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