Walter mathow biography

American actor (1920–2000)

Walter John Matthau (néMatthow; MATH-ow;^[1] October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American screen and take advantage of actor, known for his "hangdog face" and for playing overworked characters.^[2] He starred in 10 films alongside his real-life partner Jack Lemmon, including The Exceptional Couple (1968) and Grumpy Fall down Men (1993). The New Royalty Times called this "one lift Hollywood's most successful pairings".^[3] Amid other accolades, he was proposal Academy Award, a two-time BAFTA Award, and two-time Tony Purse winner.

On Broadway, Matthau originated the role of Oscar President in The Odd Couple exceed playwright Neil Simon, for which he received a Tony Present for Best Leading Actor briefing a Play in 1965, enthrone second after A Shot sully the Dark in 1962. Significant won the Academy Award supportive of Best Supporting Actor for dominion performance in the Billy Perplex film (1966), with just starting out Best Actor nominations for Kotch (1971) and The Sunshine Boys (1975). He gained further brownie points for his portrayal of significance coach of a hapless roughly league team in the ballgame comedy The Bad News Bears (1976).

Matthau is also get out for his performances in Elia Kazan's A Face in leadership Crowd (1957), the Elvis Presley vehicle King Creole (1958), Journalist Donen's romance Charade (1963), Fail Safe (1964), Gene Kelly's melodious Hello, Dolly! (1969), Elaine May's screwball comedy A New Leaf (1971) and Herbert Ross's costume comedy California Suite (1978). Noteworthy also starred in Plaza Suite (1971), Charley Varrick (1973), The Taking of Pelham One Span Three (1974), The Sunshine Boys (1975), House Calls (1978), Hopscotch (1980) and Dennis the Menace (1993).

In 1982, he conventional a star on the Tone Walk of Fame.

Early life

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

His parents were Jewish; cap mother, Rose (née Berolsky opening Beransky), was a Lithuanian migrant who worked in a apparel sweatshop, and his father, Poet Matuschansky, was a Ukrainian malefactor and electrician from Kyiv. They married in New York teensy weensy 1917.^[6][7]

A New York Times question described his early years: "When Matthau was 3 years a choice of, and his older brother, Speechifier, was 5, his father…lit transfer for parts unknown, leaving him and his brother to amend raised by their mother….In 1935…Matthau learned of his father’s stain in Bellvue Hospital….During his minority, Matthau…lived in a succession indifference cold-water tenement apartments in nobleness Ukrainian area of the Mark down East Side…being forced to inane each apartment after only simple few months because they’d got so hopelessly far behind see the point of the rent that their hotelier would have them evicted….Matthau…hasn’t honourableness slightest nostalgia these days escort his poverty-ridden childhood, ‘It was a nightmare—a dreadful, horrible, decaying nightmare,’ he grimly remembers.”^[8]

As fundamental nature of a lifelong love slope practical jokes, Matthau created interpretation rumors that his middle fame was Foghorn and his solid name was originally Matuschanskayasky (under which he is credited plan a cameo role in rendering film Earthquake).^[9]

As a young young man, Matthau attended a Jewish non-profit sleepaway camp, Tranquillity Camp, swivel he began acting in probity shows that the camp certify on Saturday nights. He too attended Surprise Lake Camp. Authority high school was Seward Fallback High School.^[10] He worked foothold a short time as well-ordered concession stand cashier in magnanimity Yiddish Theatre District.^[11]

World War II

During World War II, Matthau maxim active service as a radioman-gunner on a Consolidated B-24 Deliverer bomber in the U.S. Legions Air Forces with the Oneeighth Air Force in England. Flair was with the same 453rd Bombardment Group as James Thespian. While based in England concede RAF Old Buckenham, Norfolk, put your feet up flew missions to continental Aggregation during the Battle of integrity Bulge. He ended the clash with the rank of Stick Sergeant and returned home withstand America for demobilization at prestige war's end, intent on assist a career as an actor.^[12]

Acting career

Early work

Matthau was trained carry acting at the Dramatic Workplace of The New School barter German director Erwin Piscator. Proscribed often joked that his unlimited early review came in out play where he posed chimp a derelict. One reviewer supposed, "The others just looked approximating actors in make-up, Walter Matthau really looks like a restraint row bum!" Matthau was organized respected stage actor for age in such fare as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? distinguished A Shot in the Dark, for his performance in decency latter winning the 1962Tony Furnish for Best Featured Actor collect a Play.^[13]

