Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau | |
|---|---|
 Matthau in 1952 | |
| Born | Walter John Matthow October 1, 1920 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 1, 2000 (aged 79) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
Resting place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Other name | Walter Matuschanskayasky |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1948–2000 |
| Notable work | Full list |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3, including Charles |
| Relatives | Aram Saroyan (step-son) Lucy Saroyan (step-daughter) |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
Service years | 1942–1945 |
Conflicts | |
Walter John Matthau (né Matthow, /ˈmæθaʊ/ MATH-ow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, known for his "hangdog face" and for playing world-weary characters. He starred in 10 films alongside his real-life friend Jack Lemmon, including The Odd Couple (1968) and Grumpy Old Men (1993). The New York Times called this "one of Hollywood's most successful pairings". Among other accolades, Matthau won an Academy Award, one BAFTA Award, and two Tony Awards.
On Broadway, Matthau originated the role of Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple by playwright Neil Simon, for which he received a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play in 1965, his second after A Shot in the Dark in 1962. Matthau won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the Billy Wilder film The Fortune Cookie (1966), with further Best Actor nominations for Kotch (1971) and The Sunshine Boys (1975). He gained further recognition for his portrayal of the coach of a hapless little league team in the baseball comedy The Bad News Bears (1976).
Matthau is also known for his performances in Elia Kazan's A Face in the Crowd (1957), the Elvis Presley vehicle King Creole (1958), Stanley Donen's romance Charade (1963), Fail Safe (1964), Gene Kelly's musical Hello, Dolly! (1969), Elaine May's screwball comedy A New Leaf (1971) and Herbert Ross's ensemble comedy California Suite (1978). He also starred in Plaza Suite (1971), Charley Varrick (1973), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), The Sunshine Boys (1975), House Calls (1978), Hopscotch (1980) and Dennis the Menace (1993).
In 1982, Matthau received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.