Tony Curtis
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 3, 1925
- Died
- September 29, 2010 (aged 85)
- Birthplace
- Bronx, New York, USA
Biography
Tony Curtis (June 3, 1925 – September 29, 2010) was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama. In his later years, Curtis made numerous television appearances. Although his early film roles were partly the result of his good looks, by the later half of the 1950's he became a notable and strong screen presence. He began proving himself to be a “fine dramatic actor,” having the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles. In his earliest parts he acted in a string of "mediocre" films, including swashbucklers, westerns, light comedies, sports films, and a musical. However, by the time he starred in Houdini (1953) with his wife Janet Leigh, "his first clear success," notes critic David Thomson, his acting had progressed immensely. He won his first serious recognition as a skilled dramatic actor in Sweet Smell of Success (1957) with co-star Burt Lancaster. The following year he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in another drama, The Defiant Ones (1958). Curtis then gave what many believe was his best acting, in a completely different role, the comedy Some Like It Hot (1959). Thomson calls it an "outrageous film," and it was voted the number 1 funniest film in history from a survey done by the American Film Institute. It costarred Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, and was directed by Billy Wilder. That was followed by Blake Edwards’ comedy Operation Petticoat (1959) with Cary Grant. They were both “frantic comedies,” and displayed "his impeccable comic timing." He often collaborated with Edwards on later films. His most significant serious part came in 1968 when he starred in the true-life drama The Boston Strangler, which some consider his "last major film role." The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his "chilling portrayal" of serial killer Albert DeSalvo. He gained 30 pounds and had his face "rebuilt" with a false nose to look like the real DeSalvo. Curtis was the father of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis by his first wife, actress Janet Leigh.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
100 Years of the Idiot: A Jerry Lewis Centenary
Movie
My Life As Roger Moore
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
From Roger Moore with Love
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Pictures of Ghosts
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Jamie Lee Curtis: Hollywood Call of Freedom
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Dream Girl: The Making of Marilyn Monroe
TV · as Tony Curtis · 3 eps
Morceaux de Cannes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The UnXplained
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Amicalement vôtre : Hollywood au service de sa Majesté
Movie · as Danny Wilde
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Movie · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
Talking Pictures
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
Movie · as Self
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe: In The Movies
Movie
That's Insignificance
Movie · as Self
Marilyn at the Movies
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe: I Want to Be Loved
Movie · as Self
Tony Curtis erzählt...
Movie · as Self
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Movie · as Eric (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
Movie · as Self
Hollywood sul Tevere
Movie
David & Fatima
Movie · as Mr. Schwartz
The Jill & Tony Curtis Story
Movie
The Graham Norton Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Shrink Rap
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot'
Movie · as Self
The Making of 'Some Like It Hot'
Movie · as Self
Hollywood Legenden
Movie · as Self
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy
Movie · as Self
Playboy's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Movie
Hope & Faith
TV · as Morris · 1 ep
Un film et son époque
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot'
Movie · as Self
Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot
Movie · as Self
Rescued from the Closet
Movie · as Self
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
TV · as Tony Curtis · 1 ep
Play It to the Bone
Movie · as Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan)
Stargames
Movie · as King Fendel
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever
Movie · as Bernard (voice)
Louis & Frank
Movie · as Lenny Star Springer
Die Johannes B. Kerner Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball
Movie · as Wald
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man
Movie · as Jack Steele
Elvis Meets Nixon
Movie · as Tony Curtis
The View
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Celluloid Closet
Movie · as Self
Suddenly Susan
TV · as Peter DiCaprio · 1 ep
The Immortals
Movie · as Dominic
Roger Moore: A Matter of Class
Movie · as Self
The Mrs Merton Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Century of Cinema
Movie · as Self
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
Movie · as Johnny Steele
Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit
Movie · as Lucky Bergstrom
The Mummy Lives
Movie · as Aziru / Dr. Mohassid
Naked in New York
Movie · as Carl Fisher
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
TV · as Dr. Mamba · 1 ep
Center of the Web
Movie · as Stephen Moore
Christmas in Connecticut
Movie · as Alexander Yardley
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
Movie · as Self
Hollywood Babylon II
Movie · as Narrator
Prime Target
Movie · as Copella
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
Movie · as Narrator (voice) / Self
Lobster Man from Mars
Movie · as J.P. Shelldrake
Thanksgiving Day
Movie · as Max Schloss
Midnight
Movie · as Mr. B
Tarzan in Manhattan
Movie · as Archimedes Porter
Walter and Carlo in America
Movie · as WIlly La Rouge
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany
Movie · as Mr. Cornfield
This Morning
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Roseanne
TV · 1 ep
Sparky's Magic Piano
Movie
The Dame Edna Experience
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Matin Bonheur
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sacrée soirée
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Murder in Three Acts
Movie · as Charles Cartwright
Club Life
Movie · as Hector
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
Movie · as Self
Mafia Princess
Movie · as Sam Giancana
Banter
Movie · as Charles Foster
Insignificance
Movie · as The Senator
Half Nelson
Movie
Where Is Parsifal?
