Walter Matthau
Acting
1920-10-01 · New 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.
Filmography
Elvis: A Life in Music
2026 · Movie
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
2020 · Movie
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
2015 · Movie
Hanging Up
2000 · Movie
The Marriage Fool
1998 · Movie
Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
1998 · Movie
The Odd Couple II
1998 · Movie
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
1998 · Movie
Out to Sea
1997 · Movie
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997 · Movie
I'm Not Rappaport
1996 · Movie
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
1996 · Movie
The Grass Harp
1996 · Movie
Grumpier Old Men
1995 · Movie
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995 · Movie
I.Q.
1994 · Movie
Incident in a Small Town
1994 · Movie
Grumpy Old Men
1993 · Movie
Dennis the Menace
1993 · Movie
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
1993 · Movie
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1992 · Movie
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
1992 · Movie
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
1992 · Movie
JFK
1991 · Movie
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
1991 · Movie
The Incident
1990 · Movie
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989 · Movie
The Little Devil
1988 · Movie
The Couch Trip
1988 · Movie
A Beverly Hills Christmas
1987 · Movie
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987 · Movie
Pirates
1986 · Movie
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
1986 · Movie
Movers & Shakers
1985 · Movie
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1984 · Movie
The Survivors
1983 · Movie
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder
1982 · Movie
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
1982 · Movie
I Ought to Be in Pictures
1982 · Movie
I Love Liberty
1982 · Movie
First Monday in October
1981 · Movie
Buddy Buddy
1981 · Movie
Hopscotch
1980 · Movie
Little Miss Marker
1980 · Movie
The Stingiest Man in Town
1978 · Movie
Funny Business
1978 · Movie
California Suite
1978 · Movie
House Calls
1978 · Movie
Actor
1978 · Movie
Casey's Shadow
1978 · Movie
The Gentleman Tramp
1976 · Movie
The Bad News Bears
1976 · Movie
The Sunshine Boys
1975 · Movie
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Series
The Lion Roars Again
1975 · Movie
Earthquake
1974 · Movie
The Front Page
1974 · Movie
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974 · Movie
The Laughing Policeman
1973 · Movie
Charley Varrick
1973 · Movie
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973 · Series
Pete 'n' Tillie
1972 · Movie
Awake and Sing!
1972 · Movie
Film '72
1971 · Series
Kotch
1971 · Movie
Plaza Suite
1971 · Movie
A New Leaf
1971 · Movie
Great Performances
1971 · Series
Cactus Flower
1969 · Movie
Hello, Dolly!
1969 · Movie
Candy
1968 · Movie
Jack Benny's Bag
1968 · Movie
The Secret Life of an American Wife
1968 · Movie
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 · Series
The Odd Couple
1968 · Movie
Carol Channing and 101 Men
1968 · Movie
A Guide for the Married Man
1967 · Movie
The Fortune Cookie
1966 · Movie
Mirage
1965 · Movie
Goodbye Charlie
1964 · Movie
Profiles in Courage
1964 · Series
Fail Safe
1964 · Movie
Ensign Pulver
1964 · Movie
Charade
1963 · Movie
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963 · Series
Island of Love
1963 · Movie
Who's Got the Action?
1962 · Movie
Big Deal in Laredo
1962 · Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Series
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Series
Lonely are the Brave
1962 · Movie
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Series
Target: The Corruptors!
1961 · Series
Dr. Kildare
1961 · Series
Tallahassee 7000
1961 · Series
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
1960 · Movie
Route 66
1960 · Series
Strangers When We Meet
1960 · Movie
Gangster Story
1959 · Movie
Ride a Crooked Trail
1958 · Movie
Onionhead
1958 · Movie
Naked City
1958 · Series
Voice in the Mirror
1958 · Movie
King Creole
1958 · Movie
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
1957 · Movie
A Face in the Crowd
1957 · Movie
Bigger Than Life
1956 · Movie
Tony Awards
1956 · Series
The Indian Fighter
1955 · Movie
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955 · Series
The Kentuckian
1955 · Movie
Climax!
1954 · Series
Atomic Attack
1954 · Movie
The Oscars
1953 · Series
General Electric Theater
1953 · Series
Lux Video Theatre
1950 · Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950 · Series
Suspense
1949 · Series
Studio One
1948 · Series
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948 · Series
Golden Globe Awards
1944 · Series