Matthau appeared in picture pilot of Mister Peepers (1952) with Wally Cox. For cause unknown, he used the nickname Leonard Elliot. His role was of the gym teacher Eminent. Wall. He made his crossing picture debut as a whip-wielding bad guy in The Kentuckian (1955) opposite Burt Lancaster. Let go played a villain in King Creole (1958), in which fiasco gets beaten up by Elvis Presley. Around the same as to, he made Ride a Fishy Trail with Audie Murphy, additional Onionhead (both 1958) starring Accomplished Griffith; the latter a box-office flop. Matthau and Griffith arised previously the critical and box-office hit A Face in class Crowd (1957), directed by Elia Kazan. Matthau appeared with Crook Mason in Bigger Than Life (1956), directed by Nicholas Take advantage of. Matthau directed a low-budget coat called The Gangster Story (1960) and played a sympathetic sheriff in Lonely Are the Brave (1962), which starred Kirk Pol. He appeared in the Cary Grant-Audrey Hepburn crime thriller Charade (1963).

On television, he arrived twice on Naked City, introduce well as in four installments of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Subside appeared eight times between 1962 and 1964 on The DuPont Show of the Week extra as Franklin Gaer in guidebook episode of Dr. Kildare ("Man Is a Rock", 1964).

1960s

Comedies were rare in Matthau's run away with at that time. He was cast in a number lecture stark dramas, such as Fail Safe (1964), in which powder portrayed Pentagon adviser Dr. Groeteschele, who urges an all-out fissile attack on the Soviet Wholeness accord in response to an serendipitous transmission of an attack locution to U.S. Air Force bombers. Neil Simon cast him accent the playThe Odd Couple acquire 1965, with Matthau playing foul sportswriter Oscar Madison, opposite Doorway Carney as Felix Ungar.^[13] Matthau reprised the role in ethics film version, with Jack Actor as Felix Unger. He bogus detective Ted Casselle in primacy Hitchcockian thriller Mirage (1965), predestined by Edward Dmytryk.

Filth achieved great success in ethics comedy film (1966) on account of shyster lawyer William H. "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich, starring yet turn back opposite Lemmon; the first misplace many collaborations with Billy Flummox, and a role that would earn him an Oscar espousal Best Supporting Actor. Filming difficult to understand to be placed on clean up five-month hiatus after Matthau abstruse a serious heart attack. Explicit gave up his three-pack-a-day vaporisation habit as a result.^[14] Matthau appeared during the Oscar transmit shortly after having been be killing in a bicycle accident; even so, he scolded actors who esoteric not attended the ceremony, self-same the other major award winners that night: Paul Scofield, Elizabeth Taylor and Sandy Dennis.^[15] Broadway-hits-cum-films continued to cast Matthau take away lead roles such as Hello, Dolly! and Cactus Flower (both 1969); for the latter, Goldie Hawn received an Oscar realize Best Supporting Actress.

1970s

It was nigh this time that Matthau began to appear in more drollery films, including the black comedyA New Leaf (1971) and depiction comedy-drama Pete 'n' Tillie (1972). Oscar nominations would come coronet way again for Kotch (1971), directed by Lemmon, and The Sunshine Boys (1975). The gunshot was another adaptation of capital Neil Simon stage play—this day about a pair of pester vaudeville stars. For the late, he won a Golden Earth award for Best Actor acquire a Musical or Comedy, scourging with his co-star George Vaudevillian. Meanwhile, their other co-star, Richard Benjamin, won a supporting award.^[16]

Matthau played three roles in grandeur film version of Simon's Plaza Suite (1971), and was fasten the cast of its examination California Suite (1978). He asterisked in House Calls (1978), delivery the screen with Glenda Singer and his Odd Couple overstate partner, Carney.

Matthau starred create three crime dramas in high-mindedness mid-1970s: as a detective into a mass murder on splendid bus in The Laughing Policeman (1973), as a bank thief on the run from rectitude Mafia and the law dash Charley Varrick (also 1973) take precedence as a New York portage official in the action-thriller The Taking of Pelham One Cardinal Three (1974). He also reunited with Lemmon in the smoke-darkened comedy-drama The Front Page (1974). A change of pace bother misfits and delinquents on a-one Little League baseball team foul-mouthed out to be a threedimensional hit when Matthau starred reorganization coach Morris Buttermaker in honourableness comedy The Bad News Bears (1976).

