Walter Matthau
Born October 01, 1920 (Age: 105)
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New York City, New York, USA
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.
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.
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Filmography
Elvis: A Life in Music
2026
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 105
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
2000
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 80
Hanging Up
2000
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as Lou Mozell
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Age: 79
The Marriage Fool
1998
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as Frank Walsh
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Age: 77
No Image
Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
1998
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as Self
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Age: 77
The Odd Couple II
1998
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as Oscar Madison
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Age: 77
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
1998
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as Self
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Age: 77
Out to Sea
1997
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as Charlie Gordon
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Age: 76
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997
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as Self
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Age: 76
I'm Not Rappaport
1996
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as Nat Moyer
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Age: 76
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
1996
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as Self
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Age: 76
The Grass Harp
1996
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as Judge Charlie Cool
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Age: 76
Grumpier Old Men
1995
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as Max Goldman
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Age: 75
I.Q.
1994
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as Albert Einstein
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Age: 74
Grumpy Old Men
1993
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as Max Goldman
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Age: 73
Dennis the Menace
1993
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as George Wilson
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Age: 72
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
1993
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as Self
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Age: 72
Chaplin
1992
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 72
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1992
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as Narrator (voice)
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Age: 72
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
1992
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as Self
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Age: 71
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
1992
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as Harmon Cobb
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Age: 71
JFK
1991
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as Senator Long
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Age: 71
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
1991
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as Clifford Pepperman
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Age: 70
The Incident
1990
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as Harmon Cobb
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Age: 69
The Little Devil
1988
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as Padre Maurizio
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Age: 67
The Couch Trip
1988
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as Donald Becker
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Age: 67
A Beverly Hills Christmas
1987
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as Self
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Age: 67
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
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as Self
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Age: 66
Pirates
1986
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as Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
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Age: 65
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
1986
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as Self
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Age: 65
Movers & Shakers
1985
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as Joe Mulholland
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Age: 64
First Monday in October
1981
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as Dan Snow
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Age: 60
Buddy Buddy
1981
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as Trabucco
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Age: 60
Hopscotch
1980
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as Miles Kendig
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Age: 59
Little Miss Marker
1980
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as Sorrowful Jones
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Age: 59
The Stingiest Man in Town
1978
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as Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
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Age: 58
No Image
Funny Business
1978
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as Self - Host
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Age: 57
California Suite
1978
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as Marvin Michaels
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Age: 57
House Calls
1978
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as Dr. Charley Nichols
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Age: 57
Actor
1978
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as Boris Thomashevsky
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Age: 57
Casey's Shadow
1978
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as Lloyd Bourdelle
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Age: 57
The Bad News Bears
1976
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as Coach Morris Buttermaker
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Age: 55
Earthquake
1974
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as Drunk
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Age: 54
The Front Page
1974
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as Walter Burns
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Age: 54
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974
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as Lt. Garber
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Age: 54
The Laughing Policeman
1973
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as Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
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Age: 53
Charley Varrick
1973
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as Charley Varrick
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Age: 52
Pete 'n' Tillie
1972
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as Pete Seltzer
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Age: 52
Awake and Sing!
1972
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as Moe Axelrod
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Age: 51
A New Leaf
1971
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as Henry Graham
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Age: 50
Cactus Flower
1969
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as Dr. Julian Winston
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Age: 49
Hello, Dolly!
1969
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as Horace Vandergelder
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Age: 49
No Image
Jack Benny's Bag
1968
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as Self
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Age: 48
The Odd Couple
1968
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as Oscar Madison
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Age: 47
Carol Channing and 101 Men
1968
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as Self
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Age: 47
The Fortune Cookie
1966
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as Willie Gingrich
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Age: 46
Mirage
1965
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as Ted Caselle
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Age: 45
Goodbye Charlie
1964
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as Leo Sartori
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Age: 44
Fail Safe
1964
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as Prof. Groeteschele
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Age: 44
Ensign Pulver
1964
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as Doc
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Age: 43
Charade
1963
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as Hamilton Bartholemew
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Age: 43
Island of Love
1963
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as Tony Dallas
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Age: 42
Who's Got the Action?
1962
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as Tony Gagouts
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Age: 42
No Image
Big Deal in Laredo
1962
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as Meredith
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Age: 42
Lonely are the Brave
1962
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as Sheriff Morey Johnson
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Age: 41
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
1960
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as Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
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Age: 40
Strangers When We Meet
1960
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as Felix Anders
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Age: 39
Gangster Story
1959
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as Jack Martin
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Age: 39
Ride a Crooked Trail
1958
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as Judge Kyle
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Age: 38
Onionhead
1958
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as 'Red' Wildoe
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Age: 38
Voice in the Mirror
1958
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as Dr. Karnes
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Age: 37
King Creole
1958
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as Maxie Fields
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Age: 37
Bigger Than Life
1956
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as Wally Gibbs
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Age: 36
The Indian Fighter
1955
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as Wes Todd
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Age: 35
The Kentuckian
1955
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as Stan Bodine
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Age: 34
Atomic Attack
1954
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as Dr. Spinelli
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Age: 33