Biography
Tony Curtis (June 3, 1925 – September 29, 2010) was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama. In his later years, Curtis made numerous television appearances.
Although his early film roles were partly the result of his good looks, by the later half of the 1950's he became a notable and strong screen presence. He began proving himself to be a “fine dramatic actor,” having the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles. In his earliest parts he acted in a string of "mediocre" films, including swashbucklers, westerns, light comedies, sports films, and a musical. However, by the time he starred in Houdini (1953) with his wife Janet Leigh, "his first clear success," notes critic David Thomson, his acting had progressed immensely.
He won his first serious recognition as a skilled dramatic actor in Sweet Smell of Success (1957) with co-star Burt Lancaster. The following year he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in another drama, The Defiant Ones (1958). Curtis then gave what many believe was his best acting, in a completely different role, the comedy Some Like It Hot (1959). Thomson calls it an "outrageous film," and it was voted the number 1 funniest film in history from a survey done by the American Film Institute. It costarred Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, and was directed by Billy Wilder. That was followed by Blake Edwards’ comedy Operation Petticoat (1959) with Cary Grant. They were both “frantic comedies,” and displayed "his impeccable comic timing." He often collaborated with Edwards on later films.
His most significant serious part came in 1968 when he starred in the true-life drama The Boston Strangler, which some consider his "last major film role." The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his "chilling portrayal" of serial killer Albert DeSalvo. He gained 30 pounds and had his face "rebuilt" with a false nose to look like the real DeSalvo.
Curtis was the father of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis by his first wife, actress Janet Leigh.
Filmography
all 213
Movies 172
self 74
TV Shows 41
Voice 2
Producer 1
Pictures of Ghosts (2023)
Pamela, A Love Story (2023)
Jamie Lee Curtis: Hollywood Call of Freedom (2022)
Blonde (2022)
Harry Belafonte: Between Calypso and Justice (2022)
Rat Pack (2022)
The UnXplained (2019)
Amicalement vôtre : Hollywood au service de sa Majesté (2017)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire (2014)
And the Oscar Goes To... (2014)
Talking Pictures (2013)
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom (2012)
That's Insignificance (2011)
Brasch - Das Wünschen und das Fürchten (2011)
Unlawful Killing (2011)
Tony Curtis erzählt... (2010)
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010)
Marilyn Monroe: I Want to Be Loved (2010)
Marilyn Monroe: Death of an Icon (2010)
Women, a Thing for Men (2009)
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel (2009)
David & Fatima (2008)
The Jill & Tony Curtis Story (2008)
Shrink Rap (2007)
The Graham Norton Show (2007)
The One Show (2006)
The Making of 'Some Like It Hot' (2006)
The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot' (2006)
Billy Wilder Speaks (2006)
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten (2006)
Hollywood Legenden (2004)
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy (2003)
Hope & Faith (2003)
The Untitled Star Wars Mockumentary (2003)
Un film et son époque (2003)
Reflections of Evil (2002)
Nobody's Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot (2001)
Rescued from the Closet (2001)
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot' (2001)
Memories from the Sweet Sues (2001)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)
Play It to the Bone (1999)
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever (1998)
Louis & Frank (1998)
Stargames (1998)
Die Johannes B. Kerner Show (1998)
The View (1997)
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man (1997)
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball (1997)
The Celluloid Closet (1996)
Roger Moore: A Matter Of Class (1995)
The Immortals (1995)
The Mrs Merton Show (1995)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor (1994)
Beauty and the Bandit (1994)
A Century of Cinema (1994)
Naked in New York (1993)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993)
The Mummy Lives (1993)
Derrick contre Superman (1992)
Center of the Web (1992)
Christmas in Connecticut (1992)
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box (1991)
Prime Target (1991)
Thanksgiving Day (1990)
Lobster Man from Mars (1990)
Walter and Carlo in America (1989)
Midnight (1989)
Tarzan in Manhattan (1989)
Roseanne (1988)
This Morning (1988)
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany (1988)
The Dame Edna Experience (1987)
Sparky's Magic Piano (1987)
Murder in Three Acts (1986)
