Name: Walter Matthau
Date of Birth: 1 October 1920 Big break came when understudying the actor who played the Archbishop in "Anne Of The Thousand Days," starring Rex Harrison. Brought to the St. John's Health Center after suffering a heart attack by ambulance and was pronounced dead shortly afterward at 1:42 a.m. Buried at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park. Marilyn Monroe, Truman Capote, Natalie Wood, Donna Reed, among other stars are buried at this cemetery. People were never sure if he was joking or saying things seriously, either on-screen or off-screen. ... He hated to be identified as a comedic actor. He once claimed that his father was an Orthodox priest in the Czarist Russia, who was removed after he claimed that the Pope was infallible. Once claimed that his wife's name was Carol Wellington-Smythe Marcus, just to give it a more "aristocratic" sound. When he inscribed himself formally to the U.S. Social Security in 1937, he included "Foghorn" as his middle name. He never changed it. Studied in the dramatic workshop at New York's New School with Gene Saks, Rod Steiger, Harry Guardino and Tony Curtis. Served in the US Army Air Force, 8th Air Force, 453rd Bombardment Group in England with James Stewart. He once estimated his lifetime gambling losses at $5 million. While making a TV series in Florida before his movie stardom, he lost $183,000 betting on spring-training baseball games. After filming Grumpy Old Men (1993) in 1993 in freezing weather in Minnesota, he was hospitalized for double pneumonia. Uncle of Juliette Gruber. Reports are that he made up "Matuschanskayasky" as a joke and that his real "real" name is Matthow. The existence of Michelle Matthow would seem to confirm this... According to his son, Charlie Matthau, on "Larry King Live" (1985), July 14, 2000, his real name was Walter Matthow, and he changed it to be more exotic. The name Walter Matuschanskayasky was one he made up to retaliate for being "tricked" into appearing in the movie Earthquake (1974) with a much larger part than he expected. Was passionate about classical music and often sang pieces by Mozart on the set. Two children, Jenny (b. 2 August 1956) and David (b. 2 November 1953), by his first wife, Grace Geraldine Johnson, and a son, Charles Matthau (b. 10 December 1962), by his second wife, Carol Marcus. Step-father of Lucy Saroyan. Very tall as young man, Matthau had a very slouchy posture by the time he was an actor. This was in part due to injuries attained in combat in WWII, but he probably exaggerated it because the slouch fitted his miserly characters. Dan Castellaneta has said that his original voice for Homer Simpson was simply an impression of Matthau. Won two Tony Awards: in 1962, as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for "A Shot in the Dark," and in 1965 as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "The Odd Couple," recreating his part as Oscar Madison in the film version of the same name, The Odd Couple (1968). Previously, he also had a Tony nomination in 1959 as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for "Once More, with Feeling." Dealt with a gambling addiction his entire adult life. He and Jack Lemmon acted together in 10 movies: Buddy Buddy (1981), The Fortune Cookie (1966), The Front Page (1974), The Grass Harp (1995), Grumpier Old Men (1995), Grumpy Old Men (1993), JFK (1991), The Odd Couple II (1998), The Odd Couple (1968) and Out to Sea (1997). Lemmon also directed Matthau in Kotch (1971). Screen-tested for the part of Richard Sherman in The Seven Year Itch (1955). After seeing his test, director Billy Wilder believed he had found his leading man. Unfortunately, executives at 20th Century Fox were unwilling to take a risk on an unknown newcomer. Because of this, the role went to Tom Ewell, who had originated the role on Broadway. Appeared in Ensign Pulver (1964), the sequel to Mister Roberts (1955), for which his friend Jack Lemmon won an Oscar. During the filming of Hello, Dolly! (1969), he clashed with Barbra Streisand and disliked her so intensely that he refused to be around her except when required to do so by the script. He is famously quoted as telling Streisand that she "had no more talent than a butterfly's fart." Interestingly, he is clearly seen in the audience at the One Voice (1986) (TV) concert at her Malibu ranch, where invitation-only guests had the privilege of paying $5,000 per couple to help establish the Streisand Foundation, which supports numerous charitable organizations. Apparently, he did not hold grudges. One sibling, an older brother Henry Matthow, born July 14, 1918. Died May 21, 1995, in Long Beach, NY. His Mother, Rose Matthow, was born December 15, 1894, and died in Pacific Palisades, CA, in January 1979. Played Albert Einstein in the film I.Q. (1994) even though he was a half-foot taller than the famous scientist. Read more Walter Matthau movies (actor)Walter Matthau movies (director)User Comments |
