Walter Matthau

Walter Matthau

Known for
Acting
Born
October 1, 1920
Died
July 1, 2000 (aged 79)
Birthplace
New York City, New York, USA

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.

Known For

Photos

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Filmography

2020
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War poster

'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

2015
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick' poster

Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

2000
Hanging Up poster

Hanging Up

Movie · as Lou Mozell

1998
The Odd Couple II poster

The Odd Couple II

Movie · as Oscar Madison

1998
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy poster

Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy

Movie · as Narrator

1998
The Marriage Fool poster

The Marriage Fool

Movie · as Frank Walsh

1997
Out to Sea poster

Out to Sea

Movie · as Charlie

1997
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough poster

Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

Movie · as Self

1996
I'm Not Rappaport poster

I'm Not Rappaport

Movie · as Nat Moyer

1996
The Grass Harp poster

The Grass Harp

Movie · as Judge Charlie Cool

1996
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman poster

Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman

Movie · as Self

1995
Grumpier Old Men poster

Grumpier Old Men

Movie · as Max Goldman

1995
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies poster

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

Movie · as Self

1994
I.Q. poster

I.Q.

Movie · as Albert Einstein

1994
Incident in a Small Town poster

Incident in a Small Town

Movie · as Harmon Cobb

1993
Grumpy Old Men poster

Grumpy Old Men

Movie · as Max Goldman

1993
Dennis the Menace poster

Dennis the Menace

Movie · as Mr. Wilson

1993
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy poster

Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy

Movie · as Self

1992
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! poster

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

1992
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore poster

Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore

Movie · as Harmon Cobb

1992
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys poster

Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys

Movie · as Self

1991
JFK poster

JFK

Movie · as Senator Long

1991
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love poster

Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love

Movie · as Clifford Pepperman

1990
The Incident poster

The Incident

Movie · as Harmon Cobb

1989
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre

Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre

Movie · as Self (voice)

1988
The Couch Trip poster

The Couch Trip

Movie · as Donald Becker

1988
The Little Devil poster

The Little Devil

Movie · as Padre Maurizio

1987
A Beverly Hills Christmas poster

A Beverly Hills Christmas

Movie · as Self

1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life poster

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

Movie · as Self

1986
Pirates poster

Pirates

Movie · as Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red

1986
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special poster

Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

Movie · as Self

1985
Movers & Shakers poster

Movers & Shakers

Movie · as Joe Mulholland

1984
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team poster

The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

Movie · as Self - Performer

1983
The Survivors poster

The Survivors

Movie · as Sonny Paluso

1982
I Love Liberty poster

I Love Liberty

Movie · as Self

1982
I Ought to Be in Pictures poster

I Ought to Be in Pictures

Movie · as Herbert Tucker

1982
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter poster

Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter

Movie · as Self

1982
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder poster

Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder

Movie · as Self

1981
Buddy Buddy poster

Buddy Buddy

Movie · as Trabucco

1981
First Monday in October poster

First Monday in October

Movie · as Dan Snow

1980
Hopscotch poster

Hopscotch

Movie · as Miles Kendig

1980
Little Miss Marker poster

Little Miss Marker

Movie · as Sorrowful Jones

1978
California Suite poster

California Suite

Movie · as Marvin Michaels

1978
House Calls poster

House Calls

Movie · as Dr. Charley Nichols

1978
Casey's Shadow poster

Casey's Shadow

Movie · as Lloyd Bourdelle

1978
The Stingiest Man in Town poster

The Stingiest Man in Town

Movie · as Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)

1978
Funny Business

Funny Business

Movie · as Self - Host

1978
Actor poster

Actor

Movie · as Boris Thomashevsky

1976
The Bad News Bears poster

The Bad News Bears

Movie · as Morris Buttermaker

1976
The Gentleman Tramp poster

The Gentleman Tramp

Movie · as Self / Narrator

1975
The Sunshine Boys poster

The Sunshine Boys

Movie · as Willy Clark

1975
The Lion Roars Again

The Lion Roars Again

Movie · as Self

1975
Saturday Night Live poster

Saturday Night Live

TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep

1974
The Front Page poster

The Front Page

Movie · as Walter Burns

1974
Earthquake poster

Earthquake

Movie · as Drunk

1974
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three poster

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Movie · as Lieutenant Garber

1974
The Making of Pelham One Two Three poster

The Making of Pelham One Two Three

Movie · as Self

1973
Charley Varrick poster

Charley Varrick

Movie · as Charley Varrick

1973
The Laughing Policeman poster

The Laughing Policeman

Movie · as Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD

1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ... poster

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1972
Pete 'n' Tillie poster

Pete 'n' Tillie

Movie · as Pete Seltzer

1972
Awake and Sing! poster

Awake and Sing!

