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.
Movie | Blonde | Tony Curtis | 2022-09-16 |
Movie | Rat Pack | Self (archive footage) | 2022-01-11 |
Movie | I Am Not Your Negro | Various Roles (archive footage) | 2017-02-03 |
Movie | And the Oscar Goes To... | Self (archive footage) | 2014-02-01 |
Movie | Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire | Self - Actor (archive footage) | 2014-09-20 |
Series | Talking Pictures | Himself - Archive footage | 2013-01-05 |
Movie | Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom | Self | 2012-03-20 |
Movie | Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff | Eric (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2010-05-05 |
Movie | Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel | Self | 2009-01-01 |
Movie | David & Fatima | Mr. Schwartz | 2008-06-27 |
Series | The Graham Norton Show | Himself | 2007-02-22 |
Movie | Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten | Self (archive footage) | 2006-03-15 |
Movie | The Making of 'Some Like It Hot' | Self | 2006-06-25 |
Movie | Billy Wilder Speaks | 2006-06-22 | |
Series | The One Show | Unknown | 2006-08-14 |
Movie | The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot' | Self | 2006-06-25 |
Movie | Hollywood Legenden | Self | 2004-01-01 |
Series | Hope & Faith | Morris | 2003-09-23 |
Movie | Hugh Hefner: American Playboy | Self | 2003-11-18 |
Movie | Reflections of Evil | Host | 2002-03-22 |
Movie | Rescued from the Closet | Self | 2001-05-29 |
Movie | Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot' | Self | 2001-05-22 |
Series | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Unknown | 2000-10-06 |
Movie | Play It to the Bone | Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan) | 1999-12-25 |
Movie | Stargames | King Fendel | 1998-06-03 |
Series | The View | Unknown | 1997-08-11 |
Movie | Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball | Wald | 1997-03-30 |
Movie | The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man | Jack Steele | 1997-05-13 |
Movie | The Celluloid Closet | Self | 1996-01-30 |
Series | The Mrs Merton Show | Unknown | 1995-02-10 |
Movie | The Immortals | Dominic | 1995-10-05 |
Movie | Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor | Johnny Steele | 1994-11-09 |
Movie | Beauty and the Bandit | Lucky Bergstrom | 1994-04-03 |
Movie | The Mummy Lives | Aziru / Dr. Mohassid | 1993-07-10 |
Movie | Naked in New York | Carl Fisher | 1993-11-10 |
Movie | Christmas in Connecticut | Alexander Yardley | 1992-04-13 |
Movie | Center of the Web | Stephen Moore | 1992-05-15 |
Movie | Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box | Narrator (voice) / Self | 1991-11-29 |
Movie | Prime Target | Copella | 1991-09-27 |
Movie | Lobster Man from Mars | J.P. Shelldrake | 1990-02-09 |
Movie | Thanksgiving Day | Max Schloss | 1990-11-19 |
Movie | Walter and Carlo in America | WIlly La Rouge | 1989-11-24 |
Movie | Tarzan in Manhattan | Archimedes Porter | 1989-04-15 |
Movie | Midnight | Mr. B | 1989-07-01 |
Movie | The Passenger – Welcome to Germany | Mr. Cornfield | 1988-05-04 |
Series | This Morning | Unknown | 1988-10-03 |
Series | Roseanne | Unknown | 1988-10-18 |
Movie | Sparky's Magic Piano | 1987-01-01 | |
Movie | Club Life | Hector | 1986-02-20 |
Movie | Mafia Princess | Sam Giancana | 1986-01-19 |
Movie | Banter | Charles Foster | 1986-08-25 |
Movie | Murder in Three Acts | Charles Cartwright | 1986-10-01 |
