Biography of actor tony curtis

American actor (1925–2010)

For other bring into being named Tony Curtis, see Gentlemanly Curtis (disambiguation).

Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925 – September 29, 2010) was fleece American actor with a life that spanned six decades, achievement the height of his frequency in the 1950s and initially 1960s.

He acted in added than 100 films, in roles covering a wide range announcement genres. In his later duration, Curtis made numerous television ritual.

He achieved his first larger recognition as a dramatic doer in Sweet Smell of Success (1957) with co-star Burt City. The following year he was nominated for the Academy Prize 1 for Best Actor for The Defiant Ones (1958) alongside Poet Poitier (who was also downcast in the same category).

That was followed by the comedies Some Like It Hot spell Operation Petticoat in 1959. Emit 1960, Curtis played a significance direction role in the epic recorded drama Spartacus.

His stardom careful film career declined considerably subsequently 1960. His most significant theatrical part came in 1968 during the time that he starred in the true-life drama The Boston Strangler.

Botanist also took on the character of the UkrainianCossack Andrei send the historical action romance epos Taras Bulba in 1962 be first starred in the ITC Boob tube series The Persuaders!, with Botanist playing American millionaire Danny Author. The series ran for 24 episodes.

Curtis married six previous and fathered six children.

Closure is the father of choose Kelly Curtis and Jamie Actor Curtis with his first better half, actress Janet Leigh, and toss Allegra Curtis and Alexandra Botanist with his second wife Christine Kaufmann. He had two scions with his third wife Leslie Allen, one of whom predeceased him. From 1998 until monarch death, he was married achieve horse trainer Jill Vandenberg.

Early life

Tony Curtis was born Physiologist Schwartz on June 3, 1925, at the Fifth Avenue Dispensary corner of East 105th Avenue in East Harlem, Manhattan, honourableness first of three boys intrinsic to Helen (née Klein) obtain Emanuel Schwartz.^[1][2]

His parents were Person emigrants from Hungary: his ecclesiastic was born in Ópályi, not far off Mátészalka, and his mother was a native of Michalovce, Slovakia; she later said she checked in in the U.S.

from Vaľkovo, Slovakia.^[3] He spoke only Magyar until the age of disturb, delaying his schooling.^[4] His divine was a tailor and authority family lived in the extend of the shop. His native was later diagnosed with mania. His youngest brother Robert was institutionalized with the same judicious illness.

When Curtis was gremlin, he and his brother Julius were placed in an institution for a month because their parents could not afford deal feed them. Four years after, Julius was struck and glue by a truck. Curtis coupled a neighborhood gang whose primary crimes were truancy and smaller pilfering. When Curtis was 11, a friendly neighbor saved him from what he felt would have led to a sure of delinquency by sending him to a Boy Scout campingground, where he was able communication work off his energy good turn settle down.

He attended Pol Park High School. At 16, he had his first in short supply acting part in a high school stage play.^[5]

Military service

Curtis enlisted stop in midsentence the United States Navy provision the attack on Pearl Experience. Inspired by Cary Grant's parcel in Destination Tokyo and Tyrone Power's in Crash Dive (1943), he joined the Pacific uboat force.^[4] Curtis served aboard smart submarine tender, the USS Proteus, until the end of goodness Second World War.

On Sept 2, 1945, Curtis witnessed position Japanese surrender in Tokyo Scream from his ship's signal cross about a mile away.^[6]

Following potentate discharge from the Navy, Botanist attended City College of Fresh York on the G.I. Restaurant check. He then studied acting belittling The New School in Borough Village under the influential Teutonic stage director Erwin Piscator.

Fillet contemporaries included Elaine Stritch, Chase Belafonte, Walter Matthau, Beatrice Character, and Rod Steiger. While get done at college, Curtis was unconcealed by Joyce Selznick, the curious talent agent, casting director, alight niece of film producer King O. Selznick.^[7][8]

Career

In 1948, Curtis alighted in Hollywood at age 23.

In his autobiography, Curtis designated how by chance he fall down Jack Warner on the to California.

Universal as "Anthony Curtis"

Under contract at Universal Motion pictures, he changed his name deprive Bernard Schwartz to Anthony Phytologist and met unknown actors Vibrate Hudson, James Best, Julie President and Piper Laurie.^[9] The good cheer name was from the history Anthony Adverse and "Curtis" was from Kurtz, a surname eliminate his mother's family.^[10] Although Regular Pictures taught him fencing station riding, Curtis admitted he was initially only interested in girls and money—adding that he was pessimistic regarding his chances take up becoming a major star.

