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Walter Matthau
Actor

Walter Matthau

1 Oct 1920Born
1 Jul 2000Died
79Age at death
88Credits

Biography

Walter Matthau (born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, comedian and film director.

He is best known for his film roles in A Face in the Crowd (1957), King Creole (1958) and as a coach of a hapless little league team in the baseball comedy The Bad News Bears (1976). He also starred in 10 films alongside Jack Lemmon, including The Odd Couple (1968), The Front Page (1974) and Grumpy Old Men (1993). Matthau won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the Billy Wilder film The Fortune Cookie (1966).

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Matthau is also known for his performances in Stanley Donen's romance Charade (1963), Gene Kelly's musical Hello, Dolly! (1969), Elaine May's screwball comedy A New Leaf (1971) and Herbert Ross' ensemble comedy California Suite (1978). He also starred in Plaza Suite, Kotch (both 1971), Charley Varrick (1973), The Sunshine Boys (1975), and Hopscotch (1980).

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 Actor in a Play in 1965, his second after A Shot in the Dark in 1962. Matthau also received two British Academy Film Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 1963, he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his performance in The DuPont Show of the Week. In 1982, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 88 credits.

  1. TBAThe Making of Pelham One Two ThreeFilm
  2. 2000Hanging UpFilm: Lou Mozell
  3. 1998The Marriage FoolFilm: Frank Walsh
  4. 1998The Odd Couple IIFilm: Oscar Madison
  5. 1998Billy Wilder: The Human ComedyFilm: Narrator
  6. 1997Out to SeaFilm: Charlie
  7. 1996I'm Not RappaportFilm: Nat Moyer
  8. 1996The Grass HarpFilm: Judge Charlie Cool
  9. 1995Grumpier Old MenFilm: Max Goldman
  10. 1994I.Q.Film: Albert Einstein
  11. 1994Incident in a Small TownFilm: Harmon Cobb
  12. 1993Grumpy Old MenFilm: Max Goldman
  13. 1993Dennis the MenaceFilm: Mr. Wilson
  14. 1992How the Grinch Stole Christmas!Film: Narrator (voice)
  15. 1992Against Her Will: An Incident in BaltimoreFilm: Harmon Cobb
  16. 1991JFKFilm: Senator Long
  17. 1991Mrs. Lambert Remembers LoveFilm: Clifford Pepperman
  18. 1990The IncidentFilm: Harmon Cobb
  19. 1988The Little DevilFilm: Padre Maurizio
  20. 1988The Couch TripFilm: Donald Becker
  21. 1986PiratesFilm: Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
  22. 1985Movers & ShakersFilm: Joe Mulholland
  23. 1983The SurvivorsFilm: Sonny Paluso
  24. 1982I Ought to Be in PicturesFilm: Herbert Tucker
  25. 1981First Monday in OctoberFilm: Dan Snow
  26. 1981Buddy BuddyFilm: Trabucco
  27. 1980HopscotchFilm: Miles Kendig
  28. 1980Little Miss MarkerFilm: Sorrowful Jones
  29. 1978The Stingiest Man in TownFilm: Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
  30. 1978California SuiteFilm: Marvin Michaels
  31. 1978House CallsFilm: Dr. Charley Nichols
  32. 1978ActorFilm: Boris Thomashevsky
  33. 1978Casey's ShadowFilm: Lloyd Bourdelle
  34. 1976The Bad News BearsFilm: Morris Buttermaker
  35. 1975The Sunshine BoysFilm: Willy Clark
  36. 1974EarthquakeFilm: Drunk
  37. 1974The Front PageFilm: Walter Burns
  38. 1974The Taking of Pelham One Two ThreeFilm: Lieutenant Garber
  39. 1973The Laughing PolicemanFilm: Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
  40. 1973Charley VarrickFilm: Charley Varrick
  41. 1972Pete 'n' TillieFilm: Pete Seltzer
  42. 1972Awake and Sing!Film: Moe Axelrod
  43. 1971KotchFilm: Joseph P. Kotcher
  44. 1971Plaza SuiteFilm: Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
  45. 1971A New LeafFilm: Henry Graham
  46. 1969Cactus FlowerFilm: Dr. Julian Winston
  47. 1969Hello, Dolly!Film: Horace Vandergelder
  48. 1968CandyFilm: Gen. R.A. Smight
  49. 1968The Secret Life of an American WifeFilm: The Movie Star
  50. 1968The Odd CoupleFilm: Oscar Madison
  51. 1967A Guide for the Married ManFilm: Paul Manning
  52. 1966The Fortune CookieFilm: Willie Gingrich
  53. 1965MirageFilm: Ted Caselle
  54. 1964Goodbye CharlieFilm: Leo Sartori
  55. 1964Profiles in CourageSeries: Gov. John Slaton, Andrew Johnson (1 episode)
  56. 1964Fail SafeFilm: Prof. Groeteschele
  57. 1964Ensign PulverFilm: Doc
  58. 1963CharadeFilm: Hamilton Bartholemew
  59. 1963Island of LoveFilm: Tony Dallas
  60. 1962Who's Got the Action?Film: Tony Gagouts
  61. 1962Big Deal in LaredoFilm: Meredith
  62. 1962Lonely are the BraveFilm: Sheriff Morey Johnson
  63. 1961Target: The Corruptors!Series (2 episodes)
  64. 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Franklin Gaer (1 episode)
  65. 1961Tallahassee 7000Series: Lex Rogers (26 episodes)
  66. 1960Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'Film: Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
  67. 1960Route 66Series (1 episode)
  68. 1960Strangers When We MeetFilm: Felix Anders
  69. 1959Gangster StoryFilm: Jack Martin, Director
  70. 1958Ride a Crooked TrailFilm: Judge Kyle
  71. 1958OnionheadFilm: 'Red' Wildoe
  72. 1958Naked CitySeries: Peter Kanopolis, Dr. Max Lewine (1 episode)
  73. 1958Voice in the MirrorFilm: Dr. Karnes
  74. 1958King CreoleFilm: Maxie Fields
  75. 1957Slaughter on 10th AvenueFilm: Al Dahlke
  76. 1957A Face in the CrowdFilm: Mel Miller
  77. 1956Bigger Than LifeFilm: Wally Gibbs
  78. 1955The Indian FighterFilm: Wes Todd
  79. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Off. Pete Chandler, Moran, Harry Wade, Phil (1 episode)
  80. 1955The KentuckianFilm: Stan Bodine

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.