Tony Curtis
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1925-06-03
Day of Death
2010-09-29 (85 years old)
Place of Birth
Bronx, New York, USA
Tony Curtis
Biography
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.
Known For
Acting
(2024)
From Roger Moore with Love
as Self (archive footage)
(2022)
Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage)
(2014)
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self (archive footage)
(2014)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
(2012)
(2011)
That's Insignificance
as Self
(2010)
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
as Eric (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2010)
(2010)
(2010)
Tony Curtis erzählt...
as Self
(2009)
(2008)
David & Fatima
as Mr. Schwartz
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten
as Self (archive footage)
(2004)
Hollywood Legenden
as Self
(2003)
(2002)
Reflections of Evil
as Host
(2001)
Rescued from the Closet
as Self
(2001)
(2001)
(1999)
Play It to the Bone
as Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan)
(1998)
Stargames
as King Fendel
(1998)
Louis & Frank
as Lenny Star Springer
(1998)
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever
as Bernard (voice)
(1997)
Elvis Meets Nixon
as Tony Curtis
(1997)
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball
as Wald
(1997)
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man
as Jack Steele
(1996)
The Celluloid Closet
as Self
(1995)
The Immortals
as Dominic
(1995)
(1994)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
as Johnny Steele
(1994)
A Century of Cinema
as Self
(1994)
Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit
as Lucky Bergstrom
(1993)
Naked in New York
as Carl Fisher
(1993)
The Mummy Lives
as Aziru / Dr. Mohassid
(1992)
Christmas in Connecticut
as Alexander Yardley
(1992)
Center of the Web
as Stephen Moore
(1991)
Prime Target
as Copella
(1991)
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
as Narrator (voice) / Self
(1990)
Lobster Man from Mars
as J.P. Shelldrake
(1990)
Thanksgiving Day
as Max Schloss
(1989)
Tarzan in Manhattan
as Archimedes Porter
(1989)
Walter and Carlo in America
as WIlly La Rouge
(1989)
Midnight
as Mr. B
(1988)
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany
as Mr. Cornfield
(1987)
(1986)
Murder in Three Acts
as Charles Cartwright
(1986)
(1986)
Mafia Princess
as Sam Giancana
(1986)
Banter
as Charles Foster
(1986)
Club Life
as Hector
(1985)
Insignificance
as The Senator
(1985)
(1984)
Where Is Parsifal?
as Parsifal Katzanella-Boden
(1983)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1983)
BrainWaves
as Dr. Clavius
(1983)
Balboa
as Ernie Stoddard
(1982)
Magic with the Stars
as Harry Houdini (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1982)
Portrait of a Showgirl
as Joey DeLeon
(1982)
Black Commando
as Col. Iago
(1981)
The Million Dollar Face
as Chester Masterson
(1981)
Inmates: A Love Story
as Flanagan
(1980)
The Mirror Crack'd
as Martin N. Fenn
(1980)
Little Miss Marker
as Blackie
(1980)
The Scarlett O'Hara War
as David O. Selznick
(1980)
The Masqueraders
as Danny Wilde
(1980)
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
as Robert Talbot
(1979)
Title Shot
as Frank Renzetti
(1979)
(1979)
Death Becomes Me
as Danny Wilde/Aunt Sophie Schwartz
(1978)
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
as Marvin Lazar
(1978)
The Manitou
as Harry Erskine
(1978)
Sextette
as Alexei Karansky
(1978)
The Users
as Randy Brent
(1977)
Casanova & Co.
as Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino
(1977)
The Last Appointment!
as Danny Wilde
(1976)
The Last Tycoon
as Rodriguez
(1976)
The Switch
as Danny Wilde
(1975)
The Count of Monte-Cristo
as Fernand Morcerf Mondego
(1975)
Lepke
as Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter
(1975)
Sporting Chance
as Danny Wilde
(1974)
Mission: Monte Carlo
as Danny Wilde
(1974)
London Conspiracy
as Danny Wilde
(1973)
The Third Girl from the Left
as Joey Jordan
(1973)
The Persuaders!
as Danny Wilde
(1971)
Norman Jewison, Film Maker
as Self (uncredited)
(1970)
You Can't Win 'Em All
as Adam Dyer
(1970)
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
as Shannon Gambroni
(1969)
Monte Carlo or Bust!
