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Walter Matthau

Acting 79 (deceased) years old New York City, New York, USA ★ 2.0
Born: October 1, 1920
Died: July 1, 2000

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.

Filmography

Acting Credits (133)

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

Directing Credits (1)

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