Tony Curtis
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.
Acted in
Rat Pack
2022
as Self (archive footage)
The UnXplained
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
2014
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Talking Pictures
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
2012
as Self
That's Insignificance
2011
as Self
Tony Curtis erzählt...
2010
as Self
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2010
as Eric (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marilyn Monroe: I Want to Be Loved
2010
as Self
Marilyn Monroe: Death of an Icon
2010
as Self
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
2009
as Self
David & Fatima
2008
as Mr. Schwartz
The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot'
2006
as Self
The Making of 'Some Like It Hot'
2006
as Self
Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten
2006
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Legenden
2004
as Self
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy
2003
as Self
Hope & Faith
2003
as Morris
Un film et son époque
2003
as Self
Reflections of Evil
2002
as Host
Nobody's Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot
2001
as Self
Rescued from the Closet
2001
as Self
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot'
2001
as Self
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Tony Curtis
Play It to the Bone
1999
as Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan)
The Rat Pack
1999
as Self
Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever
1998
as Bernard (voice)
Louis & Frank
1998
Stargames
1998
as King Fendel
The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man
1997
as Jack Steele
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball
1997
as Wald
Suddenly Susan
1996
as Peter DiCaprio
The Celluloid Closet
1996
as Self
Roger Moore: A Matter Of Class
1995
as Self
The Immortals
1995
as Dominic
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
1994
as Johnny Steele
Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit
1994
as Lucky Bergstrom
A Century of Cinema
1994
as Self
Naked in New York
1993
as Carl Fisher
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
The Mummy Lives
1993
as Aziru / Dr. Mohassid
Christmas in Connecticut
1992
as Alexander Yardley
Center of the Web
1992
as Stephen Moore
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
1991
as Narrator (voice) / Self
Prime Target
1991
as Copella
Thanksgiving Day
1990
as Max Schloss
Lobster Man from Mars
1990
as J.P. Shelldrake
Walter and Carlo in America
1989
as WIlly La Rouge
Midnight
1989
as Mr. B
Tarzan in Manhattan
1989
as Archimedes Porter
Roseanne
1988
The Passenger – Welcome to Germany
1988
as Mr. Cornfield
The Dame Edna Experience
1987
as Self
Sparky's Magic Piano
1987
Murder in Three Acts
1986
as Charles Cartwright
Banter
1986
as Charles Foster
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
1986
as Self
Club Life
1986
as Hector
Mafia Princess
1986
as Sam Giancana
Insignificance
1985
as The Senator
Half Nelson
1985
Where Is Parsifal?
1984
as Parsifal Katzanella-Boden
BrainWaves
1983
as Dr. Clavius
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Balboa
1983
as Ernie Stoddard
Black Commando
1982
as Col. Iago
Portrait of a Showgirl
1982
as Joey DeLeon
Magic with the Stars
1982
as Harry Houdini (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Million Dollar Face
1981
as Chester Masterson
Inmates: A Love Story
1981
as Flanagan
The Mirror Crack'd
1980
as Martin N. Fenn
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
1980
as Robert Talbot
The Scarlett O'Hara War
1980
as David O. Selznick
Little Miss Marker
1980
as Blackie
The Masqueraders
1980
as Danny Wilde
Title Shot
1979
as Frank Renzetti
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
1979
as Self
Death Becomes Me
1979
as Danny Wilde
The Users
1978
as Randy Brent
Vega$
1978
as Roth
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
1978
as Marvin Lazar
The Manitou
1978
as Harry Erskine
Sextette
1978
as Alexei Karansky
The Hollywood Greats
1977
The Last Appointment!
1977
as Danny Wilde
Casanova & Co.
1977
as Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino
The Last Tycoon
1976
as Rodriguez
The Switch
1976
as Danny Wilde
The Count of Monte-Cristo
1975
as Fernand Morcerf Mondego
Lepke
1975
as Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter
McCoy
1975
as McCoy
Sporting Chance
1975
as Danny Wilde
London Conspiracy
1974
as Danny Wilde
Mission: Monte Carlo
1974
as Danny Wilde
The Third Girl from the Left
1973
as Joey Jordan
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
The Persuaders!
1973
as Danny Wilde
The Persuaders!
