Walter Matthau

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

133

Gender

Male

Birthday

1920-10-01

Day of death

2000-07-01 (79 years old)

Place of Birth

New York City, New York, USA

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

  • The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Great Performances

    Great Performances

  • Dr. Kildare

    Dr. Kildare

  • The Dick Cavett Show

    The Dick Cavett Show

  • The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

  • Climax!

    Climax!

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Naked City

    Naked City

  • Naked City

    Naked City

  • The Oscars

    The Oscars

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

  • Robert Montgomery Presents

    Robert Montgomery Presents

  • Robert Montgomery Presents

    Robert Montgomery Presents

  • The Philco Television Playhouse

    The Philco Television Playhouse

  • The Philco Television Playhouse

    The Philco Television Playhouse

  • The Philco Television Playhouse

    The Philco Television Playhouse

  • Route 66

    Route 66

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Candy

    Candy

  • King Creole

    King Creole

  • Kotch

    Kotch

  • The Sunshine Boys

    The Sunshine Boys

  • Cactus Flower

    Cactus Flower

  • I.Q.

    I.Q.

  • Chaplin

    Chaplin

  • Target: The Corruptors!

    Target: The Corruptors!

  • Hello, Dolly!

    Hello, Dolly!

  • Suspense

    Suspense

  • Pirates

    Pirates

  • Movers & Shakers

    Movers & Shakers

  • JFK

    JFK

  • Island of Love

    Island of Love

  • I Ought to Be in Pictures

    I Ought to Be in Pictures

  • Mirage

    Mirage

  • The American Film Institute Salute to ...

    The American Film Institute Salute to ...

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Charade

    Charade

  • Dennis the Menace

    Dennis the Menace

  • Profiles in Courage

    Profiles in Courage

  • Profiles in Courage

    Profiles in Courage

  • Actor

    Actor

  • Awake and Sing!

    Awake and Sing!

  • Little Miss Marker

    Little Miss Marker

  • Grumpier Old Men

    Grumpier Old Men

  • Funny Business

    Funny Business

  • Onionhead

    Onionhead

  • Pete 'n' Tillie

    Pete 'n' Tillie

  • Earthquake

    Earthquake

  • The Front Page

    The Front Page

  • Grumpy Old Men

    Grumpy Old Men

  • Fail Safe

    Fail Safe

  • Who's Got the Action?

    Who's Got the Action?

  • James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

    James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

  • The Odd Couple

    The Odd Couple

  • The Incident

    The Incident

  • The Bad News Bears

    The Bad News Bears

  • The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

    The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

  • A Face in the Crowd

    A Face in the Crowd

  • Buddy Buddy

    Buddy Buddy

  • California Suite

    California Suite

  • Charley Varrick

    Charley Varrick

  • The Odd Couple II

    The Odd Couple II

  • The Couch Trip

    The Couch Trip

  • Hopscotch

    Hopscotch

  • I Love Liberty

    I Love Liberty

  • A New Leaf

    A New Leaf

  • Lonely are the Brave

    Lonely are the Brave

  • The Survivors

    The Survivors

  • Hanging Up

    Hanging Up

  • The Little Devil

    The Little Devil

  • Out to Sea

    Out to Sea

  • The Fortune Cookie

    The Fortune Cookie

  • Tallahassee 7000

    Tallahassee 7000

  • Bigger Than Life

    Bigger Than Life

  • The Lion Roars Again

    The Lion Roars Again

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • The Kentuckian

    The Kentuckian

  • The Marriage Fool

    The Marriage Fool

  • The Indian Fighter

    The Indian Fighter

  • 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'

  • The Grass Harp

    The Grass Harp

  • Plaza Suite

    Plaza Suite

  • Carol Channing and 101 Men

    Carol Channing and 101 Men

  • The Laughing Policeman

    The Laughing Policeman

  • A Guide for the Married Man

    A Guide for the Married Man

  • Goodbye Charlie

    Goodbye Charlie

  • The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

    The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

  • Ride a Crooked Trail

    Ride a Crooked Trail

  • The Stingiest Man in Town

    The Stingiest Man in Town

  • Ensign Pulver

    Ensign Pulver

  • I'm Not Rappaport

    I'm Not Rappaport

  • Strangers When We Meet

    Strangers When We Meet

  • Incident in a Small Town

    Incident in a Small Town

  • First Monday in October

    First Monday in October

  • Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy

    Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy

  • The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

    The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

  • House Calls

    House Calls

  • Casey's Shadow

    Casey's Shadow

  • Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'

    Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'

  • Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy

    Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy

  • Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

    Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

  • Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys

    Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys

  • Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman

    Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman

  • The Gentleman Tramp

    The Gentleman Tramp

  • Jack Benny's Bag

    Jack Benny's Bag

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

    Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre

  • Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore

    Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore

  • Voice in the Mirror

    Voice in the Mirror

  • Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love

    Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love

  • Big Deal in Laredo

    Big Deal in Laredo

  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

    How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

  • Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

    Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

  • Slaughter on 10th Avenue

    Slaughter on 10th Avenue

  • Atomic Attack

    Atomic Attack

  • A Beverly Hills Christmas

    A Beverly Hills Christmas

  • Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter

    Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter

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

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

  • 'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War

    'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War

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

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

  • Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau

    Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau

  • Gangster Story

    Gangster Story

  • Elvis: A Life in Music

    Elvis: A Life in Music

  • The Secret Life of an American Wife

    The Secret Life of an American Wife