Walter Matthau

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.

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Saturday Night Live

The Mike Douglas Show

Golden Globe Awards

Tony Awards

Great Performances

The Philco Television Playhouse

The Philco Television Playhouse

All Movies (97)

• Elvis: A Life in Music2026 · as Self (archive footage)
• 'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War2020 · as Self (archive footage)
• Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'2015 · as Self (archive footage)
• Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'2000 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hanging Up2000 · as Lou Mozell
• The Marriage Fool1998 · as Frank Walsh
• Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau1998 · as Self
• The Odd Couple II1998 · as Oscar Madison
• Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy1998 · as Narrator
• Out to Sea1997 · as Charlie Gordon
• Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough1997 · as Self
• I'm Not Rappaport1996 · as Nat Moyer
• Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman1996 · as Self
• The Grass Harp1996 · as Judge Charlie Cool
• Grumpier Old Men1995 · as Max Goldman
• The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies1995 · as Self
• I.Q.1994 · as Albert Einstein
• Incident in a Small Town1994 · as Harmon Cobb
• Grumpy Old Men1993 · as Max Goldman
• Dennis the Menace1993 · as Mr. Wilson
• Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy1993 · as Self
• Chaplin1992 · as Self (archive footage)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas!1992 · as Narrator (voice)
• Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys1992 · as Self
• Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore1992 · as Harmon Cobb
• JFK1991 · as Senator Long
• Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love1991 · as Clifford Pepperman
• The Incident1990 · as Harmon Cobb
• Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre1989 · as Self (voice)
• The Little Devil1988 · as Padre Maurizio
• The Couch Trip1988 · as Donald Becker
• A Beverly Hills Christmas1987 · as Self
• James Stewart: A Wonderful Life1987 · as Self
• Pirates1986 · as Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
• Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special1986 · as Self
• Movers & Shakers1985 · as Joe Mulholland
• The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team1984 · as Self - Performer
• The Survivors1983 · as Sonny Paluso
• Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder1982 · as Self
• Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter1982 · as Self
• I Ought to Be in Pictures1982 · as Herbert Tucker
• I Love Liberty1982 · as Self
• First Monday in October1981 · as Dan Snow
• Buddy Buddy1981 · as Trabucco
• Hopscotch1980 · as Miles Kendig
• Little Miss Marker1980 · as Sorrowful Jones
• The Stingiest Man in Town1978 · as Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
• Funny Business1978 · as Self - Host
• California Suite1978 · as Marvin Michaels
• House Calls1978 · as Dr. Charley Nichols
• Actor1978 · as Boris Thomashevsky
• Casey's Shadow1978 · as Lloyd Bourdelle
• The Gentleman Tramp1976 · as Self / Narrator
• The Bad News Bears1976 · as Coach Morris Buttermaker
• The Sunshine Boys1975 · as Willy Clark
• The Lion Roars Again1975 · as Self
• Earthquake1974 · as Drunk
• The Front Page1974 · as Walter Burns
• The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974 · as Lt. Garber
• The Laughing Policeman1973 · as Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
• Charley Varrick1973 · as Charley Varrick
• Pete 'n' Tillie1972 · as Pete Seltzer
• Awake and Sing!1972 · as Moe Axelrod
• Kotch1971 · as Joseph P. Kotcher
• Plaza Suite1971 · as Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
• A New Leaf1971 · as Henry Graham
• Cactus Flower1969 · as Dr. Julian Winston
• Hello, Dolly!1969 · as Horace Vandergelder
• Candy1968 · as Gen. R.A. Smight
• Jack Benny's Bag1968 · as Self
• The Secret Life of an American Wife1968 · as The Movie Star
• The Odd Couple1968 · as Oscar Madison
• Carol Channing and 101 Men1968 · as Self
• A Guide for the Married Man1967 · as Paul Manning
• The Fortune Cookie1966 · as Willie Gingrich
• Mirage1965 · as Ted Caselle
• Goodbye Charlie1964 · as Leo Sartori
• Fail Safe1964 · as Prof. Groeteschele
• Ensign Pulver1964 · as Doc
• Charade1963 · as Hamilton Bartholemew
• Island of Love1963 · as Tony Dallas
• Who's Got the Action?1962 · as Tony Gagouts
• Big Deal in Laredo1962 · as Meredith
• Lonely are the Brave1962 · as Sheriff Morey Johnson
• Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'1960 · as Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
• Strangers When We Meet1960 · as Felix Anders
• Gangster Story1959 · as Jack Martin
• Ride a Crooked Trail1958 · as Judge Kyle
• Onionhead1958 · as 'Red' Wildoe
• Voice in the Mirror1958 · as Dr. Karnes
• King Creole1958 · as Maxie Fields
• Slaughter on 10th Avenue1957 · as Al Dahlke
• A Face in the Crowd1957 · as Mel Miller
• Bigger Than Life1956 · as Wally Gibbs
• The Indian Fighter1955 · as Wes Todd
• The Kentuckian1955 · as Stan Bodine
• Atomic Attack1954 · as Dr. Spinelli

All TV Shows (38)

• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• The American Film Institute Salute to ...1973 · as Self
• Film '721971 · as Self
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• Profiles in Courage1964 · as Gov. John Slaton
• Profiles in Courage1964 · as Andrew Johnson
• Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1963 · as Tom Gregory
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Target: The Corruptors!1961
• Dr. Kildare1961 · as Franklin Gaer
• Tallahassee 70001961 · as Lex Rogers
• Route 661960
• Naked City1958 · as Peter Kanopolis
• Naked City1958 · as Dr. Max Lewine
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Off. Pete Chandler
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Moran
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Harry Wade
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Phil
• Climax!1954 · as Charlie Mapes
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• General Electric Theater1953
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Tom Dutton
• Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Coastguardsman
• Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Inspector
• Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Craig
• Robert Montgomery Presents1950
• Robert Montgomery Presents1950 · as The Bartender
• Suspense1949 · as Lawrence Stevens
• Studio One1948 · as Jacobs
• Studio One1948 · as Olsen
• The Philco Television Playhouse1948
• The Philco Television Playhouse1948 · as Iago
• The Philco Television Playhouse1948 · as Stuart Benson
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee / Presenter