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.
Movies
Some Like It Hot
Joe (Josephine)
Spartacus
Antoninus
Sweet Smell of Success
Sidney Falco
Don't Make Waves
Carlo Cofield
Casanova & Co.
Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino
The Count of Monte-Cristo
Fernand Morcerf Mondego
Play It to the Bone
Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan)
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball
Wald
Center of the Web
Stephen Moore
The Mummy Lives
Aziru / Dr. Mohassid
Criss Cross
Gigolo (uncredited)
The Mirror Crack'd
Martin N. Fenn
The Defiant Ones
John 'Joker' Jackson
Murder in Three Acts
Charles Cartwright
Paris When It Sizzles
Maurice / Philippe (uncredited)
The Great Race
The Great Leslie
The List of Adrian Messenger
Organ Grinder
Naked in New York
Carl Fisher
The Black Shield of Falworth
Myles Falworth
The Boston Strangler
Albert DeSalvo
Sex and the Single Girl
Bob Weston
Operation Petticoat
Lieutenant Nicholas Holden
Captain Newman, M.D.
Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz
Forbidden
Eddie Darrow
The Manitou
Harry Erskine
Trapeze
Tino Orsini
The Immortals
Dominic
The Lady Gambles
Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis)
Insignificance
The Senator
6 Bridges to Cross
Jerry Florea
Lepke
Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter
Winchester '73
Doan
The Vikings
Eric
Taras Bulba
Andrei Bulba
Houdini
Harry Houdini
Reflections of Evil
Host
The Last Tycoon
Rodriguez
City Across the River
Mitch (as Anthony Curtis)
Mission: Monte Carlo
Danny Wilde
Beachhead
Burke
The Great Impostor
Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd
Boeing, Boeing
Bernard Lawrence
Lobster Man from Mars
J.P. Shelldrake
Monte Carlo or Bust!
Chester Schofield
I Was a Shoplifter
Pepe
Little Miss Marker
Blackie
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
Marvin Lazar
Walter and Carlo in America
WIlly La Rouge
Club Life
Hector
Johnny Stool Pigeon
Joey Hyatt (as Anthony Curtis)
Beauty and the Bandit
Lucky Bergstrom
Goodbye Charlie
George Wellington Tracy
Pepe
Tony Curtis
The Midnight Story
Joe Martini
Son of Ali Baba
Kashma Baba
The Prince Who Was a Thief
Julna
Not With My Wife, You Don't
Tom Ferris
Christmas in Connecticut
Alexander Yardley
BrainWaves
Dr. Clavius
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
Self
Kings Go Forth
Caporal Britt Harris
Flesh and Fury
Paul Callan
Kansas Raiders
Kit Dalton
Who Was That Lady?
David Wilson
The Rat Race
Pete Hammond Jr.
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man
Jack Steele
The Purple Mask
Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask
Johnny Dark
Johnny Dark
Sierra
Brent Coulter (as Anthony Cutis)
Sextette
Alexei Karansky
Mister Cory
Cory
No Room for the Groom
Alvah Morrell
Midnight
Mr. B
You Can't Win 'Em All
Adam Dyer
Where Is Parsifal?
Parsifal Katzanella-Boden
The Million Dollar Face
Chester Masterson
The Outsider
Ira Hamilton Hayes
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Users
Randy Brent
The Third Girl from the Left
Joey Jordan
The Perfect Furlough
Cpl. Paul Hodges
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten
Self (archive footage)
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot'
Self
The Making of 'Some Like It Hot'
Self
The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot'
Self
Prime Target
Copella
Balboa
Ernie Stoddard
The All American
Nick Bonelli
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
Self
Portrait of a Showgirl
Joey DeLeon
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany
Mr. Cornfield
Arrivederci, Baby!
Nick Johnson
Stargames
King Fendel
Tarzan in Manhattan
Archimedes Porter
The Square Jungle
Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
Shannon Gambroni
Black Commando
Col. Iago
40 Pounds of Trouble
Steve McCluskey
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
Guerrando da Montone
The Celluloid Closet
Self
The Scarlett O'Hara War
David O. Selznick
David & Fatima
Mr. Schwartz
Francis
Captain Jones
So This Is Paris
Joe Maxwell
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
Self
Half Nelson
Sparky's Magic Piano
Wild and Wonderful
Terry Williams
Mafia Princess
Sam Giancana
Electric Blue 003
Himself
Banter
Charles Foster
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
Robert Talbot
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
Narrator (voice) / Self
The Rawhide Years
Ben Matthews
Rosemary's Baby
Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited)
Title Shot
Frank Renzetti
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Self
Come Back Little Shiksa
The Re-Inforcer
Baffo
Chamber of Horrors
Mr. Julian
An Eye for an Eye
Fairfax Avenue
Nightmare
Tony
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy
Self
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
A Century of Cinema
Self
London Conspiracy
Danny Wilde
That's Insignificance
Self
Norman Jewison, Film Maker
Self (uncredited)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Self - Actor (archive footage)
Nobody's Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot
Self
Inmates: A Love Story
Flanagan
The Switch
Danny Wilde
Sporting Chance
Danny Wilde
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
Johnny Steele
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Eric (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rescued from the Closet
Self
Allen in Movieland
Self
Death Becomes Me
Danny Wilde
The Masqueraders
Danny Wilde
The Persuaders!
Danny Wilde
The Last Appointment!
Danny Wilde
How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border
Meet Danny Wilson
Nightclub Patron
Louis & Frank
Thanksgiving Day
Max Schloss
Pamela, A Love Story
Self (archive photo)
Hollywood Legenden
Self
Marilyn Monroe: I Want to Be Loved
Self
Marilyn Monroe: Death of an Icon
Self
Tony Curtis erzählt...
Self
People, Hopes, Medals
Self
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
Magic with the Stars
Harry Houdini (archive footage) (uncredited)
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever
Bernard (voice)
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
Roger Moore: A Matter Of Class
Self
Woman in Hiding
Dave Shaw (voice) (uncredited)
Shows
Hope & Faith
Morris
The One Show
Self - Guest
The Persuaders!
Danny Wilde
Roseanne
General Electric Theater
Mario Galindo
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Charlie
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Recipient
The Hollywood Greats
Talking Pictures
Self (archive footage)
This Morning
Self
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Tony Curtis
The Flintstones
The View
Self
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self
This Is Your Life
Self
McCoy
McCoy
Bracken's World
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
The Oscars
Self
Wetten, dass..?
Self
The Graham Norton Show
Himself
The Mrs Merton Show
Self
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self
Vega$
Roth
Shrink Rap
Himself
Goldene Kamera Verleihung
Self
Bambi Awards
Self
Die Johannes B. Kerner Show
Self
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest
Bitte umblättern
Self
Un film et son époque
Self
General Electric Theater
David
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self (archive footage)
The Rosemary Clooney Show
Self
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
The UnXplained
Self (archive footage)
The Dame Edna Experience
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self