Movie | Half Nelson | 1985-03-24 | |
Movie | The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal | Self | 1985-01-01 |
Movie | Insignificance | The Senator | 1985-08-02 |
Movie | Where Is Parsifal? | Parsifal Katzanella-Boden | 1984-01-01 |
Movie | Balboa | Ernie Stoddard | 1983-01-02 |
Movie | BrainWaves | Dr. Clavius | 1983-08-05 |
Movie | Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1983-02-25 |
Movie | Portrait of a Showgirl | Joey DeLeon | 1982-04-09 |
Movie | Black Commando | Col. Iago | 1982-11-15 |
Series | Wetten, dass..? | Unknown | 1981-02-14 |
Movie | The Million Dollar Face | Chester Masterson | 1981-03-12 |
Movie | Electric Blue 003 | Himself | 1980-01-01 |
Movie | Little Miss Marker | Blackie | 1980-03-21 |
Movie | The Scarlett O'Hara War | David O. Selznick | 1980-05-19 |
Movie | It Rained All Night the Day I Left | Robert Talbot | 1980-08-05 |
Movie | The Mirror Crack'd | Martin N. Fenn | 1980-09-19 |
Movie | Title Shot | Frank Renzetti | 1979-09-09 |
Movie | Sextette | Alexei Karansky | 1978-03-03 |
Movie | The Manitou | Harry Erskine | 1978-04-28 |
Movie | The Users | Randy Brent | 1978-10-01 |
Series | Vega$ | Roth | 1978-09-20 |
Movie | The Bad News Bears Go to Japan | Marvin Lazar | 1978-06-30 |
Movie | Casanova & Co. | Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino | 1977-03-01 |
Series | The Hollywood Greats | Unknown | 1977-08-04 |
Movie | The Last Tycoon | Rodriguez | 1976-11-18 |
Series | McCoy | McCoy | 1975-03-11 |
Movie | The Count of Monte-Cristo | Fernand Morcerf Mondego | 1975-10-31 |
Movie | Lepke | Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter | 1975-05-23 |
Movie | Mission: Monte Carlo | Danny Wilde | 1974-01-01 |
Movie | London Conspiracy | Danny Wilde | 1974-10-04 |
Series | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Unknown | 1973-04-02 |
Movie | The Third Girl from the Left | Joey Jordan | 1973-10-16 |
Movie | Norman Jewison, Film Maker | Self (uncredited) | 1971-01-01 |
Series | The Persuaders! | Danny Wilde | 1971-09-17 |
Movie | You Can't Win 'Em All | Adam Dyer | 1970-07-23 |
Movie | Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? | Shannon Gambroni | 1970-09-11 |
Movie | Monte Carlo or Bust! | Chester Schofield | 1969-04-28 |
Series | Bracken's World | Unknown | 1969-09-19 |
Movie | Rosemary's Baby | Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited) | 1968-06-12 |
Movie | The Boston Strangler | Albert DeSalvo | 1968-10-08 |
Movie | Don't Make Waves | Carlo Cofield | 1967-06-20 |
Series | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Unknown | 1967-09-09 |
Movie | On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who... | Guerrando da Montone | 1967-12-01 |
Movie | Chamber of Horrors | Mr. Julian | 1966-10-19 |
Movie | Not With My Wife, You Don't | Tom Ferris | 1966-11-02 |
Movie | Arrivederci, Baby! | Nick Johnson | 1966-12-28 |
Movie | The Great Race | The Great Leslie | 1965-07-01 |
Movie | Boeing, Boeing | Bernard Lawrence | 1965-12-22 |
Movie | Paris When It Sizzles | Maurice / Philippe (uncredited) | 1964-03-16 |
Movie | Wild and Wonderful | Terry Williams | 1964-06-09 |
Movie | Sex and the Single Girl | Bob Weston | 1964-12-25 |
Movie | Goodbye Charlie | George Wellington Tracy | 1964-11-18 |
Movie | The List of Adrian Messenger | Organ Grinder | 1963-05-23 |
Movie | Captain Newman, M.D. | Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz | 1963-12-25 |
