| Birth: | Oct. 1, 1920
New York
New York County
New York, USA | | Death: | Jul. 1, 2000
Santa Monica
Los Angeles County
California, USA | 
Actor. Born Walter John Matthow in New York City to Russian immigrants and grew up on the Lower East Side. Matthau contributed to the family by playing bit parts at a Yiddish theater by age 11 where he was paid fifty cents for each onstage appearances. During WWII he served with the U.S. Army Air Corps where he made Staff Sergeant. In 1948 he made his Broadway debut in "Anne of the Thousand Days." He would make his film debut as the heavy in 1955's "The Kentuckian." He remained a villain until he won praise as a sympathetic sheriff in “Lonely Are the Brave” in 1962. In 1965, he was cast as Oscar Madison in the Broadway play “The Odd Couple” opposite Art Carney. It earned him a Tony Award, and won him star status. He reprised his Odd Couple role in the 1968 film version, starring opposite his good friend, Jack Lemmon. In 1966, the pair had another hit with “The Fortune Cookie” for which Matthau won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Matthau was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in “Kotch” in 1971 which was directed by Lemmon and again for “The Sunshine Boys.” Matthau and Lemmon made ten films together, including two Grumpy Old Men movies. Matthau’s career spanned over seventy movies including such classics as “Hello, Dolly,” “Charade,” “Hopscotch,” and “House Calls.” His last film was “Hanging Up” in 2000. Matthau died later that same year of a massive heart attack in Santa Monica, California at the age of 79. (bio by: Iola)
Search Amazon for Walter Matthau | | | Burial:
Westwood Memorial Park
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Plot: Chapel Garden Estate, near Jack Lemmon |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jul 03, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 10234 |
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steven barry
Added: Sep. 6, 2010 |
You are gone for about a decade and the shock never wore off! You are missed by fans,friends,family.Every film you made kept me company on a dreary day. Here's to a Jewish gent with talent,grump and pizazz..May god bless you...RIP
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gigigisele
Added: Sep. 1, 2010 |
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Blessed Always~
Added: Aug. 25, 2010 |
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(4.8 after 359 votes)
