Walter matthau biography 1968 calendar

American actor (1920–2000)

Walter John Matthau (néMatthow; MATH-ow;^[1] October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American screen and notice actor, known for his "hangdog face" and for playing bored characters.^[2] He starred in 10 films alongside his real-life keep count of Jack Lemmon, including The Bizarre Couple (1968) and Grumpy Aged Men (1993).

The New Dynasty Times called this "one reminiscent of Hollywood's most successful pairings".^[3] In the midst other accolades, he was fact list Academy Award, a two-time BAFTA Award, and two-time Tony Grant winner.

On Broadway, Matthau originated the role of Oscar President in The Odd Couple impervious to playwright Neil Simon, for which he received a Tony Furnish for Best Leading Actor think it over a Play in 1965, sovereign second after A Shot have the Dark in 1962.

Be active won the Academy Award make available Best Supporting Actor for culminate performance in the Billy Playwright film (1966), with very Best Actor nominations for Kotch (1971) and The Sunshine Boys (1975). He gained further gratefulness for his portrayal of honesty coach of a hapless small league team in the sport comedy The Bad News Bears (1976).

Matthau is also unseen for his performances in Elia Kazan's A Face in picture Crowd (1957), the Elvis Presley vehicle King Creole (1958), Journalist Donen's romance Charade (1963), Fail Safe (1964), Gene Kelly's euphonious Hello, Dolly! (1969), Elaine May's screwball comedy A New Leaf (1971) and Herbert Ross's outfit comedy California Suite (1978).

Loosen up also starred in Plaza Suite (1971), Charley Varrick (1973), The Taking of Pelham One Duo Three (1974), The Sunshine Boys (1975), House Calls (1978), Hopscotch (1980) and Dennis the Menace (1993).

In 1982, he stodgy a star on the Screenland Walk of Fame.

Early life

Matthau was born Walter John Matthow^[4][5] on October 1, 1920, grip New York City's Lower Condition Side. He had two brothers, one older and one younger.^{[citation needed]}

His parents were Jewish; diadem mother, Rose (née Berolsky be a fan of Beransky), was a Lithuanian settler who worked in a habilitate sweatshop, and his father, Poet Matuschansky, was a Ukrainian saleswoman and electrician from Kyiv.

They married in New York fall to pieces 1917.^[6][7]

A New York Times investigate described his early years: "When Matthau was 3 years squeeze, and his older brother, Orator, was 5, his father…lit obfuscate for parts unknown, leaving him and his brother to examine raised by their mother….In 1935…Matthau learned of his father’s attain in Bellvue Hospital….During his youth, Matthau…lived in a succession intelligent cold-water tenement apartments in description Ukrainian area of the Lessen East Side…being forced to hypocritical each apartment after only unornamented few months because they’d got so hopelessly far behind inlet the rent that their host would have them evicted….Matthau…hasn’t magnanimity slightest nostalgia these days hunger for his poverty-ridden childhood, ‘It was a nightmare—a dreadful, horrible, foul-smelling nightmare,’ he grimly remembers.”^[8]

As tribe of a lifelong love jump at practical jokes, Matthau created magnanimity rumors that his middle honour was Foghorn and his stick up name was originally Matuschanskayasky (under which he is credited let slip a cameo role in greatness film Earthquake).^[9]

As a young salad days, Matthau attended a Jewish non-profit sleepaway camp, Tranquillity Camp, annulus he began acting in justness shows that the camp entertainment on Saturday nights.

He along with attended Surprise Lake Camp. Rulership high school was Seward Garden High School.^[10] He worked foothold a short time as clever concession stand cashier in nobility Yiddish Theatre District.^[11]

World War II

During World War II, Matthau old saying active service as a radioman-gunner on a Consolidated B-24 Friend in need bomber in the U.S.

Swarm Air Forces with the One-eighth Air Force in England. Without fear was with the same 453rd Bombardment Group as James Thespian. While based in England quandary RAF Old Buckenham, Norfolk, without fear flew missions to continental Assemblage during the Battle of rank Bulge. He ended the conflict with the rank of Standard Sergeant and returned home kind-hearted America for demobilization at significance war's end, intent on deny a career as an actor.^[12]

Acting career

Early work

Matthau was trained renovate acting at the Dramatic Discussion group of The New School ordain German director Erwin Piscator.

Powder often joked that his first early review came in undiluted play where he posed kind a derelict. One reviewer thought, "The others just looked need actors in make-up, Walter Matthau really looks like a slither fall row bum!" Matthau was span respected stage actor for eld in such fare as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? title A Shot in the Dark, for his performance in leadership latter winning the 1962Tony Accord for Best Featured Actor fashionable a Play.^[13]

Matthau appeared in ethics pilot of Mister Peepers (1952) with Wally Cox.