Movie · as Parsifal Katzanella-Boden
Goldene Kamera
TV · as Self · 1 ep
BrainWaves
Movie · as Dr. Clavius
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Balboa
Movie · as Ernie Stoddard
Magic with the Stars
Movie · as Harry Houdini (archive footage) (uncredited)
Portrait of a Showgirl
Movie · as Joey DeLeon
Black Commando
Movie · as Col. Iago
The Million Dollar Face
Movie · as Chester Masterson
Inmates: A Love Story
Movie · as Flanagan
Wetten, dass..?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Mirror Crack'd
Movie · as Martin N. Fenn
Little Miss Marker
Movie · as Blackie
The Masqueraders
Movie · as Danny Wilde
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
Movie · as Robert Talbot
The Scarlett O'Hara War
Movie · as David O. Selznick
Death Becomes Me
Movie · as Danny Wilde (archive footage)
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
Movie · as Self
Title Shot
Movie · as Frank Renzetti
The Manitou
Movie · as Harry Erskine
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
Movie · as Marvin Lazar
Sextette
Movie · as Alexei Karansky
The Users
Movie · as Randy Brent
Vega$
TV · as Roth, Roth (uncredited) · 23 eps
Casanova & Company
Movie · as Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino
The Last Appointment!
Movie · as Danny Wilde
The Hollywood Greats
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 2 eps
Please Turn the Page
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Last Tycoon
Movie · as Rodriguez
The Switch
Movie · as Danny Wilde
The Count of Monte-Cristo
Movie · as Fernand Morcerf Mondego
Lepke
Movie · as Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter
Sporting Chance
Movie · as Danny Wilde (archive footage)
McCoy
TV · as McCoy · 4 eps
People's Choice Awards
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Mission: Monte Carlo
Movie · as Danny Wilde (archive footage)
London Conspiracy
Movie · as Danny Wilde (archive footage)
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Persuaders!
Movie · as Danny Wilde
The Third Girl from the Left
Movie · as Joey Jordan
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Norman Jewison, Film Maker
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
The Persuaders!
TV · as Danny Wilde · 24 eps
V.I.P. Schaukel
TV · as Self · 1 ep
You Can't Win 'Em All
Movie · as Adam Dyer
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
Movie · as Shannon Gambroni
Monte Carlo or Bust!
Movie · as Chester Schofield
Bracken's World
TV · 1 ep
The Boston Strangler
Movie · as Albert DeSalvo
Rosemary's Baby
Movie · as Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV · as Self (uncredited) · 3 eps
The Dick Cavett Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Don't Make Waves
Movie · as Carlo Cofield
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
Movie · as Guerrando da Montone
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
Movie · as Tom Ferris
Arrivederci, Baby!
