Walter Matthau

Biography

Walter Matthau was an American actor who became known for world-weary characters and for a long screen partnership with Jack Lemmon. After training at The New School's Dramatic Workshop, he worked on Broadway and originated Oscar Madison in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, winning a Tony Award in 1965; he had won one earlier for A Shot in the Dark. His Academy Award came for supporting work in The Fortune Cookie (1966), and he was nominated for Best Actor for his work in Kotch (1971) and again for The Sunshine Boys (1975). He moved between stark drama and comedy, playing a Pentagon adviser in Fail Safe and appearing in Elaine May's A New Leaf, while his role as a Little League coach in The Bad News Bears (1976) brought further recognition. He appeared with Lemmon again in Grumpy Old Men (1993) and Grumpier Old Men (1995), and his final screen appearance was in Diane Keaton's Hanging Up (2000).

79years old at death

Born October 1, 1920New York City
Died July 1, 2000Santa Monica
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Walter John Matthow (birth name)Also credited as Walter Matthow

Movie Career

Films: 50
Career span: 45 years1955 to 2000

Genres

Comedy68%, 34 films
Drama48%, 24 films
Romance30%, 15 films
Crime10%, 5 films
Thriller10%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

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Early training
Matthau received his acting training at The New School's Dramatic Workshop, where the German director Erwin Piscator was his teacher.
First role
Walter Matthau played a bad guy who used a whip in his first movie role. That film was The Kentuckian, released in 1955, and Burt Lancaster appeared opposite him.
Big break
Matthau played shyster lawyer William H. "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich in the comedy The Fortune Cookie, opposite Lemmon, and it was the first of many times he worked with Billy Wilder. The part earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Behind the award
Matthau earned an Oscar nomination for The Sunshine Boys, a 1975 adaptation of a Neil Simon stage play about former vaudeville performers. He and his co-star George Burns tied for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.

Walter Matthau movies on Netflix

Hanging Up2000IMDb rating 4.9as Lou Mozell
The Marriage Fool1998IMDb rating 6.3as Frank Walsh
The Odd Couple II1998IMDb rating 6.5as Oscar Madison
Out to Sea1997IMDb rating 6.1as Charlie
I'm Not Rappaport1996IMDb rating 6.5as Nat Moyer
Grumpier Old Men1995IMDb rating 6.7as Max Goldman
The Grass Harp1995IMDb rating 6.6as Judge Charlie Cool
I.Q.1994IMDb rating 6.2as Albert Einstein
Dennis the Menace1993IMDb rating 5.7as Mr. George Wilson
Grumpy Old Men1993IMDb rating 7.0as Max Goldman
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy1992IMDb rating 6.7as Himself
The Couch Trip1988IMDb rating 5.8as Donald Becker
Pirates1986IMDb rating 6.0as Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
Movers & Shakers1985IMDb rating 4.2as Joe Mulholland
The Survivors1983IMDb rating 5.8as Sonny Paluso
I Ought to Be in Pictures1982IMDb rating 6.1as Herbert Tucker
Buddy Buddy1981IMDb rating 6.5as Trabucco
First Monday in October1981IMDb rating 6.4as Dan Snow
Hopscotch1980IMDb rating 7.1as Miles Kendig / James Butler / Mr. Hannaway / Leonard Ross
Little Miss Marker1980IMDb rating 6.4as Sorrowful Jones
California Suite1978IMDb rating 6.2as Marvin Michaels
House Calls1978IMDb rating 6.6as Dr. Charley Nichols
The Bad News Bears1976IMDb rating 7.3as Coach Morris Buttermaker
The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1as Willy Clark
Earthquake1974IMDb rating 6.0as Drunk
The Front Page1974IMDb rating 7.3as Walter Burns
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974IMDb rating 7.6as Police Lt. Zachary Garber
Charley Varrick1973IMDb rating 7.5as Charley Varrick
The Laughing Policeman1973IMDb rating 6.4as Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
A New Leaf1971IMDb rating 7.3as Henry Graham
Kotch1971IMDb rating 6.6as Joseph P. Kotcher
Plaza Suite1971IMDb rating 6.5as Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
Cactus Flower1969IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. Julian Winston
Hello, Dolly!1969IMDb rating 7.1as Horace Vandergelder
The Odd Couple1968IMDb rating 7.6as Oscar Madison
A Guide for the Married Man1967IMDb rating 6.6as Paul Manning
The Fortune Cookie1966IMDb rating 7.2as Willie Gingrich
Mirage1965IMDb rating 7.2as Ted Caselle
Ensign Pulver1964IMDb rating 5.9as Doc
Fail Safe1964IMDb rating 8.0as Prof. Groeteschele
Charade1963IMDb rating 7.8as Hamilton Bartholomew
Lonely Are the Brave1962IMDb rating 7.5as Sheriff Morey Johnson
Who's Got the Action?1962IMDb rating 5.5as Tony Gagouts
Strangers When We Meet1960IMDb rating 7.1as Felix Anders
King Creole1958IMDb rating 7.0as Maxie Fields
Ride a Crooked Trail1958IMDb rating 6.6as Judge Kyle
A Face in the Crowd1957IMDb rating 8.1as Mel Miller
Bigger Than Life1956IMDb rating 7.4as Wally Gibbs
The Indian Fighter1955IMDb rating 6.3as Wes Todd
The Kentuckian1955IMDb rating 6.2as Stan Bodine