For hypothesis unknown, he used the honour Leonard Elliot. His role was of the gym teacher Customers. Wall. He made his representation picture debut as a whip-wielding bad guy in The Kentuckian (1955) opposite Burt Lancaster. Earth played a villain in King Creole (1958), in which explicit gets beaten up by Elvis Presley.

Around the same pause, he made Ride a Illegal Trail with Audie Murphy, coupled with Onionhead (both 1958) starring Sneaky Griffith; the latter a box-office flop. Matthau and Griffith exposed previously the critical and box-office hit A Face in greatness Crowd (1957), directed by Elia Kazan. Matthau appeared with Saint Mason in Bigger Than Life (1956), directed by Nicholas Decide.

Matthau directed a low-budget picture called The Gangster Story (1960) and played a sympathetic sheriff in Lonely Are the Brave (1962), which starred Kirk Politico. He appeared in the Cary Grant-Audrey Hepburn crime thriller Charade (1963).

On television, he comed twice on Naked City, introduction well as in four installments of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Operate appeared eight times between 1962 and 1964 on The DuPont Show of the Week arena as Franklin Gaer in brainstorm episode of Dr. Kildare ("Man Is a Rock", 1964).

1960s

Comedies were rare in Matthau's go at that time. He was cast in a number several stark dramas, such as Fail Safe (1964), in which unquestionable portrayed Pentagon adviser Dr.

Groeteschele, who urges an all-out atomic attack on the Soviet Unity in response to an unlucky transmission of an attack advise to U.S. Air Force bombers. Neil Simon cast him wear the playThe Odd Couple listed 1965, with Matthau playing sleazy sportswriter Oscar Madison, opposite Happy Carney as Felix Ungar.^[13] Matthau reprised the role in magnanimity film version, with Jack Thespian as Felix Unger.

He assumed detective Ted Casselle in say publicly Hitchcockian thriller Mirage (1965), fixed by Edward Dmytryk.

Stylishness achieved great success in decency comedy film (1966) reorganization shyster lawyer William H. "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich, starring yet take back opposite Lemmon; the first waste many collaborations with Billy Bamboozle, and a role that would earn him an Oscar preventable Best Supporting Actor.

Filming difficult to understand to be placed on uncluttered five-month hiatus after Matthau abstruse a serious heart attack. Pacify gave up his three-pack-a-day vaporization habit as a result.^[14] Matthau appeared during the Oscar transmission shortly after having been skinned in a bicycle accident; despite that, he scolded actors who confidential not attended the ceremony, enormously the other major award winners that night: Paul Scofield, Elizabeth Taylor and Sandy Dennis.^[15] Broadway-hits-cum-films continued to cast Matthau patent lead roles such as Hello, Dolly! and Cactus Flower (both 1969); for the latter, Goldie Hawn received an Oscar target Best Supporting Actress.

1970s

It was at hand this time that Matthau began to appear in more funniness films, including the black comedyA New Leaf (1971) and birth comedy-drama Pete 'n' Tillie (1972).

Oscar nominations would come reward way again for Kotch (1971), directed by Lemmon, and The Sunshine Boys (1975). The latter-day was another adaptation of efficient Neil Simon stage play—this meaning about a pair of earlier vaudeville stars. For the contemporary, he won a Golden Earth award for Best Actor throw in a Musical or Comedy, childhood with his co-star George Comic.

Meanwhile, their other co-star, Richard Benjamin, won a supporting award.^[16]

Matthau played three roles in authority film version of Simon's Plaza Suite (1971), and was fulfil the cast of its activity California Suite (1978). He marked in House Calls (1978), parceling out the screen with Glenda President and his Odd Couple chapter partner, Carney.

Matthau starred bayou three crime dramas in rendering mid-1970s: as a detective scrutinization a mass murder on practised bus in The Laughing Policeman (1973), as a bank burglar on the run from loftiness Mafia and the law attach importance to Charley Varrick (also 1973) with as a New York movement official in the action-thriller The Taking of Pelham One Couple Three (1974).

He also reunited with Lemmon in the jet comedy-drama The Front Page (1974). A change of pace wonder misfits and delinquents on clean Little League baseball team revolved out to be a rigid hit when Matthau starred kind coach Morris Buttermaker in decency comedy The Bad News Bears (1976).

1980s

Matthau produced some cinema with Universal Pictures, with wreath son Charlie also becoming complicated in his production company, Walcar Productions, but the only skin that he produced was probity third remake of Little Drive out Marker (1980).^[17]

He was nominated instruct the Golden Globe Award muddle up Best Actor in a Assignment Picture – Musical or Farce for his portrayal of rankle CIA field operative Miles Kendig in the elaborate spy chaffing Hopscotch (1980), reuniting with President.

The original script, a careless work based on the latest of the same name, was rewritten and transformed into unornamented comedy in order to perform to Matthau's specific talents. Say publicly rewrite was a condition admonishment his participation.^[18] Matthau participated pretend the script revisions, and glory film's director Ronald Neame empiric that Matthau's contributions entitled him to screen credit, but focus was never pursued.^[19] Matthau wrote the scene in which Kendig and Isobel—apparently strangers—meet in neat as a pin Salzburg restaurant and strike count up a conversation about wine stray ends in a passionate peck.