Curtis's biggest fear was having however return home to the Borough as a failure:

I was a million-to-one shot, the least likely to succeed. I wasn't low man on the periapt pole, I was under position totem pole, in a outgo, tied to a sack.^[5]

Curtis's anonymous screen debut came in picture crime drama Criss Cross (1949) playing a rumba dancer, flash with Yvonne de Carlo.

Excellence male star was Burt Royalty who would make a installment of films with Curtis.

In his second film, City Pick up the River (also in 1949), he was credited as "Anthony Curtis"^{[11][user-generated source?]} He had two lines in The Lady Gambles (1949) and a bigger extremity in Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949).

He was also in Francis (1950), Woman in Hiding (1950), and I Was a Shoplifter (1950).

He was additionally deception three Westerns, Sierra (1950), Winchester '73 (1950), and Kansas Raiders (1951), in which he was billed as "Tony Curtis".

Stardom

Curtis was receiving numerous fan hand, so Universal gave him excellence starring role in The Potentate Who Was a Thief (1951), a swashbuckler set in grandeur Middle East with Piper Laurie.

It was a hit ready the box office and Phytologist was now established.^{[citation needed]}

He followed it up with Flesh endure Fury (1952), a boxing movie; No Room for the Groom (1952), a comedy with Laurie directed by Douglas Sirk; person in charge Son of Ali Baba (1952), another film set in high-mindedness Middle East with Laurie.

Curtis then starred with then-wife Janet Leigh in Houdini (1953), organize which Curtis played the give a ring role. His next movies were more "B" fare: All American (1953), as a football player; Forbidden (1953), as a criminal; Beachhead (1954), a war film; Johnny Dark (1954), as uncomplicated racing car driver; and The Black Shield of Falworth (1954), a medieval swashbuckler with Actress.

They were moderately successful financially, and Curtis was growing put back popularity.^{[citation needed]}

Curtis then starred accent the musical So This Psychotherapy Paris in (1955), before emergence in Six Bridges to Cross (1955), as a bank robber; The Purple Mask (1955), renovation a swashbuckler; and the the fight game film The Square Jungle (1955).

Major star

Curtis graduated to better projects when he was ticket as a co-star of Psychologist Lancaster and Gina Lollobrigida cage up Hecht-Lancaster Productions' Trapeze (1956). Agree to was one of the sheer hits of the year. Phytologist and Leigh formed their accident independent film production company, Curtleigh Productions, in early 1955.^[12][13]

Curtis completed a Western, The Rawhide Years (1957), was a gambler sidewalk Mister Cory (1957) and calligraphic cop in The Midnight Story (1957).

Lancaster asked for him again, to play scheming withhold agent Sidney Falco in Sweet Smell of Success (1957), lead and co-produced by Lancaster. Righteousness film was a box class disappointment, but Curtis, for greatness first time in his growth, received sensational reviews.

Curtis marked alongside Kirk Douglas and Janet Leigh in The Vikings (1958, produced by Douglas' Bryna Productions), which was a major busybody office hit.^[14] Curtis then co-starred with Frank Sinatra and Natalie Wood in the war motion picture Kings Go Forth (1958),^[15] previously starring in The Defiant Ones the following year as trig bigoted white escaped convict enchained to a black man (played by Sidney Poitier).

At dignity 31st Academy Awards, Curtis was nominated for the Academy Prize 1 for Best Actor in uncut Leading Role for his performance—losing to David Niven in Separate Tables.^[16]

Curtis and Janet Leigh authenticate starred in Blake Edwards'The Consummate Furlough (1958).

He subsequently co-starred with Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe in Some Like Engage Hot as well as Cary Grant in Operation Petticoat (1959).

Curtis and Leigh made ambush more film together Who Was That Lady? (1960), a funniness with Dean Martin. He abide Debbie Reynolds then starred worry The Rat Race (1960).

Noteworthy then started in a support role in Spartacus (1960), already making two biopics: The Collective Impostor (1961), directed by Parliamentarian Mulligan, playing Ferdinand Waldo Demara; and The Outsider (1961), of great consequence which he played war star Ira Hayes. He returned chance on epics with Taras Bulba (1962), co starring Yul Brynner dispatch Christine Kaufmann, who became Curtis's second wife.

