Walter Matthau
Milestones
- Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
- Birthday: October 1, 1920
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2000
Cast as the ailing father in Diane Keaton's "Hanging Up", scripted by Delia and Nora Ephron; when a case of pneumonia forced him to leave the production early, son Charles stepped in and played his father's character in a few flashback scenes
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1998
Reprised role of Oscar to Lemmon's Felix in the ill-advised "The Odd Couple II", scripted by Simon
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1998
Starred opposite Burnett in "The Marriage Fool" (CBS), directed by son Charles
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1997
Twelfth acting collaboration with Lemmon, "Out to Sea"
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1996
Played angry, aging Jewish radical in Herb Gardner's film version of his play "I'm Not Rappaport"; co-starred Ossie Davis
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1995
Reprised role opposite Lemmon in sequel, "Grumpier Old Men", which again featured Ann-Margret; also co-starred Sophia Loren
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1995
Reteamed with son, acting in Charles' sophomore feature as director, "The Grass Harp", based on the novel by Truman Capote; in addition to Lemmon, Roddy McDowell, Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and Joe Don Baker acted in film
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1994
Essayed Albert Einstein for Fred Schepisi's "I.Q.", which reteamed him with Gene Saks playing one of his cronies
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1993
Co-starred with Jack Lemmon in "Grumpy Old Men", which reteamed him with Ann-Margret
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1993
Portrayed the original grumpy old man, Mr. Wilson, in feature version of "Dennis the Menace"
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1991
Acted in "Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love" (CBS), directed by son Charles Matthau
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1990
Returned to the small screen as star of "The Incident" (CBS), directed by Joseph Sargent; appeared in two sequels, "Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore" (1992) and "Incident in a Small Town" (1994), both helmed by Delbert Mann
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1988
Again collaborated with Ritchie on "The Couch Trip"; also played a priest who exorcises the devil out of a woman in Roberto Begnini's "The Little Devil" (never released in USA)
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1986
Played peg-leg Captain Red in Roman Polanski's "Pirates"
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1983
Reteamed with Ritchie on "The Survivors", co-starring Robin Williams
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1981
Reunited with Ross and Simon for "I Ought to be in Pictures"; first film with Ann-Margret
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1981
Third and last collaboration with Wilder, "Buddy Buddy", co-starring Lemmon
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1980
Executive produced and starred in Walter Bernstein's remake of "Little Miss Marker"
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1980
Reteamed with Jackson on "Hopscotch"
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1978
"House Calls", his first film with Glenda Jackson, teamed him again with Carney who offered an hysterical turn as the addle-brained head of surgery at Matthau's hospital; also acted in Ritt's "Casey's Shadow"
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1978
Reteamed with Ross, Simon and Elaine May on "California Suite"
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1976
Made a fine, irascible coach of "The Bad News Bears", directed by Michael Ritchie
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1975
First of three films directed by Herbert Ross and scripted by Simon from his plays, "The Sunshine Boys", co-starring George Burns; earned another Oscar nod as Best Actor
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1974
Billed as Walter Matuschanskavasky for his cameo in "Earthquake", adding fuel to a flame he had fanned by jokingly telling a writer a few years before that it was his "real" name
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1974
First stage appearance in almost a decade (and to date last stage role), "Juno and the Paycock" in Los Angeles
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1974
Reunited with Wilder, Lemmon and Burnett for the uneven remake of "The Front Page"
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1972
Acted opposite Carol Burnett in Martin Ritt's "Pete 'n' Tillie"
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1972
Made rare TV appearance in "Awake and Sing" (PBS)
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1971
Portrayed "gold digger" with murder on his mind in Elaine May's "A New Leaf"
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1971
Second film version of a Neil Simon play, "Plaza Suite"
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1971
Starred as "Kotch", directed by Lemmon; earned first Oscar nomination as Best Actor
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1969
Played romantic lead in Kelly's film version of the musical "Hello, Dolly!"; Barbra Streisand played Dolly Levi
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1969
Reteamed with Saks for "Cactus Flower", acting opposite Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in her first significant film role)
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1968
Reprised "Odd Couple" role opposite Lemmon's Felix in film version directed by Gene Saks
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1967
Reteamed with Carney in Gene Kelly's "A Guide for the Married Man"
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1966
First film with Jack Lemmon and first collaboration with writer-director Billy Wilder, "The Fortune Cookie"; won Best Supporting Actor Oscar
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1965
Originated role of Oscar Madison on Broadway in Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" opposite Art Carney as Felix Unger
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1965
Slowed down by a serious heart attack; would have a quadruple by-pass operation in 1977
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1963
Turned in another fine, villainous turn in Stanley Donen's "Charade", starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn
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1959
Sole film as director, "The Gangster Story"; also co-starred
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1958
Portrayed evil crime boss in Michael Curtiz's "King Creole", starring Elvis Presley
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1957
Played a cynical newsman investigating Andy Griffith's character in "A Face in the Crowd"
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1957
Starred in short-lived syndicated TV series, "Tallahassee 7000"
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1956
Played James Mason's family friend in the underrated "Bigger Than Life", a forceful, realistic tale exposing both the good and bad of the wonder drug cortisone; produced by Mason
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1955
Appeared in first hit show, as co-star of Broadway production of "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?"
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1955
Film acting debut as an evil saloon keeper in "The Kentuckian", directed by and co-starring Burt Lancaster
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1953
Played Iago in "Philco Television Playhouse" (NBC) presentation of "Othello"
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1950
TV debut in "Last Cruise", an episode of "Studio One" (CBS)
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1948
Hired as an understudy for the Broadway production of "Anne of the Thousand Days"; eventually made Broadway debut as the 85-year-old Bishop Fisher
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1947
Was stock player with Orange County Playhouse (New York)
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1946
Appeared in summer stock with Erie County Playhouse (Pennsylvania) in "Ten Nights in a Bar Room"
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1945
Upon Army discharge went to Reno, Nevada, to work for Railway Express; eventually moved back to NYC
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1942 to 1945
Served in US Army Air Force as radio operator and cryptographer; stationed in England, France and Germany
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1931
Professional stage debut at age 11 in "The Dishwasher", a musical comedy (date approximate)
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Appeared in 18 plays on Broadway
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Played bit parts in local Yiddish theater productions as child
Upcoming Appearances
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