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Acting
Walter Matthau
Also known as: Walter John Matthau
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). 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.
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
October 1, 1920
Day of Death
July 1, 2000
Age at Death
79 years old
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Popularity Score
2.0
Filmography
Elvis: A Life in Music
Self (archive footage)
2026Movie
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
Self (archive footage)
2020Movie
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
Self (archive footage)
2015Movie
Hanging Up
Lou Mozell
2000Movie
The Odd Couple II
Oscar Madison
1998Movie
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
Narrator
1998Movie
The Marriage Fool
Frank Walsh
1998Movie
Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
Self
1998Movie
Out to Sea
Charlie Gordon
1997Movie
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
Self
1997Movie
I'm Not Rappaport
Nat Moyer
1996Movie
The Grass Harp
Judge Charlie Cool
1996Movie
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
Self
1996Movie
Grumpier Old Men
Max Goldman
1995Movie
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self
1995Movie
I.Q.
Albert Einstein
1994Movie
Incident in a Small Town
Harmon Cobb
1994Movie
Grumpy Old Men
Max Goldman
1993Movie
Dennis the Menace
Mr. Wilson
1993Movie
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
Self
1993Movie
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Narrator (voice)
1992Movie
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
Harmon Cobb
1992Movie
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
Self
1992Movie
JFK
Senator Long
1991Movie
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Clifford Pepperman
1991Movie
The Incident
Harmon Cobb
1990Movie
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
Self (voice)
1989Movie
The Couch Trip
Donald Becker
1988Movie
The Little Devil
Padre Maurizio
1988Movie
A Beverly Hills Christmas
Self
1987Movie
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self
1987Movie
Pirates
Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
1986Movie
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
Self
1986Movie
Movers & Shakers
Joe Mulholland
1985Movie
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
Self - Performer
1984Movie
The Survivors
Sonny Paluso
1983Movie
I Love Liberty
Self
1982Movie
I Ought to Be in Pictures
Herbert Tucker
1982Movie
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
Self
1982Movie
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder
Self
1982Movie
Buddy Buddy
Trabucco
1981Movie
First Monday in October
Dan Snow
1981Movie
Hopscotch
Miles Kendig
1980Movie
Little Miss Marker
Sorrowful Jones
1980Movie
Little Miss Marker
Executive Producer
1980Movie
California Suite
Marvin Michaels
1978Movie
House Calls
Dr. Charley Nichols
1978Movie
Casey's Shadow
Lloyd Bourdelle
1978Movie
The Stingiest Man in Town
Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
1978Movie
Funny Business
Self - Host
1978Movie
Actor
Boris Thomashevsky
1978Movie
The Bad News Bears
Morris Buttermaker
1976Movie
The Gentleman Tramp
Self / Narrator
1976Movie
The Sunshine Boys
Willy Clark
1975Movie
The Lion Roars Again
Self
1975Movie
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975TV
The Front Page
Walter Burns
1974Movie
Earthquake
Drunk
1974Movie
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Lieutenant Garber
1974Movie
Charley Varrick
Charley Varrick
1973Movie
The Laughing Policeman
Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
1973Movie
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
1973TV
Pete 'n' Tillie
Pete Seltzer
1972Movie
Awake and Sing!
Moe Axelrod
1972Movie
Plaza Suite
Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
1971Movie
A New Leaf
Henry Graham
1971Movie
Kotch
Joseph P. Kotcher
1971Movie
Great Performances
Self
1971TV
Film '72
Self
1971TV
Cactus Flower
Julian Winston
1969Movie
Hello, Dolly!
Horace Vandergelder
1969Movie
The Odd Couple
Oscar Madison
1968Movie
Candy
Gen. R.A. Smight
1968Movie
The Secret Life of an American Wife
The Movie Star
1968Movie
Carol Channing and 101 Men
Self
1968Movie
Jack Benny's Bag
Self
1968Movie
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968TV
A Guide for the Married Man
Paul Manning
1967Movie
The Fortune Cookie
Willie Gingrich
1966Movie
Mirage
Ted Caselle
1965Movie
Fail Safe
Prof. Groeteschele
1964Movie
Ensign Pulver
Doc
1964Movie
Goodbye Charlie
Leo Sartori
1964Movie
Profiles in Courage
Gov. John Slaton
1964TV
Charade
Hamilton Bartholemew
1963Movie
Island of Love
Tony Dallas
1963Movie
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Tom Gregory
1963TV
Lonely are the Brave
Sheriff Morey Johnson
1962Movie
Who's Got the Action?
Tony Gagouts
1962Movie
Big Deal in Laredo
Meredith
1962Movie
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962TV
Target: The Corruptors!
1961TV
Dr. Kildare
Franklin Gaer
1961TV
Tallahassee 7000
Lex Rogers
1961TV
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961TV
Strangers When We Meet
Felix Anders
1960Movie
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
1960Movie
Route 66
1960TV
Gangster Story
Jack Martin
1959Movie
Gangster Story
Director
1959Movie
Ride a Crooked Trail
Judge Kyle
1958Movie
King Creole
Maxie Fields
1958Movie
Voice in the Mirror
Dr. Karnes
1958Movie
Onionhead
'Red' Wildoe
1958Movie
Naked City
Peter Kanopolis
1958TV
A Face in the Crowd
Mel Miller
1957Movie
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
Al Dahlke
1957Movie
Bigger Than Life
Wally Gibbs
1956Movie
Tony Awards
Self - Host
1956TV
The Kentuckian
Stan Bodine
1955Movie
The Indian Fighter
Wes Todd
1955Movie
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Off. Pete Chandler
1955TV
Atomic Attack
Dr. Spinelli
1954Movie
Climax!
Charlie Mapes
1954TV
General Electric Theater
1953TV
The Oscars
Self
1953TV
Lux Video Theatre
Coastguardsman
1950TV
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950TV
Suspense
Lawrence Stevens
1949TV
Studio One
Jacobs
1948TV
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948TV
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee / Presenter
1944TV