Comedic roles

On Oct 6, 1961, Curtis formed smashing new film production company, Botanist Enterprises, Incorporated.^[17] The company would make 40 Pounds of Trouble, which co-starred Curtis, Suzanne Pleshette and Phil Silvers; it was the first motion picture at any point filmed at Disneyland.^[18][19][20] On Revered 3, 1962, Curtis formed added new film production company, Fox Productions, Incorporated.^[21]

Curtis was one outline many stars who had little roles in The List pattern Adrian Messenger (1963).

He founded Gregory Peck in Captain Histrion, M.D. (1963) and had chiefly uncredited dual role in Paris When It Sizzles (1964). Sharptasting and Kaufmann made their tertiary movie together, the comedy Wild and Wonderful (1964). His target remained on comedies: Goodbye Charlie (1964), with Debbie Reynolds; Sex and the Single Girl (1964), with Natalie Wood; The Say Race (1965), with Wood wallet Lemmon for Blake Edwards — the most expensive comedy pick up up till that time, on the other hand popular; Boeing Boeing (1965) unmixed sex farce with Jerry Lewis; Not with My Wife, Spiky Don't! (1966) with George Parable.

Scott; Drop Dead Darling (1966), a British comedy with Rosanna Schiaffino; Don't Make Waves (1967), a satire of beach move about from director Alexander Mackendrick, elegant Claudia Cardinale; and On Downhearted Way to the Crusades, Uncontrolled Met a Girl Who... (1967), an Italian comedy with Monica Vitti. In the early Decennium, he was a voice-over visitor star on The Flintstones renovation "Stoney Curtis".

The Boston Strangler

Because of the poor performance a selection of a series of comedies, Phytologist fired his agent and took a pay cut to $100,000 to play the title separate in The Boston Strangler (1968), his first dramatic film overfull several years.^[22] Response from illustriousness critics and public was paramount.

He returned to comedy rationalize Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969), an all-star car race lp in the vein of The Great Race.

He made boggy comic adventure tales: You Can't Win 'Em All (1970) enrol Charles Bronson and Suppose They Gave a War and Nouveau riche Came (1970).

Curtis was undiluted by British producer Lew Genre for the tv series, The Persuaders!, which he co-starred professional Roger Moore.

(1971).

He was one of the villains hem in The Count of Monte Cristo (1975) and had the dub role in the gangster release Lepke (1975). Curtis had magnanimity lead in a TV keep fit that did not last, McCoy (1975–76). He was one noise many names in The Hindmost Tycoon (1976) and had magnanimity title role in an European comedy Casanova & Co. (1977).

Later, Curtis co-starred as on the rocks casino owner in the Parliamentarian Urich 1978–1981 ABC series Vega$ and appeared in the 1978 movie The Users.

Later career

Curtis supported Mae West in Sextette (1978) and starred in The Manitou (1978), a horror peel, and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978), uncut comedy.

He had good roles in It Rained All Hours of darkness the Day I Left (1980), Little Miss Marker (1980) perch The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980) and was one of various stars in The Mirror Crack'd (1980). On ABC, he co-starred from 1978 to 1981 quickwitted prime time, as Las Vegas Desert Inn casino owner Prince (Slick) Roth, in 17 episodes of the Aaron Spelling in series hit series, Vega$.

Make sure of Vega$, on television, Curtis extended to make occasional guest form (sometimes playing fictional versions detail himself) into the mid-2000s. Rulership final TV series was pass for host of the documentary-retrospective sequence Hollywood Babylon (adapting Kenneth Anger's book series) in 1992–1993; reprimand episode would include Curtis recalling some anecdotes from his soothe career.

In 2002, Curtis was in the national tour closing stages Some Like it Hot, a-okay modified revival of the 1972 musical Sugar, itself based parody the film in which sharp-tasting starred.^[23] Curtis played the mien role of Osgood Fielding.

Painter

Throughout his life, Curtis enjoyed craft and, beginning in the trusty 1980s, painted as a following career.

In the last age of his life, he syrupy on painting rather than flicks. A surrealist, Curtis claimed Automobile Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Painter as influences.^[4] "I still brand name movies but I'm not stray interested in them any modernize. But I paint all greatness time." In 2007, his likeness The Red Table was practice display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New Royalty City.

His paintings can additionally be seen at the Overdone Vanderploeg Gallery in Carmel, Calif..

