Tony Curtis
Acting
Born June 3, 1925 · Bronx, New York, USA
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.
Films (166)
From Roger Moore with Love
2024
Pictures of Ghosts
2023
Rat Pack
2022
Amicalement vôtre : Hollywood au service de sa Majesté
2017
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
2014
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
2012
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
2012
That's Insignificance
2011
Tony Curtis erzählt...
2010
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2010
Marilyn Monroe: I Want to Be Loved
2010
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
2009
Hollywood sul Tevere
2009
David & Fatima
2008
The Jill & Tony Curtis Story
2008
The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot'
2006
The Making of 'Some Like It Hot'
2006
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten
2006
Hollywood Legenden
2004
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy
2003
Playboy's 50th Anniversary Celebration
2003
Reflections of Evil
2002
Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot
2001
Rescued from the Closet
2001
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot'
2001
Play It to the Bone
1999
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever
1998
Louis & Frank
1998
Stargames
1998
Elvis Meets Nixon
1997
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man
1997
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball
1997
The Celluloid Closet
1996
Roger Moore: A Matter of Class
1995
The Immortals
1995
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
1994
Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit
1994
A Century of Cinema
1994
Naked in New York
1993
The Mummy Lives
1993
Christmas in Connecticut
1992
Center of the Web
1992
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
1992
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
1991
Prime Target
1991
Thanksgiving Day
1990
Lobster Man from Mars
1990
Walter and Carlo in America
1989
Midnight
1989
Tarzan in Manhattan
1989
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany
1988
Sparky's Magic Piano
1987
Murder in Three Acts
1986
Banter
1986
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
1986
Club Life
1986
Mafia Princess
1986
Insignificance
1985
Half Nelson
1985
Where Is Parsifal?
1984
BrainWaves
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Balboa
1983
Black Commando
1982
Portrait of a Showgirl
1982
Magic with the Stars
1982
The Million Dollar Face
1981
Inmates: A Love Story
1981
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
1980
The Scarlett O'Hara War
1980
Little Miss Marker
1980
The Mirror Crack'd
1980
The Masqueraders
1980
Title Shot
1979
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
1979
Death Becomes Me
1979
The Users
1978
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
1978
The Manitou
1978
Sextette
1978
The Last Appointment!
1977
Casanova & Co.
1977
The Last Tycoon
1976
The Switch
1976
The Count of Monte-Cristo
1975
Lepke
1975
Sporting Chance
1975
London Conspiracy
1974
Mission: Monte Carlo
1974
The Third Girl from the Left
1973
The Persuaders!
1973
Norman Jewison, Film Maker
1971
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
1970
You Can't Win 'Em All
1970
Monte Carlo or Bust!
1969
The Boston Strangler
1968
Rosemary's Baby
1968
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
1967
Don't Make Waves
1967
Arrivederci, Baby!
1966
The Legend of Marilyn Monroe
1966
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
1966
Chamber of Horrors
1966
Boeing, Boeing
1965
The Great Race
1965
Sex and the Single Girl
1964
Goodbye Charlie
1964
Wild and Wonderful
1964
Paris When It Sizzles
1964
Captain Newman, M.D.
1963
The List of Adrian Messenger
1963
40 Pounds of Trouble
1962
Taras Bulba
1962
The Outsider
1961
The Great Impostor
1960
Pepe
1960
Spartacus
1960
The Rat Race
1960
Who Was That Lady?
1960
People, Hopes, Medals
1960
Operation Petticoat
1959
Some Like It Hot
1959
The Perfect Furlough
1958
The Defiant Ones
1958
Kings Go Forth
1958
The Vikings
1958
Sweet Smell of Success
1957
The Midnight Story
1957
Mister Cory
1957
The Rawhide Years
1956
Trapeze
1956
Nightmare
1956
The Square Jungle
1955
Allen in Movieland
1955
The Purple Mask
1955
Six Bridges to Cross
1955
So This Is Paris
1954
A Star Is Born World Premiere
1954
The Black Shield of Falworth
1954
Johnny Dark
1954
Miss Glucksman Visits Hollywood
1954
Beachhead
1954
Forbidden
1953
The All American
1953
Houdini
1953
The World's Most Beautiful Girls
1953
Son of Ali Baba
1952
Flesh and Fury
1952
No Room for the Groom
1952
Meet Danny Wilson
1952
An Eye for an Eye
1952
Come Back Little Shiksa
1952
The Re-Inforcer
1951
The Prince Who Was a Thief
1951
Fairfax Avenue
1951
Kansas Raiders
1950
Winchester '73
1950
Sierra
1950
I Was a Shoplifter
1950
Francis
1950
Woman in Hiding
1950
The Lady Gambles
1949
Johnny Stool Pigeon
1949
City Across the River
1949
Criss Cross
1949
How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border
1949