Movie · as Moe Axelrod

1971
Plaza Suite poster

Plaza Suite

Movie · as Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley

1971
A New Leaf poster

A New Leaf

Movie · as Henry Graham

1971
Kotch poster

Kotch

Movie · as Joseph P. Kotcher

1971
Great Performances poster

Great Performances

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1971
Film '72

Film '72

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1969
Cactus Flower poster

Cactus Flower

Movie · as Dr. Julian Winston

1969
Hello, Dolly! poster

Hello, Dolly!

Movie · as Horace Vandergelder

1968
The Odd Couple poster

The Odd Couple

Movie · as Oscar Madison

1968
Candy poster

Candy

Movie · as Gen. R.A. Smight

1968
The Secret Life of an American Wife poster

The Secret Life of an American Wife

Movie · as The Movie Star

1968
Carol Channing and 101 Men poster

Carol Channing and 101 Men

Movie · as Self

1968
Jack Benny's Bag poster

Jack Benny's Bag

Movie · as Self

1968
The Dick Cavett Show poster

The Dick Cavett Show

TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps

1967
A Guide for the Married Man poster

A Guide for the Married Man

Movie · as Paul Manning

1966
The Fortune Cookie poster

The Fortune Cookie

Movie · as Willie Gingrich

1965
Mirage poster

Mirage

Movie · as Ted Caselle

1964
Fail Safe poster

Fail Safe

Movie · as Prof. Groeteschele

1964
Ensign Pulver poster

Ensign Pulver

Movie · as Doc

1964
Goodbye Charlie poster

Goodbye Charlie

Movie · as Leo Sartori

1964
Profiles in Courage

Profiles in Courage

TV · as Gov. John Slaton, Andrew Johnson · 1 ep

1963
Charade poster

Charade

Movie · as Hamilton Bartholemew

1963
Island of Love poster

Island of Love

Movie · as Tony Dallas

1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

TV · as Tom Gregory · 1 ep

1962
Lonely are the Brave poster

Lonely are the Brave

Movie · as Sheriff Morey Johnson

1962
Who's Got the Action? poster

Who's Got the Action?

Movie · as Tony Gagouts

1962
Big Deal in Laredo

Big Deal in Laredo

Movie · as Meredith

1962
The Merv Griffin Show poster

The Merv Griffin Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson poster

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV · as Self · 5 eps

1961
Target: The Corruptors! poster

Target: The Corruptors!

TV · 2 eps

1961
Dr. Kildare poster

Dr. Kildare

TV · as Franklin Gaer · 1 ep

1961
Tallahassee 7000 poster

Tallahassee 7000

TV · as Lex Rogers · 26 eps

1961
The Mike Douglas Show poster

The Mike Douglas Show

TV · as Self · 2 eps

1960
Strangers When We Meet poster

Strangers When We Meet

Movie · as Felix Anders

1960
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands' poster

Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'

Movie · as Ben Alexander / Philip Judah

1960
Route 66 poster

Route 66

TV · 1 ep

1959
Gangster Story poster

Gangster Story

Movie · as Jack Martin

1958
Ride a Crooked Trail poster

Ride a Crooked Trail

Movie · as Judge Kyle

1958
King Creole poster

King Creole

Movie · as Maxie Fields

1958
Voice in the Mirror poster

Voice in the Mirror

Movie · as Dr. Karnes

1958
Onionhead poster

Onionhead

Movie · as 'Red' Wildoe

1958
Naked City poster

Naked City

TV · as Peter Kanopolis, Dr. Max Lewine · 1 ep

1957
A Face in the Crowd poster

A Face in the Crowd

Movie · as Mel Miller

1957
Slaughter on 10th Avenue poster

Slaughter on 10th Avenue

Movie · as Al Dahlke

1956
Bigger Than Life poster

Bigger Than Life

Movie · as Wally Gibbs

1956
Tony Awards poster

Tony Awards

TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep

1955
The Kentuckian poster

The Kentuckian

Movie · as Stan Bodine

1955
The Indian Fighter poster

The Indian Fighter

Movie · as Wes Todd

1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents poster

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

TV · as Off. Pete Chandler, Moran, Harry Wade, Phil · 1 ep

1954
Atomic Attack poster

Atomic Attack

Movie · as Dr. Spinelli

1954
Climax! poster

Climax!

TV · as Charlie Mapes · 1 ep

1953
General Electric Theater poster

General Electric Theater

TV · as Tom Dutton · 2 eps

1953
The Oscars poster

The Oscars

TV · as Self · 6 eps

1950
Lux Video Theatre poster

Lux Video Theatre

TV · as Coastguardsman, Inspector, Craig · 1 ep

1950
Robert Montgomery Presents poster

Robert Montgomery Presents

TV · as The Bartender · 2 eps

1949
Suspense poster

Suspense

TV · as Lawrence Stevens · 1 ep

1948
Studio One poster

Studio One

TV · as Jacobs, Olsen · 1 ep

1948
The Philco Television Playhouse poster

The Philco Television Playhouse

TV · as Iago, Stuart Benson · 5 eps

1944
Golden Globe Awards poster

Golden Globe Awards

TV · as Self - Nominee / Presenter · 1 ep