride in his work, sometimes quietly sharing accolades with his mother and sister. He once wrote of his work with child and adolescent patients:

“They are lifted up one at a time. When we win here. When we send a child back on course. Back to a path of self-evolving; we too are blessed to share in that vision. Statistically, we may sometimes lose more than we win. We are few and the pitfalls of the world are legion. Whenever I get blue and feel just what is the point? When one tough day follows another. When I bear witness to narratives that make me ashamed to be human; I remind myself it is not my task this day to save them all. To heal all the wounded children around me.

Just one.

And If I but try, I will have become, in my own eyes; less ashamed of my culpability in the shortcomings of humanity. And I can celebrate that one victory and humbly pray for one more.”

In the winter months, Alan was Santa Claus. Making magical appearances originally at Macy’s Herald Square and later at Bellevue.

In his spare time, Alan read. Everything. Alan would unobtrusively rattle off stanzas of Shakespeare, Homer, Chekov, The Bible. From memory. And he wrote. Alan’s gift for the written word was beyond compare. While initially hesitant to join the masses on Facebook, he eventually did, and shared his beautiful prose and, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the harrowing first-hand experiences of the front-line workers with anyone lucky enough to know him and follow him. His family will also miss the cast of characters and eye-watering comic routines that can’t live on without Alan (e.g. the ladies on Fr. Capatano Boulevard in Staten Island; Joey Bag-o-Doughnuts; “Come on Joey, it’s f****n’ Eastah!” from South Ozone Park; the Hindi and Asian neighbors in Flushing; sock puppet video birthday greetings for his nephews).

Among many other dear friends and family, Alan is survived by his mother and life-long champion, Carolee Hildenbrandt, her husband George Hildenbrandt, his sister Carolyn Rincon

and her husband Oscar RIncon, his two nephews (their Goomba Al) Mateo and Sebastian Rincon, and his special person Maria Stasallo, who he was very much in love with.

Only Alan’s own words could do his obituary justice. When writing of the loss of his dog Daisy, Alan wrote,

“If you have ever had DOG, writ large in your life then you know what kind of bond forms…. I can only pray that when my great getting up morning comes, the first thing I will hear when my eyes close for the last time; will be the soft thwump of her tail signaling me it's time to go play in the fields and among the birds and trees.”

Play in peace, dear Alan. Namaste.

Alan was inspired by all religions and walks of faith. A private visitation for Alan will be held Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Frederick Funeral Home, 192-15 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11358. At 11am, he will receive blessings in the Catholic and Buddhist faiths, prior to his cremation. A live stream of the blessing will be available at https://www.facebook.com/FrederickFuneralHomeFlushing.

Family and friends of Alan who would like to pay tribute and visit with his family are invited to attend and encouraged to participate in a lively memorial celebration of Alan’s life that is being planned for the near future, to be held in the garden of Bellevue Hospital. Details to follow.

To further honor Alan, donations in his memory can be made to Children of Bellevue (childrenofbellevue.org). On the website, please write Alan’s name in the “In Memory Of” section and ask for the donation to be “restricted to“ or “for child/adolescent psychiatry.” Donations by check can also be made, please write ”In Memory of Alan Pottinger, and to Psychiatry” in the memo.