Walter Matthau
Acting • Born 1920-10-01 – Died 2000-07-01
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.
Filmography
133 credits
The Front Page
Movie • 1974
Walter Burns
Fail Safe
Movie • 1964
Prof. Groeteschele
JFK
Movie • 1991
Senator Long
The Fortune Cookie
Movie • 1966
Willie Gingrich
Hanging Up
Movie • 2000
Lou Mozell
Charade
Movie • 1963
Hamilton Bartholemew
Earthquake
Movie • 1974
Drunk
A Guide for the Married Man
Movie • 1967
Paul Manning
A Face in the Crowd
Movie • 1957
Mel Miller
Grumpy Old Men
Movie • 1993
Max Goldman
The Odd Couple
Movie • 1968
Oscar Madison
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage)
I.Q.
Movie • 1994
Albert Einstein
The Bad News Bears
Movie • 1976
Coach Morris Buttermaker
Pirates
Movie • 1986
Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Movie • 1974
Lt. Garber
The Couch Trip
Movie • 1988
Donald Becker
Hopscotch
Movie • 1980
Miles Kendig
Dennis the Menace
Movie • 1993
George Wilson
The Odd Couple II
Movie • 1998
Oscar Madison
Bigger Than Life
Movie • 1956
Wally Gibbs
California Suite
Movie • 1978
Marvin Michaels
Charley Varrick
Movie • 1973
Charley Varrick
Cactus Flower
Movie • 1969
Dr. Julian Winston
The Survivors
Movie • 1983
Sonny Paluso
I Love Liberty
Movie • 1982
Self
Buddy Buddy
Movie • 1981
Trabucco
I Ought to Be in Pictures
Movie • 1982
Herbert Tucker
Hello, Dolly!
Movie • 1969
Horace Vandergelder
The Laughing Policeman
Movie • 1973
Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
House Calls
Movie • 1978
Dr. Charley Nichols
Plaza Suite
Movie • 1971
Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
A New Leaf
Movie • 1971
Henry Graham
Ensign Pulver
Movie • 1964
Doc
Lonely are the Brave
Movie • 1962
Sheriff Morey Johnson
I'm Not Rappaport
Movie • 1996
Nat Moyer
The Little Devil
Movie • 1988
Padre Maurizio
Grumpier Old Men
Movie • 1995
Max Goldman
Ride a Crooked Trail
Movie • 1958
Judge Kyle
The Sunshine Boys
Movie • 1975
Willy Clark
Candy
Movie • 1968
Gen. R.A. Smight
The Kentuckian
Movie • 1955
Stan Bodine
Little Miss Marker
Movie • 1980
Sorrowful Jones
The Grass Harp
Movie • 1996
Judge Charlie Cool
Out to Sea
Movie • 1997
Charlie Gordon
King Creole
Movie • 1958
Maxie Fields
Gangster Story
Movie • 1959
Jack Martin
Mirage
Movie • 1965
Ted Caselle
Voice in the Mirror
Movie • 1958
Dr. Karnes
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
Movie • 1957
Al Dahlke
Incident in a Small Town
Movie • 1994
Harmon Cobb
Casey's Shadow
Movie • 1978
Lloyd Bourdelle
First Monday in October
Movie • 1981
Dan Snow
Kotch
Movie • 1971
Joseph P. Kotcher
The Indian Fighter
Movie • 1955
Wes Todd
Who's Got the Action?
Movie • 1962
Tony Gagouts
Strangers When We Meet
Movie • 1960
Felix Anders
Movers & Shakers
Movie • 1985
Joe Mulholland
Pete 'n' Tillie
Movie • 1972
Pete Seltzer
Island of Love
Movie • 1963
Tony Dallas
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
Movie • 1982
Self
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
Movie • 2000
Self (archive footage)
The Incident
Movie • 1990
Harmon Cobb
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder
Movie • 1982
Self
Onionhead
Movie • 1958
'Red' Wildoe
The Gentleman Tramp
Movie • 1976
Self / Narrator
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Movie • 1995
Self
The Stingiest Man in Town
Movie • 1978
Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
A Beverly Hills Christmas
Movie • 1987
Self
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Movie • 1991
Clifford Pepperman
Goodbye Charlie
Movie • 1964
Leo Sartori
Funny Business
Movie • 1978
Self - Host
Awake and Sing!
Movie • 1972
Moe Axelrod
The Secret Life of an American Wife
Movie • 1968
The Movie Star
Actor
Movie • 1978
Boris Thomashevsky
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Movie • 1992
Narrator (voice)
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
Movie • 1986
Self
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
Movie • 1960
Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
Movie • 1998
Self
The Marriage Fool
Movie • 1998
Frank Walsh
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
Movie • 1992
Harmon Cobb
Atomic Attack
Movie • 1954
Dr. Spinelli
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Movie • 1987
Self
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
Movie • 1996
Self
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
Movie • 1997
Self
Big Deal in Laredo
Movie • 1962
Meredith
The Lion Roars Again
Movie • 1975
Self
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
Movie • 1993
Self
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
Movie • 1992
Self
Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
Movie • 1998
Self
Carol Channing and 101 Men
Movie • 1968
Self
Jack Benny's Bag
Movie • 1968
Self
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
Movie • 1989
Self (voice)
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
Movie • 1984
Self - Performer
Chaplin
Movie • 1992
Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Life in Music
Movie • 2026
Self (archive footage)
Route 66
TV • 1960
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Naked City
TV • 1958
Peter Kanopolis
Studio One
TV • 1948
Jacobs
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1955
Off. Pete Chandler
Target: The Corruptors!
TV • 1961
Lux Video Theatre
TV • 1950
Coastguardsman
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
TV • 1963
Climax!
TV • 1954
Charlie Mapes
Profiles in Courage
TV • 1964
Gov. John Slaton
The Philco Television Playhouse
TV • 1948
Suspense
TV • 1949
Lawrence Stevens
Robert Montgomery Presents
TV • 1950
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Franklin Gaer
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
Tallahassee 7000
TV • 1961
Lex Rogers
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Host
Naked City
TV • 1958
Dr. Max Lewine
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Tom Dutton
Lux Video Theatre
TV • 1950
Inspector
Lux Video Theatre
TV • 1950
Craig
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
TV • 1973
Self
Robert Montgomery Presents
TV • 1950
The Bartender
Profiles in Courage
TV • 1964
Andrew Johnson
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1955
Moran
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1955
Harry Wade
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1955
Phil
Studio One
TV • 1948
Olsen
The Philco Television Playhouse
TV • 1948
Iago
The Philco Television Playhouse
TV • 1948
Stuart Benson
The Dick Cavett Show
TV • 1968
Self - Guest
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Self
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Nominee / Presenter