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Dennis the Menace1993 Comedy, Familyas Mr. George Wilson
IMDb rating 5.770K votes
Charade1963 Comedy, Mystery, Romanceas Hamilton Bartholomew
IMDb rating 7.895K votes
Grumpy Old Men1993as Max Goldman
IMDb rating 7.058K votes
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974as Police Lt. Zachary Garber
IMDb rating 7.642K votes
Grumpier Old Men1995as Max Goldman
IMDb rating 6.732K votes
The Odd Couple1968as Oscar Madison
IMDb rating 7.640K votes
The Bad News Bears1976as Coach Morris Buttermaker
IMDb rating 7.328K votes
Fail Safe1964as Prof. Groeteschele
IMDb rating 8.028K votes

Most often with

Michael Ritchie directed three of these films, Billy Wilder three and Herbert Ross three. Jack Lemmon appears in ten of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Jack Lemmon

George Kennedy

Charles Matthau

Charles Durning

Kirk Douglas

Ann-MargretMichael RitchieDirector, 3 films

Billy WilderDirector, 3 films Herbert RossDirector, 3 films

Films together

Jack Lemmon10 films together, 1966 to 1998
Jack Lemmon's page
- The Odd Couple II1998IMDb rating 6.5Matthau as Oscar MadisonLemmon as Felix Ungar
- Out to Sea1997IMDb rating 6.1Matthau as CharlieLemmon as Herb
- Grumpier Old Men1995IMDb rating 6.7Matthau as Max GoldmanLemmon as John Gustafson
- The Grass Harp1995IMDb rating 6.6Matthau as Judge Charlie CoolLemmon as Dr. Morris Ritz
- Grumpy Old Men1993IMDb rating 7.0Matthau as Max GoldmanLemmon as John Gustafson
- Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy1992IMDb rating 6.7Matthau as HimselfLemmon as Himself
- Buddy Buddy1981IMDb rating 6.5Matthau as TrabuccoLemmon as Victor Clooney
- The Front Page1974IMDb rating 7.3Matthau as Walter BurnsLemmon as Hildy Johnson
- The Odd Couple1968IMDb rating 7.6Matthau as Oscar MadisonLemmon as Felix Ungar
- The Fortune Cookie1966IMDb rating 7.2Matthau as Willie GingrichLemmon as Harry Hinkle
George Kennedy4 films together, 1962 to 1974
George Kennedy's page
- Earthquake1974IMDb rating 6.0Matthau as DrunkKennedy as Slade
- Mirage1965IMDb rating 7.2Matthau as Ted CaselleKennedy as Willard
- Charade1963IMDb rating 7.8Matthau as Hamilton BartholomewKennedy as Herman Scobie
- Lonely Are the Brave1962IMDb rating 7.5Matthau as Sheriff Morey JohnsonKennedy as Deputy Sheriff Gutierrez
Charles Matthau4 films together, 1973 to 2000
Charles Matthau's page
- Hanging Up2000IMDb rating 4.9Matthau as Lou MozellMatthau as Young Lou
- The Marriage Fool1998IMDb rating 6.3Matthau as Frank WalshMatthau as Salesperson
- House Calls1978IMDb rating 6.6Matthau as Dr. Charley NicholsMatthau as Michael Atkinson
- Charley Varrick1973IMDb rating 7.5Matthau as Charley VarrickMatthau as Boy
Charles Durning3 films together, 1974 to 1995
Charles Durning's page
- The Grass Harp1995IMDb rating 6.6Matthau as Judge Charlie CoolDurning as Rev. Buster
- I.Q.1994IMDb rating 6.2Matthau as Albert EinsteinDurning as Louis Bamberger
- The Front Page1974IMDb rating 7.3Matthau as Walter BurnsDurning as Murphy
Kirk Douglas3 films together, 1955 to 1962
Kirk Douglas's page
- Lonely Are the Brave1962IMDb rating 7.5Matthau as Sheriff Morey JohnsonDouglas as John W. "Jack" Burns
- Strangers When We Meet1960IMDb rating 7.1Matthau as Felix AndersDouglas as Larry Coe
- The Indian Fighter1955IMDb rating 6.3Matthau as Wes ToddDouglas as Johnny Hawks