Series | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Unknown | 1962-10-01 |
Movie | Taras Bulba | Andrei Bulba | 1962-11-21 |
Movie | 40 Pounds of Trouble | Steve McCluskey | 1962-12-31 |
Movie | The Outsider | Ira Hamilton Hayes | 1961-12-27 |
Movie | Who Was That Lady? | David Wilson | 1960-04-08 |
Movie | People, Hopes, Medals | Self | 1960-03-14 |
Movie | The Rat Race | Pete Hammond Jr. | 1960-07-10 |
Movie | Pepe | Tony Curtis | 1960-12-21 |
Series | The Flintstones | Unknown | 1960-09-30 |
Movie | The Great Impostor | Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd | 1960-12-23 |
Movie | Spartacus | Antoninus | 1960-10-13 |
Movie | Some Like It Hot | Joe / Josephine | 1959-03-19 |
Movie | Operation Petticoat | Lieutenant Nicholas Holden | 1959-12-05 |
Movie | The Vikings | Eric | 1958-06-11 |
Movie | Kings Go Forth | Caporal Britt Harris | 1958-06-28 |
Movie | The Defiant Ones | John 'Joker' Jackson | 1958-08-14 |
Movie | The Perfect Furlough | Cpl. Paul Hodges | 1958-11-30 |
Movie | The Midnight Story | Joe Martini | 1957-06-04 |
Movie | Mister Cory | Cory | 1957-02-23 |
Movie | Sweet Smell of Success | Sidney Falco | 1957-07-04 |
Movie | Trapeze | Tino Orsini | 1956-05-30 |
Series | The Steve Allen Show | Unknown | 1956-06-24 |
Movie | The Rawhide Years | Ben Matthews | 1956-07-01 |
Movie | Six Bridges to Cross | Jerry Florea | 1955-01-21 |
Movie | The Square Jungle | Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon | 1955-12-30 |
Movie | The Purple Mask | Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask | 1955-06-15 |
Movie | Johnny Dark | Johnny Dark | 1954-06-25 |
Movie | Beachhead | Burke | 1954-02-05 |
Movie | The Black Shield of Falworth | Myles Falworth | 1954-09-02 |
Movie | A Star Is Born World Premiere | Self | 1954-09-28 |
Movie | So This Is Paris | Joe Maxwell | 1954-12-15 |
Series | The Oscars | Unknown | 1953-03-19 |
Movie | Houdini | Harry Houdini | 1953-07-02 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Unknown | 1953-02-01 |
Movie | The All American | Nick Bonelli | 1953-10-01 |
Movie | Forbidden | Eddie Darrow | 1953-12-02 |
Movie | Come Back Little Shiksa | 1952-01-01 | |
Movie | No Room for the Groom | Alvah Morrell | 1952-06-13 |
Movie | Meet Danny Wilson | Nightclub Patron | 1952-02-08 |
Movie | Flesh and Fury | Paul Callan | 1952-06-26 |
Movie | Son of Ali Baba | Kashma Baba | 1952-08-15 |
Series | This Is Your Life | Unknown | 1952-10-01 |
Movie | The Prince Who Was a Thief | Julna | 1951-05-17 |
Series | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Unknown | 1951-10-05 |
Movie | Francis | Captain Jones | 1950-02-08 |
Movie | I Was a Shoplifter | Pepe | 1950-05-13 |
Movie | Woman in Hiding | Dave Shaw (voice) | 1950-01-06 |
Series | The Colgate Comedy Hour | Unknown | 1950-09-10 |
Movie | Sierra | Brent Coulter (as Anthony Cutis) | 1950-05-26 |
Movie | Kansas Raiders | Kit Dalton | 1950-11-15 |
Movie | Winchester '73 | Doan | 1950-07-12 |
Movie | Criss Cross | Gigolo (uncredited) | 1949-02-04 |
Movie | City Across the River | Mitch (as Anthony Curtis) | 1949-04-07 |
Movie | The Lady Gambles | Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis) | 1949-05-20 |
Movie | Johnny Stool Pigeon | Joey Hyatt (as Anthony Curtis) | 1949-04-20 |
Movie | Take One False Step | Hot Rod Driver (uncredited) | 1949-08-14 |
Series | The Ed Sullivan Show | Unknown | 1948-06-20 |