United States of America
(1930-January 1982) was a Chicago-based filmmaker. Alk enrolled in the University of Chicago at the age of 14. He was a member of the Compass Players cabaret troupe and one of the founders (along with fellow U of C graduates Bernard Sahlins and Paul Sills) of The Second City. Alk had previously worked with Sills at the Gate of Horn. According to Sahlins, Alk coined the group's name. He left the group in the early 1960s. He also worked on American Revolution 2 (1969), The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971), and Janis, among other films. Alk was a heroin addict. In January 1982, Alk was found dead at Rundown Studios, Dylan's studio in Santa Monica, California. Although the coroner ruled his death to be due to an accidental heroin overdose[10], various sources report his death to be a suicide. Alk's wife, Jones, believed he intentionally killed himself.
