Walter Matthau
Birth Name:
Walter John Matthow
Birth Place:
New York City, New York, United States
Profession
Actor, Soundtrack, Director, Producer
Fast Facts
- In 1993, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the ShoWest Convention, USA
- Won a Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy at the American Comedy Awards, USA in 1997
- Worked as a Yiddish Theater District concessions stand cashier for a short time, then served in the U․S․ Army Air Forces during World War II, reaching the rank of staff sergeant
- Quote: "'Get out of show business․' It's the best advice I ever got, because I'm so stubborn that if someone would tell me that, I would stay in it to the bitter end․"
- A middle-aged Matthau once estimated that he had lost $5 million to gambling over the course of his life
- Frequently worked with actor Jack Lemmon, appearing with him in ten movies, nine of which they shared scenes in, and Lemmon directed Matthau in "Kotch․"
- Often played ornery, bumbling pessimists, such as the slovenly sportswriter in "The Odd Couple․"
- After suffering a serious heart attack, he quit smoking and began walking two to five miles per day, an activity he kept up for the rest of his life
- He and Jack Lemmon, on-screen adversaries but real-life friends, are now both interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles
- Listed his middle name as Foghorn when he filled out his Social Security form in 1937 and never corrected it
Awards
- 1963Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:Nominated
- 1966KCFCC Award - Best Supporting Actor:Winner
- 1967Oscar - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Winner
- 1967Golden Globe - Best Actor - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1967Golden Laurel - Male Supporting Performance:Winner
- 1968Golden Laurel - Male Comedy Performance:Winner
- 1969Golden Globe - Best Actor - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1970BAFTA Film Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 1971KCFCC Award - Best Actor:Winner
- 1972Oscar - Best Actor in a Leading Role:Nominated
- 1972Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1973Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1974BAFTA Film Award - Best Actor:Winner
- 1975David - Best Foreign Actor (Migliore Attore Straniero):Winner
- 1975Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1976Oscar - Best Actor in a Leading Role:Nominated
- 1976Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical:Winner
- 1977BAFTA Film Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 1977Gold Medal - Favorite Movie:Nominated
- 1981Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1981Stinker Award - Most Annoying Fake Accent: Male:Nominated
- 1982Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical:Nominated