1971
as Danny Wilde
Norman Jewison, Film Maker
1971
as Self (uncredited)
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
1970
as Shannon Gambroni
You Can't Win 'Em All
1970
as Adam Dyer
Bracken's World
1969
Monte Carlo or Bust!
1969
as Chester Schofield
The Boston Strangler
1968
as Albert DeSalvo
Rosemary's Baby
1968
as Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited)
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
1967
as Guerrando da Montone
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1967
as Self
Don't Make Waves
1967
as Carlo Cofield
Arrivederci, Baby!
1966
as Nick Johnson
Not With My Wife, You Don't
1966
as Tom Ferris
Chamber of Horrors
1966
as Mr. Julian
Boeing, Boeing
1965
as Bernard Lawrence
The Great Race
1965
as The Great Leslie
Sex and the Single Girl
1964
as Bob Weston
Goodbye Charlie
1964
as George Wellington Tracy
Wild and Wonderful
1964
as Terry Williams
Paris When It Sizzles
1964
as Maurice / Philippe (uncredited)
Captain Newman, M.D.
1963
as Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz
The List of Adrian Messenger
1963
as Organ Grinder
40 Pounds of Trouble
1962
as Steve McCluskey
Taras Bulba
1962
as Andrei Bulba
The Outsider
1961
as Ira Hamilton Hayes
The Great Impostor
1960
as Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd
Pepe
1960
as Tony Curtis
Spartacus
1960
as Antoninus
The Flintstones
1960
as Stony Curtis (voice)
The Rat Race
1960
as Pete Hammond Jr.
Who Was That Lady?
1960
as David Wilson
People, Hopes, Medals
1960
as Self
Operation Petticoat
1959
as Lieutenant Nicholas Holden
Some Like It Hot
1959
as Joe (Josephine)
The Perfect Furlough
1958
as Cpl. Paul Hodges
The Defiant Ones
1958
as John 'Joker' Jackson
Kings Go Forth
1958
as Caporal Britt Harris
The Vikings
1958
as Eric
Sweet Smell of Success
1957
as Sidney Falco
The Midnight Story
1957
as Joe Martini
Mister Cory
1957
as Cory
The Rawhide Years
1956
as Ben Matthews
The Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Recipient
The Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Guest
Trapeze
1956
as Tino Orsini
The Rosemary Clooney Show
1956
as Self
Nightmare
1956
as Tony
The Square Jungle
1955
as Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon
Allen in Movieland
1955
as Self
The Purple Mask
1955
as Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask
6 Bridges to Cross
1955
as Jerry Florea
So This Is Paris
1954
as Joe Maxwell
A Star Is Born World Premiere
1954
as Self
The Black Shield of Falworth
1954
as Myles Falworth
Johnny Dark
1954
as Johnny Dark
Beachhead
1954
as Burke
Forbidden
1953
as Eddie Darrow
The All American
1953
as Nick Bonelli
Houdini
1953
as Harry Houdini
The Oscars
1953
as Self
General Electric Theater
1953
as Mario Galindo
General Electric Theater
1953
as David
The World's Most Beautiful Girls
1953
as Self
This Is Your Life
1952
as Self
Son of Ali Baba
1952
as Kashma Baba
Flesh and Fury
1952
as Paul Callan
No Room for the Groom
1952
as Alvah Morrell
Meet Danny Wilson
1952
as Nightclub Patron
An Eye for an Eye
1952
Come Back Little Shiksa
1952
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Charlie
The Re-Inforcer
1951
as Baffo
The Prince Who Was a Thief
1951
as Julna
Fairfax Avenue
1951
Kansas Raiders
1950
as Kit Dalton
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self
Winchester '73
1950
as Doan
Sierra
1950
as Brent Coulter (as Anthony Cutis)
I Was a Shoplifter
1950
as Pepe
Francis
1950
as Captain Jones
What's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
Woman in Hiding
1950
as Dave Shaw (voice) (uncredited)
The Lady Gambles
1949
as Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis)
Johnny Stool Pigeon
1949
as Joey Hyatt (as Anthony Curtis)
City Across the River
1949
as Mitch (as Anthony Curtis)
Criss Cross
1949
as Gigolo (uncredited)
How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border
1949
Bambi Awards
1948
as Self