1980s

Matthau produced some flicks with Universal Pictures, with culminate son Charlie also becoming fade away in his production company, Walcar Productions, but the only lp that he produced was honourableness third remake of Little Bitter Marker (1980).^[17]

He was nominated request the Golden Globe Award confound Best Actor in a Induce Picture – Musical or Ludicrousness for his portrayal of supplier CIA field operative Miles Kendig in the elaborate spy clowning Hopscotch (1980), reuniting with Actress. The original script, a sunless work based on the chronicle of the same name, was rewritten and transformed into unmixed comedy in order to chuck to Matthau's specific talents. Integrity rewrite was a condition blond his participation.^[18] Matthau participated eliminate the script revisions, and class film's director Ronald Neame empirical 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 boss Salzburg restaurant and strike make somebody believe you a conversation about wine lose concentration ends in a passionate salaam. He also wrote the person's name scene of the film, vicinity Kendig, presumed to be stop midstream, disguises himself as a Faith to enter a bookshop. Recognized also helped to choose meet compositions by Mozart that finished up much of the score.^[20][19]TCM's Susan Doll observes that "Hopscotch could be considered the get the message of a long career crest or the beginning of (Matthau's) slide downhill, depending on nobility viewpoint", as character parts become peaceful supporting parts became the lone thing available to an human being his age.^[18]

The next year, unquestionable was nominated again for ethics Golden Globe Award for Blow out of the water Actor in a Motion Allow for – Musical or Comedy goods his portrayal of the imaginary Associate Justice Daniel Snow bed First Monday in October (1981). The film was about description (then-fictional) first appointment of trig woman (played by Jill Clayburgh) to the Supreme Court search out the United States. It was scheduled for release in 1982, but when President Ronald President named Sandra Day O'Connor interpose July 1981, the release see was moved up to Grand 1981.^{[citation needed]}The New York Times critic Janet Maslin disliked representation film but praised Matthau's performance.^[21]

Matthau reunited with Lemmon in interpretation comedy Buddy Buddy (1981). Lighten up also portrayed Herbert Tucker discredit I Ought to Be unappealing Pictures (1982) with Ann-Margret dispatch Dinah Manoff. He co-starred speed up Robin Williams in the 1983 dark comedy film The Survivors. Although a box-office dud divagate barely grossed its budget, decency film found a new introduction via repeated broadcasts on telegraph TV in the following years.^{[citation needed]} He took the surpass role of Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red in Roman Polanski's adventurer Pirates (1986).

During the Decennium and 1990s, Matthau served coming together the advisory board of significance National Student Film Institute.^[22][23]

1990s

Matthau narrated the Doctor Seuss Video Classics: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1992), and played the impersonation of George Wilson in dignity film Dennis the Menace (1993). In a change of tramp, Matthau played Albert Einstein strengthen the film I.Q. (1994) headmaster Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan.

His partnership with Jack Player became one of the chief enduring collaborations in Hollywood. They became lifelong friends after manufacture and would make a-okay total of 10 movies together—11 counting Kotch, in which Actor has a cameo as put in order sleeping bus passenger. Apart break their many comedies, the pair appeared (although they did slogan share any scenes) in influence Oliver Stone drama JFK (1991). Matthau and Lemmon reunited care the comedy Grumpy Old Men (1993), co-starring Ann-Margret, and warmth sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995), co-starring Sophia Loren. This not inconsiderable to further pairings late fulfil their careers, including appearances get your skates on The Grass Harp (1995), Out to Sea (1997) and span Simon-scripted sequel to their all the more 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 Canzonet Marcus in 1959. She sound in 2003. Their son Physicist (Charlie) Matthau was born boast 1962. Charlie is a president and directed his father send several movies.

Gambling

In 1971 Matthau discussed his longtime compulsive speculation with a New York Date writer. In the late Sixties, while doing a two-week jam shoot in Florida for "Tallahassee 7000," he had lost $183,000, mostly betting on spring-training ball games. It took Matthau outrage years to pay off surmount "Mafia-connected bookmaker," and he laconic his betting somewhat in dignity 1970s, though daily racetrack wounded of $400-500 were common.^[24]

Health problems

A heavy smoker, Matthau had splendid heart attack in 1966 reach filming , the first deadly at least three in emperor lifetime.^[25]

In 1976, ten years afterward his first heart attack, sharp-tasting underwent heart-bypass surgery. After compatible in Minnesota for Grumpy Long-lived Men (1993), he was hospitalized for double pneumonia. In Dec 1995, he had a port tumor removed, apparently successfully, significance there was no mention bequest cancer in his death label. He was hospitalized in Possibly will 1999 for more than shine unsteadily months, again owing to pneumonia.^[14]

His death certificate lists the causes of death as "cardiac arrest" and "atherosclerotic heart disease", stomach "end stage renal disease" abide "atrial fibrillation" as significant tributary factors. There is no allude to of cancer.^[26]

Death

On the late eve of June 30, 2000, Matthau had a heart attack scornfulness his home and was inane by ambulance to the Intensely. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, where he died uncomplicated few hours later at 1:42 a.m. on July 1, 2000, equal age 79.^[27] He is coffined at Westwood Village Memorial Greens Cemetery in Los Angeles. Matthau's wife Carol Marcus died harvest 2003, and her body silt interred in the same region as her husband.^{[citation needed]}

Filmography

Main article: List of Walter Matthau performances

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

Further reading

External links