as Chester Schofield
(1968)
Rosemary's Baby
as Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited)
(1968)
The Boston Strangler
as Albert DeSalvo
(1967)
Don't Make Waves
as Carlo Cofield
(1967)
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
as Guerrando da Montone
(1966)
Not With My Wife, You Don't
as Tom Ferris
(1966)
Arrivederci, Baby!
as Nick Johnson
(1966)
Chamber of Horrors
as Mr. Julian
(1965)
The Great Race
as The Great Leslie
(1965)
Boeing, Boeing
as Bernard Lawrence
(1964)
Paris When It Sizzles
as Maurice / Philippe (uncredited)
(1964)
Sex and the Single Girl
as Bob Weston
(1964)
Goodbye Charlie
as George Wellington Tracy
(1964)
Wild and Wonderful
as Terry Williams
(1963)
Captain Newman, M.D.
as Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz
(1963)
The List of Adrian Messenger
as Organ Grinder
(1962)
Taras Bulba
as Andrei Bulba
(1962)
40 Pounds of Trouble
as Steve McCluskey
(1961)
The Outsider
as Ira Hamilton Hayes
(1960)
Spartacus
as Antoninus
(1960)
Pepe
as Tony Curtis
(1960)
The Great Impostor
as Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd
(1960)
The Rat Race
as Pete Hammond Jr.
(1960)
Who Was That Lady?
as David Wilson
(1960)
People, Hopes, Medals
as Self
(1959)
Some Like It Hot
as Joe (Josephine)
(1959)
Operation Petticoat
as Lieutenant Nicholas Holden
(1958)
The Vikings
as Eric
(1958)
The Defiant Ones
as John 'Joker' Jackson
(1958)
Kings Go Forth
as Caporal Britt Harris
(1958)
The Perfect Furlough
as Cpl. Paul Hodges
(1957)
Sweet Smell of Success
as Sidney Falco
(1957)
The Midnight Story
as Joe Martini
(1957)
Mister Cory
as Cory
(1956)
Trapeze
as Tino Orsini
(1956)
The Rawhide Years
as Ben Matthews
(1956)
Nightmare
as Tony
(1955)
The Purple Mask
as Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask
(1955)
Six Bridges to Cross
as Jerry Florea
(1955)
The Square Jungle
as Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon
(1955)
Allen in Movieland
as Self
(1954)
The Black Shield of Falworth
as Myles Falworth
(1954)
Beachhead
as Burke
(1954)
Johnny Dark
as Johnny Dark
(1954)
So This Is Paris
as Joe Maxwell
(1954)
(1954)
(1953)
Houdini
as Harry Houdini
(1953)
Forbidden
as Eddie Darrow
(1953)
The All American
as Nick Bonelli
(1953)
(1952)
Meet Danny Wilson
as Nightclub Patron
(1952)
Flesh and Fury
as Paul Callan
(1952)
Son of Ali Baba
as Kashma Baba
(1952)
No Room for the Groom
as Alvah Morrell
(1952)
(1952)
(1951)
The Prince Who Was a Thief
as Julna
(1951)
(1951)
The Re-Inforcer
as Baffo
(1950)
Winchester '73
as Doan
(1950)
Francis
as Captain Jones
(1950)
Kansas Raiders
as Kit Dalton
(1950)
Sierra
as Brent Coulter (as Anthony Cutis)
(1950)
I Was a Shoplifter
as Pepe
(1950)
Woman in Hiding
as Dave Shaw (voice) (uncredited)
(1949)
Criss Cross
as Gigolo (uncredited)
(1949)
The Lady Gambles
as Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis)
(1949)
Johnny Stool Pigeon
as Joey Hyatt (as Anthony Curtis)
(1949)
City Across the River
as Mitch (as Anthony Curtis)
(1949)
Crew
(2006)
(2006)
(2001)
(1971)
(1967)
Don't Make Waves
Executive Producer
(1966)
Not With My Wife, You Don't
Executive Producer
(1964)
Sex and the Single Girl
Executive Producer
(1963)
Captain Newman, M.D.
Executive Producer
(1958)
The Vikings
Executive Producer
(1957)
Sweet Smell of Success
Executive Producer