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Walter Matthau

Walter Matthau

Acting

Born: October 1, 1920New 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.

Known For
Filmography
Elvis: A Life in Music

Elvis: A Life in Music

Self (archive footage)

2026
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War

'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War

Self (archive footage)

2020
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'

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

Self (archive footage)

2015
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'

Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'

Self (archive footage)

2000
Hanging Up

Hanging Up

Lou Mozell

2000
The Marriage Fool

The Marriage Fool

Frank Walsh

1998

Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau

Self

1998
The Odd Couple II

The Odd Couple II

Oscar Madison

1998
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy

Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy

Self

1998
Out to Sea

Out to Sea

Charlie Gordon

1997
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

Self

1997
I'm Not Rappaport

I'm Not Rappaport

Nat Moyer

1996
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman

Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman

Self

1996
The Grass Harp

The Grass Harp

Judge Charlie Cool

1996
Grumpier Old Men

Grumpier Old Men

Max Goldman

1995
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

Self

1995
I.Q.

I.Q.

Albert Einstein

1994
Incident in a Small Town

Incident in a Small Town

Harmon Cobb

1994
Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy Old Men

Max Goldman

1993
Dennis the Menace

Dennis the Menace

George Wilson

1993
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy

Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy

Self

1993
Chaplin

Chaplin

Self (archive footage)

1992
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Narrator (voice)

1992
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys

Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys

Self

1992
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore

Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore

Harmon Cobb

1992
JFK

JFK

Senator Long

1991
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love

Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love

Clifford Pepperman

1991
The Incident

The Incident

Harmon Cobb

1990

Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre

Self (voice)

1989
The Little Devil

The Little Devil

Padre Maurizio

1988
The Couch Trip

The Couch Trip

Donald Becker

1988
A Beverly Hills Christmas

A Beverly Hills Christmas

Self

1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

Self

1987
Pirates

Pirates

Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red

1986
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

Self

1986
Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers

Joe Mulholland

1985
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

Self - Performer

1984
The Survivors

The Survivors

Sonny Paluso

1983
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder

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

Self

1982
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter

Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter

Self

1982
I Ought to Be in Pictures

I Ought to Be in Pictures

Herbert Tucker

1982
I Love Liberty

I Love Liberty

Self

1982
First Monday in October

First Monday in October

Dan Snow

1981
Buddy Buddy

Buddy Buddy

Trabucco

1981
Hopscotch

Hopscotch

Miles Kendig

1980
Little Miss Marker

Little Miss Marker

Sorrowful Jones

1980
The Stingiest Man in Town

The Stingiest Man in Town

Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)

1978

Funny Business

Self - Host

1978
California Suite

California Suite

Marvin Michaels

1978
House Calls

House Calls

Dr. Charley Nichols

1978
Actor

Actor

Boris Thomashevsky

1978
Casey's Shadow

Casey's Shadow

Lloyd Bourdelle

1978
The Gentleman Tramp

The Gentleman Tramp

Self / Narrator

1976
The Bad News Bears

The Bad News Bears

Coach Morris Buttermaker

1976
The Sunshine Boys

The Sunshine Boys

Willy Clark

1975

The Lion Roars Again

Self

1975
Earthquake

Earthquake

Drunk

1974
The Front Page

The Front Page

Walter Burns

1974
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Lt. Garber

1974
The Laughing Policeman

The Laughing Policeman

Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD

1973
Charley Varrick

Charley Varrick

Charley Varrick

1973
Pete 'n' Tillie

Pete 'n' Tillie

Pete Seltzer

1972
Awake and Sing!

Awake and Sing!

Moe Axelrod

1972
Kotch

Kotch

Joseph P. Kotcher

1971
Plaza Suite

Plaza Suite

Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley

1971
A New Leaf

A New Leaf

Henry Graham

1971
Cactus Flower

Cactus Flower

Dr. Julian Winston

1969
Hello, Dolly!

Hello, Dolly!

Horace Vandergelder

1969
Candy

Candy

Gen. R.A. Smight

1968

Jack Benny's Bag

Self

1968
The Secret Life of an American Wife

The Secret Life of an American Wife

The Movie Star

1968
The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple

Oscar Madison

1968
Carol Channing and 101 Men

Carol Channing and 101 Men

Self

1968
A Guide for the Married Man

A Guide for the Married Man

Paul Manning

1967
The Fortune Cookie

The Fortune Cookie

Willie Gingrich

1966
Mirage

Mirage

Ted Caselle

1965
Goodbye Charlie

Goodbye Charlie

Leo Sartori

1964
Fail Safe

Fail Safe

Prof. Groeteschele

1964
Ensign Pulver

Ensign Pulver

Doc

1964
Charade

Charade

Hamilton Bartholemew

1963
Island of Love

Island of Love

Tony Dallas

1963
Who's Got the Action?

Who's Got the Action?

Tony Gagouts

1962

Big Deal in Laredo

Meredith

1962
Lonely are the Brave

Lonely are the Brave

Sheriff Morey Johnson

1962
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'

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

Ben Alexander / Philip Judah

1960
Strangers When We Meet

Strangers When We Meet

Felix Anders

1960
Gangster Story

Gangster Story

Jack Martin

1959
Ride a Crooked Trail

Ride a Crooked Trail

Judge Kyle

1958
Onionhead

Onionhead

'Red' Wildoe

1958
Voice in the Mirror

Voice in the Mirror

Dr. Karnes

1958
King Creole

King Creole

Maxie Fields

1958
Slaughter on 10th Avenue

Slaughter on 10th Avenue

Al Dahlke

1957
A Face in the Crowd

A Face in the Crowd

Mel Miller

1957
Bigger Than Life

Bigger Than Life

Wally Gibbs

1956
The Indian Fighter

The Indian Fighter

Wes Todd

1955
The Kentuckian

The Kentuckian

Stan Bodine

1955
Atomic Attack

Atomic Attack

Dr. Spinelli

1954