Ann-Margret3 films together, 1982 to 1995
Ann-Margret's page
- Grumpier Old Men1995IMDb rating 6.7Matthau as Max GoldmanAnn-Margret as Ariel Gustafson
- Grumpy Old Men1993IMDb rating 7.0Matthau as Max GoldmanAnn-Margret as Ariel Truax
- I Ought to Be in Pictures1982IMDb rating 6.1Matthau as Herbert TuckerAnn-Margret as Steffy Blondell
Michael RitchieDirector, 3 films, 1976 to 1988
All films by Michael Ritchie
- The Couch Trip1988IMDb rating 5.8Matthau as Donald Becker
- The Survivors1983IMDb rating 5.8Matthau as Sonny Paluso
- The Bad News Bears1976IMDb rating 7.3Matthau as Coach Morris Buttermaker
Billy WilderDirector, 3 films, 1966 to 1981
All films by Billy Wilder
- Buddy Buddy1981IMDb rating 6.5Matthau as Trabucco
- The Front Page1974IMDb rating 7.3Matthau as Walter Burns
- The Fortune Cookie1966IMDb rating 7.2Matthau as Willie Gingrich
Herbert RossDirector, 3 films, 1975 to 1982
All films by Herbert Ross
- I Ought to Be in Pictures1982IMDb rating 6.1Matthau as Herbert Tucker
- California Suite1978IMDb rating 6.2Matthau as Marvin Michaels
- The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1Matthau as Willy Clark
Also three films together5 more actors
- Doris RobertsThe Grass Harp (1995), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) and A New Leaf (1971)
- Jack WestonA New Leaf (1971), Cactus Flower (1969) and Mirage (1965)
- Dick O'NeillHouse Calls (1978), The Front Page (1974) and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
- Ned GlassThe Fortune Cookie (1966), Charade (1963) and Who's Got the Action? (1962)
- Herb EdelmanCalifornia Suite (1978), The Front Page (1974) and The Odd Couple (1968)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Walter Matthau's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$746 million

24 of the 50 films have a worldwide figure.

24Worldwide figure
15US gross only
2Never in cinemas
9Figure not found

Top grosser

Dennis the Menace1993Mr. George Wilson$117 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 70% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Dennis the Menace1993as Mr. George Wilson
$117M15.7% of the total
2
Earthquake1974as Drunk
$80M10.7% of the total
3
Grumpier Old Men1995as Max Goldman
$72M9.6% of the total
4
Grumpy Old Men1993as Max Goldman
$70M9.4% of the total
5
Hanging Up2000as Lou Mozell
$52M7.0% of the total
6
The Odd Couple1968as Oscar Madison
$45M6.0% of the total
7
The Bad News Bears1976as Coach Morris Buttermaker
$42M5.7% of the total
8
California Suite1978as Marvin Michaels
$42M5.6% of the total

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), $18.7 million

First Monday in October (1981), $12.5 million

A Guide for the Married Man (1967), $5.0 million

The Laughing Policeman (1973), $1.7 million

$226 millionfrom the other 16 films with a worldwide figure, 30% of the total

Awards

Six awards and honors from 1962 to 1967, four of them major.

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Walter Matthau's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1967	Best Supporting Actor	The Fortune Cookie	Won
BAFTA
	Best Actor in a Leading Role		Won
Tony Awards
1965	Best Actor in a Play		Won
1962	Best Featured Actor in a Play		Won
Other honors
	David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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