Walter Matthau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter Matthau
Matthau in 1952
Born	Walter John Matthow (1920-10-01)October 1, 1920 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 1, 2000(2000-07-01) (aged 79) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Resting place	Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Other names	Walter Matuschanskayasky
Occupation	Actor comedian director
Years active	1948–2000
Notable work	A Face in the Crowd (1957) King Creole (1958) Charade (1963) The Fortune Cookie (1966) The Odd Couple (1968) Hello, Dolly! (1969) Cactus Flower (1969) A New Leaf (1971) Kotch (1971) The Sunshine Boys (1975) The Bad News Bears (1976) California Suite (1978) Hopscotch (1980) Dennis the Menace (1993) Grumpy Old Men (1993)
Spouse(s)	Grace Geraldine Johnson ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1958)​ Carol Marcus ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	3, including Charles Matthau
Awards	Academy Award BAFTA Award Tony Award Golden Globe Award
Military career
Service/branch	United States Army Air Forces
Years of service	1942–1945
Rank	Staff Sergeant
Unit	Eighth Air Force 453rd Bombardment Group
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Bulge
Awards	Air Medal Army Good Conduct Medal American Campaign Medal European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal

Walter Matthau (born Walter John Matthow on October 1, 1920) was a famous American actor, comedian, and film director. He was known for his unique voice and often played grumpy but lovable characters.

He starred in many popular movies. Some of his most famous roles include the coach of a baseball team in The Bad News Bears (1976). He also worked with actor Jack Lemmon in 10 films. Their movies together include The Odd Couple (1968) and Grumpy Old Men (1993).

Walter Matthau won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie The Fortune Cookie (1966). He also won two British Academy Film Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 1965, he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in the Broadway play The Odd Couple. In 1982, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early Life and Beginnings

Walter John Matthow was born on October 1, 1920, in New York City. He grew up in the Lower East Side neighborhood. He had two brothers.

His mother, Rose, was an immigrant from Lithuania. His father, Milton, was from Ukraine. They were both Jewish.

Walter loved playing jokes. He even made up stories about his middle name being "Foghorn." He also joked that his last name was originally "Matuschanskayasky." He even used this name for a small role in the film Earthquake.

As a child, Walter went to summer camps where he started acting in plays. He also attended Seward Park High School. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a cashier in a Yiddish theater.

Serving in World War II

During World War II, Walter Matthau joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. He served as a radioman-gunner on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber. He was part of the Eighth Air Force in the United Kingdom.

He flew missions over Europe during the Battle of the Bulge. He was in the same unit as actor James Stewart. Walter ended the war as a Staff Sergeant. After the war, he returned to America to become an actor.

Acting Career Highlights

Walter Matthau trained as an actor at The New School. He often joked about his early acting days. One reviewer said he looked like a real "skid row bum" in a play. He was a respected stage actor for many years. He won a Tony Award in 1962 for his role in A Shot in the Dark.

Matthau in Charade, 1963

His first movie role was in The Kentuckian (1955). He played a bad guy in King Creole (1958) and was beaten up by Elvis Presley. He also appeared in A Face in the Crowd (1957). In 1963, he starred in the thriller Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.

Becoming a Comedy Star

Matthau and Art Carney in The Odd Couple, 1965

Walter Matthau became very famous for his comedy roles. In 1965, he played Oscar Madison in the play The Odd Couple. He later played the same role in the movie version (1968) with Jack Lemmon. This movie started their amazing partnership.

He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for The Fortune Cookie (1966). In this film, he played a tricky lawyer. During filming, he had a heart attack and stopped smoking. He even joked about it at the Oscar ceremony.

More Famous Roles

Matthau was nominated for Oscars again for Kotch (1971) and The Sunshine Boys (1975). For The Sunshine Boys, he won a Golden Globe Award. He played a former vaudeville star in this movie.

Matthau in Hello, Dolly!, 1969

He also starred in movie versions of Broadway hits like Hello, Dolly! and Cactus Flower (both 1969). He played three different roles in Plaza Suite (1971).

In the mid-1970s, he starred in crime dramas like Charley Varrick (1973). A big hit was the comedy The Bad News Bears (1976). In this movie, he played Morris Buttermaker, a coach of a Little League baseball team.

Later Career and Partnerships

In the 1980s, Matthau starred in the spy comedy Hopscotch (1980). He helped rewrite the script for this movie. He also played a judge in First Monday in October (1981).

He played Mr. Wilson in the movie Dennis the Menace (1993). He also played Albert Einstein in the film I.Q. (1994).

His work with Jack Lemmon was very special. They made 10 movies together. Their comedies Grumpy Old Men (1993) and Grumpier Old Men (1995) were very popular. They also made Out to Sea (1997) and The Odd Couple II (1998).

His last movie was Hanging Up (2000).

Personal Life

Walter Matthau was married twice. His first wife was Grace Geraldine Johnson (1948–1958). His second wife was Carol Marcus (1959–2000). He had three children: Jenny, David, and Charlie. He also helped raise his stepchildren, Aram and Lucy Saroyan.

Walter Matthau had several health issues throughout his life, including heart problems. He passed away on July 1, 2000, at the age of 79. He is buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. His wife, Carol, was buried next to him in 2003.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Walter Matthau para niños