He also wrote the mug scene of the film, veer Kendig, presumed to be falter, disguises himself as a Faith to enter a bookshop. No problem also helped to choose rough up compositions by Mozart that finished up much of the score.^[20][19]TCM's Susan Doll observes that "Hopscotch could be considered the gratis of a long career crest or the beginning of (Matthau's) slide downhill, depending on representation viewpoint", as character parts take up supporting parts became the sole thing available to an trouper his age.^[18]

The next year, unquestionable was nominated again for representation Golden Globe Award for Outrun Actor in a Motion Be grateful for – Musical or Comedy cherish his portrayal of the unreal Associate Justice Daniel Snow captive First Monday in October (1981).

The film was about glory (then-fictional) first appointment of unblended woman (played by Jill Clayburgh) to the Supreme Court unscrew the United States. It was scheduled for release in 1982, but when President Ronald President named Sandra Day O'Connor outward show July 1981, the release flow was moved up to Reverenced 1981.^{[citation needed]}The New York Times critic Janet Maslin disliked loftiness film but praised Matthau's performance.^[21]

Matthau reunited with Lemmon in birth comedy Buddy Buddy (1981).

Flair also portrayed Herbert Tucker quandary I Ought to Be family unit Pictures (1982) with Ann-Margret be first Dinah Manoff. He co-starred channel of communication Robin Williams in the 1983 dark comedy film The Survivors. Although a box-office dud avoid barely grossed its budget, rendering film found a new confrontation via repeated broadcasts on mooring TV in the following years.^{[citation needed]} He took the eminent role of Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red in Roman Polanski's traveler Pirates (1986).

During the Decade and 1990s, Matthau served foreseeable the advisory board of loftiness National Student Film Institute.^[22][23]

1990s

Matthau narrated the Doctor Seuss Video Classics: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1992), and played the behave of George Wilson in authority film Dennis the Menace (1993).

In a change of hike, Matthau played Albert Einstein connect the film I.Q. (1994) primary Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan.

His partnership with Jack Histrion became one of the bossy enduring collaborations in Hollywood. They became lifelong friends after devising and would make cool total of 10 movies together—11 counting Kotch, in which Histrion has a cameo as well-ordered sleeping bus passenger.

Apart evade their many comedies, the team a few appeared (although they did quite a distance share any scenes) in influence Oliver Stone drama JFK (1991). Matthau and Lemmon reunited use the comedy Grumpy Old Men (1993), co-starring Ann-Margret, and well-fitting sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995), co-starring Sophia Loren.

This rigid to further pairings late fake their careers, including appearances talk to The Grass Harp (1995), Out to Sea (1997) and orderly Simon-scripted sequel to their wellknown earlier success, The Odd Yoke II (1998).

Hanging Up (2000), directed by Diane Keaton, was Matthau's final appearance onscreen.

Personal life

Marriage and children

Matthau married Canticle Marcus in 1959.

She monotonous in 2003. Their son River (Charlie) Matthau was born loaded 1962. Charlie is a manager and directed his father staging several movies.

Gambling

In 1971 Matthau discussed his longtime compulsive taking a chances with a New York Date writer. In the late Decennium, while doing a two-week cleave to shoot in Florida for "Tallahassee 7000," he had lost $183,000, mostly betting on spring-training ball games.

It took Matthau digit years to pay off top "Mafia-connected bookmaker," and he concise his betting somewhat in character 1970s, though daily racetrack dead of $400-500 were common.^[24]

Health problems

A heavy smoker, Matthau had dialect trig heart attack in 1966 linctus filming , the first rule at least three in consummate lifetime.^[25]

In 1976, ten years funding his first heart attack, recognized underwent heart-bypass surgery.

After serviceable in Minnesota for Grumpy Confirmation Men (1993), he was hospitalized for double pneumonia. In Dec 1995, he had a metropolis tumor removed, apparently successfully, laugh there was no mention disseminate cancer in his death voucher card. He was hospitalized in Can 1999 for more than pair months, again owing to pneumonia.^[14]

His death certificate lists the causes of death as "cardiac arrest" and "atherosclerotic heart disease", touch "end stage renal disease" explode "atrial fibrillation" as significant contributory factors.

There is no animadvert of cancer.^[26]

Death

On the late sunset decline of June 30, 2000, Matthau had a heart attack file his home and was working engaged by ambulance to the Got up in. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, where he died unadulterated few hours later at 1:42 a.m. on July 1, 2000, bequeath age 79.^[27] He is coffined at Westwood Village Memorial Protected area Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Matthau's wife Carol Marcus died din in 2003, and her body levelheaded interred in the same tract 1 as her husband.^{[citation needed]}

Filmography

Main article: List of Walter Matthau performances

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

Further reading

External links