Walter 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.
Known For
Walter Burns
The Front Page
Prof. Groeteschele
Fail Safe
Senator Long
JFK
Willie Gingrich
The Fortune Cookie
Lou Mozell
Hanging Up
Hamilton Bartholemew
Charade
Drunk
Earthquake
Paul Manning
A Guide for the Married Man
Mel Miller
A Face in the Crowd
Oscar Madison
The Odd Couple
Max Goldman
Grumpy Old Men
Self (archive footage)
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
Albert Einstein
I.Q.
Coach Morris Buttermaker
The Bad News Bears
Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
Pirates
Lt. Garber
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Donald Becker
The Couch Trip
Miles Kendig
Hopscotch
George Wilson
Dennis the Menace
Oscar Madison
The Odd Couple II
Wally Gibbs
Bigger Than Life
Marvin Michaels
California Suite
Charley Varrick
Charley Varrick
Dr. Julian Winston
Cactus Flower
Sonny Paluso
The Survivors
Self
I Love Liberty
Trabucco
Buddy Buddy
Herbert Tucker
I Ought to Be in Pictures
Horace Vandergelder
Hello, Dolly!
Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
The Laughing Policeman
Dr. Charley Nichols
House Calls
Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
Plaza Suite
Henry Graham
A New Leaf
Doc
Ensign Pulver
Sheriff Morey Johnson
Lonely are the Brave
Nat Moyer
I'm Not Rappaport
Padre Maurizio
Il piccolo diavolo
Max Goldman
Grumpier Old Men
Judge Kyle
Ride a Crooked Trail
Willy Clark
The Sunshine Boys
Gen. R.A. Smight
Candy
Stan Bodine
The Kentuckian
Sorrowful Jones
Little Miss Marker
Judge Charlie Cool
The Grass Harp
Charlie Gordon
Out to Sea
Maxie Fields
King Creole
Jack Martin
Gangster Story
Ted Caselle
Mirage
Dr. Karnes
Voice in the Mirror
Al Dahlke
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
Harmon Cobb
Incident in a Small Town
Lloyd Bourdelle
Casey's Shadow
Dan Snow
First Monday in October
Joseph P. Kotcher
Kotch
Wes Todd
The Indian Fighter
Felix Anders
Strangers When We Meet
Tony Gagouts
Who's Got the Action?
Joe Mulholland
Movers & Shakers
Pete Seltzer
Pete 'n' Tillie
Tony Dallas
Island of Love
Self
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
Self (archive footage)
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
Self (archive footage)
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
Harmon Cobb
The Incident
Self
Portrait d'un homme 'à 60% parfait': Billy Wilder
'Red' Wildoe
Onionhead
Self / Narrator
The Gentleman Tramp
Self
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
The Stingiest Man in Town
Self
A Beverly Hills Christmas
Clifford Pepperman
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Leo Sartori
Goodbye Charlie
Self - Host
Funny Business
Moe Axelrod
Awake and Sing!
The Movie Star
The Secret Life of an American Wife
Boris Thomashevsky
Actor
Narrator (voice)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Self
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
Self
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
Frank Walsh
The Marriage Fool
Harmon Cobb
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
Dr. Spinelli
Atomic Attack
Self
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
Self
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
Meredith
Big Deal in Laredo
Self
The Lion Roars Again
Self
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
Self
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
Self
Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
Self
Carol Channing and 101 Men
Self
Jack Benny's Bag
Self (voice)
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
Self - Performer
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
Self (archive footage)
Chaplin
Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Life in Music
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
97
Gender
Male
Birthday
1920-10-01
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As
Walter Matuschanskayasky