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Tony Curtis
Born · June 3, 1925
Died · September 29, 2010 (85 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Bronx, New York, USA
Bio
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.
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
9.0
2022
The UnXplained
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
6.5
2019
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Self - Actor (archive footage)
7.3
2014
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
7.0
2014
Talking Pictures
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
5.0
2013
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
Self
6.8
2012
That's Insignificance
Self
0.0
2011
Tony Curtis erzählt...
Self
0.0
2010
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Eric (archive footage) (uncredited)
6.9
2010
Marilyn Monroe: I Want to Be Loved
Self
0.0
2010
Marilyn Monroe: Death of an Icon
Self
0.0
2010
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
Self
6.3
2009
David & Fatima
Mr. Schwartz
5.0
2008
Shrink Rap
Himself · (1 episode)
6.5
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (1 episode)
7.2
2007
The One Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
4.6
2006
The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot'
Self
8.5
2006
The Making of 'Some Like It Hot'
Self
7.0
2006
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten
Self (archive footage)
6.0
2006
Hollywood Legenden
Self
2.0
2004
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy
Self
9.0
2003
Hope & Faith
Morris · (1 episode)
5.3
2003
Un film et son époque
Self · (1 episode)
10.0
2003
Reflections of Evil
Host
6.6
2002
Nobody's Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot
Self
6.0
2001
Rescued from the Closet
Self
6.0
2001
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot'
Self
7.0
2001
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Tony Curtis · (1 episode)
7.6
2000
Play It to the Bone
Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan)
5.6
1999
The Rat Pack
Self · (4 episodes)
0.0
1999
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever
Bernard (voice)
0.0
1998
Louis & Frank
0.0
1998
Stargames
King Fendel
2.2
1998
Die Johannes B. Kerner Show
Self · (1 episode)
4.0
1998
Parkinson
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
0.0
1998
Elvis Meets Nixon
Tony Curtis
7.0
1997
The View
Self · (1 episode)
4.4
1997
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man
Jack Steele
0.0
1997
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball
Wald
4.2
1997
Suddenly Susan
Peter DiCaprio · (1 episode)
5.7
1996
The Celluloid Closet
Self
7.2
1996
Roger Moore: A Matter Of Class
Self
6.0
1995
The Immortals
Dominic
5.7
1995
The Mrs Merton Show
Self · (1 episode)
6.3
1995
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
Johnny Steele
6.8
1994
Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit
Lucky Bergstrom
4.2
1994
A Century of Cinema
Self
8.0
1994
Naked in New York
Carl Fisher
4.7
1993
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
(1 episode)
7.0
1993
The Mummy Lives
Aziru / Dr. Mohassid
4.2
1993
Christmas in Connecticut
Alexander Yardley
4.6
1992
Center of the Web
Stephen Moore
3.8
1992
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
Narrator (voice) / Self
0.0
1991
Prime Target
Copella
5.2
1991
Thanksgiving Day
Max Schloss
6.0
1990
Lobster Man from Mars
J.P. Shelldrake
5.2
1990
Walter and Carlo in America
WIlly La Rouge
5.2
1989
Midnight
Mr. B
2.0
1989
Tarzan in Manhattan
Archimedes Porter
3.9
1989
Roseanne
(1 episode)
6.8
1988
This Morning
Self · (1 episode)
5.7
1988
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany
Mr. Cornfield
5.7
1988
The Dame Edna Experience
Self · (1 episode)
5.0
1987
Matin Bonheur
Self · (1 episode)
0.0
1987
Sparky's Magic Piano
5.9
1987
Murder in Three Acts
Charles Cartwright
5.5
1986
Banter
Charles Foster
4.7
1986
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
Self
7.5
1986
Club Life
Hector
6.0
1986
Mafia Princess
Sam Giancana
10.0
1986
Insignificance
The Senator
6.3
1985
Half Nelson
0.0
1985
Where Is Parsifal?
Parsifal Katzanella-Boden
3.5
1984
BrainWaves
Dr. Clavius
4.4
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
6.5
1983
Balboa
Ernie Stoddard
0.0
1983
Black Commando
Col. Iago
2.7
1982
Portrait of a Showgirl
Joey DeLeon
8.0
1982
Magic with the Stars
Harry Houdini (archive footage) (uncredited)
0.0
1982
The Million Dollar Face
Chester Masterson
0.0
1981
Wetten, dass..?
Self · (1 episode)
5.5
1981
Inmates: A Love Story
Flanagan
0.0
1981
The Mirror Crack'd
Martin N. Fenn
6.1
1980
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
Robert Talbot
4.8
1980
The Scarlett O'Hara War
David O. Selznick
6.1
1980
Little Miss Marker
Blackie
6.5
1980
The Masqueraders
Danny Wilde
0.0
1980
Title Shot
Frank Renzetti
0.0
1979
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
Self
1.0
1979
Death Becomes Me
Danny Wilde/Aunt Sophie Schwartz
0.0
1979
The Users
Randy Brent
1.0
1978
Vega$
Roth · (23 episodes)
7.0
1978
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
Marvin Lazar
4.9
1978
The Manitou
Harry Erskine
5.5
1978
Sextette
Alexei Karansky
3.7
1978
The Hollywood Greats
(2 episodes)
3.5
1977
The Last Appointment!
Danny Wilde
0.0
1977
Bitte umblättern
Self · (1 episode)
6.0
1977
Casanova & Co.
Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino
3.8
1977
The Last Tycoon
Rodriguez
6.3
1976
The Switch
Danny Wilde
0.0
1976
The Count of Monte-Cristo
Fernand Morcerf Mondego
6.7
1975
Lepke
Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter
5.2
1975
McCoy
McCoy · (4 episodes)
5.0
1975
Sporting Chance
Danny Wilde
6.0
1975
London Conspiracy
Danny Wilde
10.0
1974
Mission: Monte Carlo
Danny Wilde
6.7
1974
The Third Girl from the Left
Joey Jordan
9.0
1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · (2 episodes)
6.3
1973
The Persuaders!
Danny Wilde
8.7
1973
The Persuaders!
Danny Wilde · (24 episodes)
7.6
1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self · (1 episode)
6.0
1971
Norman Jewison, Film Maker
Self (uncredited)
0.0
1971
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
Shannon Gambroni
5.0
1970
You Can't Win 'Em All
Adam Dyer
5.8
1970
Bracken's World
(1 episode)
5.0
1969
Monte Carlo or Bust!
Chester Schofield
5.9
1969
The Boston Strangler
Albert DeSalvo
6.7
1968
Rosemary's Baby
Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited)
7.8
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
6.7
1968
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
Guerrando da Montone
4.4
1967
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self · (8 episodes)
6.4
1967
Don't Make Waves
Carlo Cofield
5.3
1967
Arrivederci, Baby!
Nick Johnson
5.9
1966
Not With My Wife, You Don't
Tom Ferris
6.0
1966
Chamber of Horrors
Mr. Julian
5.5
1966
Goldene Kamera Verleihung
Self · (1 episode)
3.5
1966
Boeing, Boeing
Bernard Lawrence
6.3
1965
The Great Race
The Great Leslie
7.1
1965
Sex and the Single Girl
Bob Weston
6.6
1964
Goodbye Charlie
George Wellington Tracy
5.6
1964
Wild and Wonderful
Terry Williams
6.3
1964
Paris When It Sizzles
Maurice / Philippe (uncredited)
6.3
1964
Captain Newman, M.D.
Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz
6.6
1963
The List of Adrian Messenger
Organ Grinder
6.6
1963
40 Pounds of Trouble
Steve McCluskey
5.4
1962
Taras Bulba
Andrei Bulba
6.3
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (3 episodes)
7.4
1962
The Outsider
Ira Hamilton Hayes
6.2
1961
The Great Impostor
Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd
6.9
1960
Pepe
Tony Curtis
6.1
1960
Spartacus
Antoninus
7.5
1960
The Flintstones
Stony Curtis (voice) · (1 episode)
7.4
1960
The Rat Race
Pete Hammond Jr.
6.6
1960
Who Was That Lady?
David Wilson
6.2
1960
People, Hopes, Medals
Self
4.6
1960
Operation Petticoat
Lieutenant Nicholas Holden
7.2
1959
Some Like It Hot
Joe (Josephine)
8.1
1959
The Perfect Furlough
Cpl. Paul Hodges
7.1
1958
The Defiant Ones
John 'Joker' Jackson
7.2
1958
Kings Go Forth
Caporal Britt Harris
6.1
1958
The Vikings
Eric
7.0
1958
Sweet Smell of Success
Sidney Falco
7.6
1957
The Midnight Story
Joe Martini
5.6
1957
Mister Cory
Cory
5.5
1957
The Rawhide Years
Ben Matthews
5.5
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Recipient · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
Trapeze
Tino Orsini
6.2
1956
The Rosemary Clooney Show
Self · (1 episode)
0.0
1956
Nightmare
Tony
0.0
1956
The Square Jungle
Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon
6.0
1955
Allen in Movieland
Self
5.0
1955
The Purple Mask
Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask
5.0
1955
6 Bridges to Cross
Jerry Florea
6.2
1955
So This Is Paris
Joe Maxwell
8.5
1954
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Self
8.0
1954
The Black Shield of Falworth
Myles Falworth
6.2
1954
Johnny Dark
Johnny Dark
5.2
1954
Beachhead
Burke
5.3
1954
Forbidden
Eddie Darrow
6.0
1953
The All American
Nick Bonelli
5.0
1953
Houdini
Harry Houdini
6.5
1953
The Oscars
Self · (4 episodes)
7.0
1953
General Electric Theater
Mario Galindo · (1 episode)
6.0
1953
General Electric Theater
David · (1 episode)
6.0
1953
The World's Most Beautiful Girls
Self
0.0
1953
This Is Your Life
Self · (1 episode)
6.6
1952
Son of Ali Baba
Kashma Baba
5.8
1952
Flesh and Fury
Paul Callan
6.1
1952
No Room for the Groom
Alvah Morrell
5.6
1952
Meet Danny Wilson
Nightclub Patron
4.0
1952
An Eye for an Eye
0.0
1952
Come Back Little Shiksa
0.0
1952
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Charlie · (1 episode)
7.0
1951
The Re-Inforcer
Baffo
5.5
1951
The Prince Who Was a Thief
Julna
4.9
1951
Fairfax Avenue
0.0
1951
Kansas Raiders
Kit Dalton
5.8
1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · (4 episodes)
7.0
1950
Winchester '73
Doan
7.3
1950
Sierra
Brent Coulter (as Anthony Cutis)
5.3
1950
I Was a Shoplifter
Pepe
5.3
1950
Francis
Captain Jones
5.5
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (1 episode)
6.7
1950
Woman in Hiding
Dave Shaw (voice) (uncredited)
6.2
1950
The Lady Gambles
Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis)
6.0
1949
Johnny Stool Pigeon
Joey Hyatt (as Anthony Curtis)
6.5
1949
City Across the River
Mitch (as Anthony Curtis)
5.5
1949
Criss Cross
Gigolo (uncredited)
7.1
1949
How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border
0.0
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (3 episodes)
6.6
1948
Bambi Awards
Self · (2 episodes)
9.0
1948