Movie · as Nick Johnson
Chamber of Horrors
Movie · as Mr. Julian (uncredited)
The Legend of Marilyn Monroe
Movie
The Great Race
Movie · as The Great Leslie
Boeing, Boeing
Movie · as Bernard Lawrence
Paris When It Sizzles
Movie · as Actor Portraying Maurice or Philippe (uncredited)
Sex and the Single Girl
Movie · as Bob Weston
Goodbye Charlie
Movie · as George Wellington Tracy
Wild and Wonderful
Movie · as Terry Williams
The List of Adrian Messenger
Movie · as Organ Grinder
Captain Newman, M.D.
Movie · as Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz
Taras Bulba
Movie · as Andrei Bulba
40 Pounds of Trouble
Movie · as Steve McCluskey
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 6 eps
The Late Late Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Outsider
Movie · as Ira Hamilton Hayes
Spartacus
Movie · as Antoninus
People, Hopes, Medals
Movie · as Self
The Great Impostor
Movie · as Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd
Pepe
Movie · as Tony Curtis
The Rat Race
Movie · as Pete Hammond Jr.
Who Was That Lady?
Movie · as David Wilson
The Flintstones
TV · as Stony Curtis (voice) · 1 ep
Some Like It Hot
Movie · as Joe (Josephine)
Operation Petticoat
Movie · as Lieutenant Nicholas Holden
Startime
TV · as The Juggler · 1 ep
The Defiant Ones
Movie · as John 'Joker' Jackson
The Vikings
Movie · as Eric
Kings Go Forth
Movie · as Caporal Britt Harris
The Perfect Furlough
Movie · as Paul Hodges
Sweet Smell of Success
Movie · as Sidney Falco
The Midnight Story
Movie · as Joe Martini
Mister Cory
Movie · as Cory
Trapeze
Movie · as Tino Orsini
The Rawhide Years
Movie · as Ben Matthews
Nightmare
Movie · as Tony
The Steve Allen Show
TV · as Self - Recipient, Self - Guest · 1 ep
The Rosemary Clooney Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Allen in Movieland
Movie · as Self
Six Bridges to Cross
Movie · as Jerry Florea
The Purple Mask
Movie · as Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask
The Square Jungle
Movie · as Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon
The Black Shield of Falworth
Movie · as Myles Falworth
Beachhead
Movie · as Burke
Johnny Dark
Movie · as Johnny Dark
So This Is Paris
Movie · as Joe Maxwell
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Movie · as Self
Miss Glucksman Visits Hollywood
Movie
Forbidden
Movie · as Eddie Darrow
Houdini
Movie · as Harry Houdini
The All American
Movie · as Nick Bonelli
The World's Most Beautiful Girls
Movie · as Self
General Electric Theater
TV · as Mario Galindo, David · 1 ep
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 4 eps
Son of Ali Baba
Movie · as Kashma Baba
Flesh and Fury
Movie · as Paul Callan
No Room for the Groom
Movie · as Alvah Morrell
Meet Danny Wilson
Movie · as Nightclub Patron
Come Back Little Shiksa
Movie
An Eye for an Eye
Movie
This Is Your Life
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Prince Who Was a Thief
Movie · as Julna
The Re-Inforcer
Movie · as Tony Boffo
Fairfax Avenue
Movie
A Spot In The Shade
Movie
Nightmare
Movie
Watch On The Lime
Movie
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Charlie · 1 ep
Winchester '73
Movie · as Doan
I Was a Shoplifter
Movie · as Pepe
Kansas Raiders
Movie · as Kit Dalton
Sierra
Movie · as Brent Coulter
Francis
Movie · as Captain Jones
Woman in Hiding
Movie · as Dave Shaw (voice) (uncredited)
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV · as Self · 4 eps
What's My Line?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Criss Cross
Movie · as Gigolo (uncredited)
The Lady Gambles
Movie · as Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis)
City Across the River
Movie · as Mitch (as Anthony Curtis)
Johnny Stool Pigeon
Movie · as Joey Hyatt
How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border
Movie
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Bambi
TV · as Self · 2 eps