About
Walter Matthau was born on the Lower East Side of New York to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. After serving as a radioman-gunner in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, he studied at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Fortune Cookie (1966) and two Tony Awards, including for originating the role of Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple on Broadway. He formed one of Hollywood's most celebrated screen partnerships with Jack Lemmon, appearing in ten films together. He also received two additional Oscar nominations for Best Actor for Kotch and The Sunshine Boys.
* 1920-10-01 — † 2000-07-01
Major works
- The Fortune Cookie (1966)film
- The Odd Couple (1968)film
- Kotch (1971)film
- The Sunshine Boys (1975)film
- Grumpy Old Men (1993)film
Key milestones
- 1966Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Fortune Cookie.
- 1965Won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for The Odd Couple.
- 1982Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Themes
ComedyScreen partnershipOld ageMale friendshipSarcasm
Sources: britannica.com · walkoffame.com · tcm.com