Banter (1986)
Club Life (1986)
Mafia Princess (1986)
Balboa (1986)
Insignificance (1985)
Half Nelson (1985)
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal (1985)
Where Is Parsifal? (1984)
BrainWaves (1983)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983)
Black Commando (1982)
Portrait of a Showgirl (1982)
Magic with the Stars (1982)
The Million Dollar Face (1981)
Wetten, dass..? (1981)
Inmates: A Love Story (1981)
The Mirror Crack'd (1980)
It Rained All Night the Day I Left (1980)
The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980)
Little Miss Marker (1980)
The Masqueraders (1980)
Electric Blue 003 (1980)
Title Shot (1979)
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration (1979)
Death Becomes Me (1979)
The Users (1978)
Vega$ (1978)
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978)
The Manitou (1978)
Sextette (1978)
Electric Light Orchestra: Out of the Blue - Live at Wembley (1978)
The Hollywood Greats (1977)
The Last Appointment! (1977)
Bitte umblättern (1977)
Casanova & Co. (1977)
The Last Tycoon (1976)
The Switch (1976)
The Count of Monte-Cristo (1975)
Lepke (1975)
McCoy (1975)
Sporting Chance (1975)
London Conspiracy (1974)
Mission: Monte Carlo (1974)
The Third Girl from the Left (1973)
The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973)
The Persuaders! (1973)
The ABC Comedy Hour (1972)
The Persuaders! (1971)
V.I.P. Schaukel (1971)
Norman Jewison, Film Maker (1971)
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? (1970)
You Can't Win 'Em All (1970)
Bracken's World (1969)
Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969)
The Boston Strangler (1968)
Mia and Roman (1968)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The Dick Cavett Show (1968)
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who... (1967)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
Don't Make Waves (1967)
Arrivederci, Baby! (1966)
Not With My Wife, You Don't (1966)
Chamber of Horrors (1966)
Goldene Kamera Verleihung (1966)
Boeing, Boeing (1965)
The Great Race (1965)
Sex and the Single Girl (1964)
Goodbye Charlie (1964)
Wild and Wonderful (1964)
Paris When It Sizzles (1964)
Captain Newman, M.D. (1963)
The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)
40 Pounds of Trouble (1962)
Taras Bulba (1962)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
The Outsider (1961)
The Great Impostor (1960)
Pepe (1960)
Spartacus (1960)
The Flintstones (1960)
The Rat Race (1960)
Who Was That Lady? (1960)
People, Hopes, Medals (1960)
Operation Petticoat (1959)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Perfect Furlough (1958)
The Defiant Ones (1958)
Kings Go Forth (1958)
The Vikings (1958)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
The Midnight Story (1957)
Mister Cory (1957)
The Rawhide Years (1956)
The Steve Allen Show (1956)
Trapeze (1956)
The Rosemary Clooney Show (1956)
The Square Jungle (1955)
Allen in Movieland (1955)
The Purple Mask (1955)
Six Bridges to Cross (1955)
So This Is Paris (1954)
A Star Is Born World Premiere (1954)
The Black Shield of Falworth (1954)
Johnny Dark (1954)
Beachhead (1954)
Forbidden (1953)
The All American (1953)
Houdini (1953)
The Oscars (1953)
General Electric Theater (1953)
This Is Your Life (1952)
Son of Ali Baba (1952)
Flesh and Fury (1952)
No Room for the Groom (1952)
Meet Danny Wilson (1952)
Come Back Little Shiksa (1952)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
The Re-Inforcer (1951)
The Prince Who Was a Thief (1951)
Fairfax Avenue (1951)
Kansas Raiders (1950)
The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950)
Winchester '73 (1950)
Sierra (1950)
I Was a Shoplifter (1950)
Francis (1950)
What's My Line? (1950)
The Lady Gambles (1949)
Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)
City Across the River (1949)
Criss Cross (1949)
How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border (1949)
The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
Bambi Awards (1948)
The Hollywood Fashion Machine
Nightmare
An Eye for an Eye
Ratings
Gallery
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1925-06-03
Deathday2010-09-29 (85 years old)
Birth NameBernard Schwartz
Birth PlaceFlower Hospital, United States of America
Height175-centimeter
RelationshipsLisa Deutsch (1993-01-01 - 1994-01-01), Janet Leigh (1951-01-01 - 1962-01-01), Jill Vandenberg (1998-01-01 - 2010-01-01), Christine Kaufmann (1963-01-01 - 1968-01-01), Andrea Savio (1984-01-01 - 1992-01-01), Leslie Allen (1968-01-01 - 1982-01-01)
ChildrenKelly Curtis, Jamie Lee Curtis, Allegra Curtis
FatherEmanuel Schwartz
MotherHelen Klein
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsBernard Herschel Schwartz, Anthony Curtis, Тони Кёртис
AwardsSitges Grand Honorary Award, star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Henrietta Award, Golden Globe Award, Bambi Award
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