Walter Matthau
Known for: Acting
Born: October 1, 1920
Died: July 1, 2000
Place of birth: New York City, New York, USA
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
95 movies · 26 TV shows, newest first
NR
Elvis: A Life in Music
2026
NR
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
2020
5.0
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
2015
5.3
Hanging Up
2000
6.9
The Marriage Fool
1998NR
Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
1998
6.3
The Odd Couple II
1998
6.0
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
1998
5.8
Out to Sea
1997
6.5
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997
5.7
I'm Not Rappaport
1996
7.5
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
1996
5.9
The Grass Harp
1996
6.5
Grumpier Old Men
1995
8.0
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
6.0
I.Q.
1994
7.1
Incident in a Small Town
1994
6.7
Grumpy Old Men
1993
5.9
Dennis the Menace
1993
5.8
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
1993
7.6
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1992
7.0
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
1992
6.1
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
1992
7.6
JFK
1991
5.1
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
1991
6.4
The Incident
1990NR
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
6.7
The Little Devil
1988
5.5
The Couch Trip
1988
3.5
A Beverly Hills Christmas
1987
6.5
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
6.3
Pirates
1986
9.0
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
1986
3.9
Movers & Shakers
1985
NR
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1984
5.7
The Survivors
1983
6.9
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder
1982
NR
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
1982
6.9
I Ought to Be in Pictures
1982
NR
I Love Liberty
1982
6.2
First Monday in October
1981
6.1
Buddy Buddy
1981
7.0
Hopscotch
1980
6.6
Little Miss Marker
1980
5.6
The Stingiest Man in Town
19788.0
Funny Business
1978
5.9
California Suite
1978
6.4
House Calls
1978
7.0
Actor
1978
6.5
Casey's Shadow
1978
7.1
The Gentleman Tramp
1976
6.9
The Bad News Bears
1976
6.9
The Sunshine Boys
1975
6.9
Saturday Night Live
19756.5
The Lion Roars Again
1975
6.2
Earthquake
1974
7.3
The Front Page
1974
7.5
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974
6.2
The Laughing Policeman
1973
7.4
Charley Varrick
1973
6.3
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
5.8
Pete 'n' Tillie
1972
10.0
Awake and Sing!
19725.1
Film '72
1971
6.6
Kotch
1971
6.2
Plaza Suite
1971
7.3
A New Leaf
1971
6.1
Great Performances
1971
7.2
Cactus Flower
1969
7.0
Hello, Dolly!
1969
5.1
Candy
1968NR
Jack Benny's Bag
1968
6.0
The Secret Life of an American Wife
1968
6.8
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
7.4
The Odd Couple
1968
NR
Carol Channing and 101 Men
1968
5.9
A Guide for the Married Man
1967
7.2
The Fortune Cookie
1966
7.0
Mirage
1965
5.8
Goodbye Charlie
19647.5
Profiles in Courage
1964
7.8
Fail Safe
1964
6.5
Ensign Pulver
1964
7.7
Charade
19635.9
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
5.8
Island of Love
1963
5.2
Who's Got the Action?
1962NR
Big Deal in Laredo
1962
6.8
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
7.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
7.4
Lonely are the Brave
1962
5.8
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
5.7
Target: The Corruptors!
1961
5.7
Dr. Kildare
1961
8.5
Tallahassee 7000
1961
NR
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
1960
6.7
Route 66
1960
6.4
Strangers When We Meet
1960
4.9
Gangster Story
1959
6.5
Ride a Crooked Trail
1958
5.5
Onionhead
1958
5.7
Naked City
1958
6.5
Voice in the Mirror
1958
6.4
King Creole
1958
5.8
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
1957
7.6
A Face in the Crowd
1957
7.2
Bigger Than Life
1956
NR
Tony Awards
1956
6.3
The Indian Fighter
1955
7.8
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
5.8
The Kentuckian
1955
3.8
Climax!
1954
7.5
Atomic Attack
1954
7.0
The Oscars
1953
6.8
General Electric Theater
19536.7
Lux Video Theatre
1950
6.0
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
5.1
Suspense
1949
5.4
Studio One
1948
6.6
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
7.0
Golden Globe Awards
1944