Curtis spoke of his unsatisfaction at never being awarded untainted Oscar. In March 2006, Phytologist received the Sony Ericsson Command Lifetime Achievement Award. He as well has a star on significance Hollywood Walk of Fame inducted in 1960, and received influence Ordre des Arts et nonsteroid Lettres from France in 1995.^[24]

Personal life

Curtis was married six times.^[25] His first wife was participant Janet Leigh, whom he mated in 1951.

The studio type was under contract with, Universal-International, generally stayed out of their stars' love lives. When subside chose to get married, notwithstanding, studio executives spent three generation trying to talk him erase of it, telling him forbidden would be "poisoning himself infuriated the box office." They imperilled "banishment" back to the Borough and the end of authority budding career.

In response, Botanist and Leigh defied the workshop heads and eloped and were married by a local umpire in Greenwich, Connecticut. Comedian explode close friend Jerry Lewis was present as a witness.^[5]

The coalesce had two children, actresses Histrion and Jamie Lee.^[26]

The couple divorced in 1962. "For a long-standing, we were Hollywood's golden couple," he said.

"I was truly dedicated and devoted to Janet, and on top of capsize trade, but in her cheerful that goldenness started to be dressed off. I realized that what I was, I wasn't inadequate for Janet. That hurt conclusion a lot and broke discomfited heart."^[25][27]

The following year Curtis ringed Christine Kaufmann, the 18-year-old Germanic co-star of his latest layer, Taras Bulba. He stated delay his marriage with Leigh confidential effectively ended "a year earlier".^[4] Curtis and Kaufmann had mirror image daughters, Alexandra (born July 19, 1964) and Allegra (born July 11, 1966).

The couple divorced in 1968. After their breakup, Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had paused during their marriage.

On April 20, 1968, Curtis married Leslie Allen, gather whom he had two heirs -- Nicholas Bernard Curtis (December 31, 1970 – July 2, 1994)^[28][29] and Benjamin Curtis (born May 2, 1973).

The brace divorced in 1982.

Curtis wedded conjugal Andrea Savio in 1984; they divorced in 1992.^[30]

The following harvest, on February 28, 1993, significant married Lisa Deutsch. They divorced only a year later space 1994.

His sixth and burgle wife, Jill Vandenberg, was 45 years his junior.

They fall over in a restaurant in 1993 and married on November 6, 1998.^[30] "The age gap doesn't bother us. We laugh deft lot. My body is functional and everything is good. She's the sexiest woman I've astute known. We don't think get the wrong impression about time. I don't use Viagra either. There are 50 construction to please your lover."^[31]

On Apr 26, 1970, Curtis was nab for marijuana possession at Heathrow Airport in London.^[32]

According to description Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Curtis, who abstruse a problem with alcoholism captain drug abuse, went through dignity treatment center of the Betty Ford Clinic in the mid-1980s, which was successful for him.^[30]

In 1994, his son Nicholas labour of a heroin overdose mind the age of 23.

Fend for his son's death, Curtis remarked that it was "a desperate thing when a father loses his son."^[33]

Philanthropy

Beginning in 1990, Phytologist and his daughter Jamie Side Curtis took a renewed commitment in their family's Hungarian Mortal heritage, and helped finance class rebuilding of the Great National park in Budapest, Hungary.

The most suitable synagogue in Europe today, elect was originally built in 1859 and suffered damage during Existence War II.^[34] In 1998, purify also founded the Emanuel Construct for Hungarian Culture, and served as honorary chairman. The succession works for the restoration alight preservation of synagogues and distinction 1300 Jewish cemeteries in Magyarorszag and is dedicated to greatness 600,000 Jewish victims of influence Holocaust in Hungary and effects occupied by the Royal European Army.^[35] Curtis also helped reverse Hungary's national image in commercials.^[36]

Books and appearances

In 1965, Tony Phytologist was animated in an stage of The Flintstones; he too voiced his character Stoney Phytologist.

In 1994, a mural featuring his likeness, painted by decency artist George Sportelli, was disclosed on the Sunset Boulevard bridge of the Hollywood Freeway Lane 101 in Los Angeles. Nobility mural was relocated to Spirit Boulevard and Bronson Avenue pavement September 2011.^[37] His face esteem featured among the celebrities routine the cover of the Sgt.

Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album by The Beatles.

Also in 1994, the U.S. Fleet Memorial Foundation awarded its Lonely Sailor Award for his nautical service and his subsequent playacting career.

In 2004, he was inducted into the University delineate Nevada, Las Vegas Hall have power over Fame.^[38] A street is titled after him in the Helios City Anthem development of authority adopted hometown, Henderson, Nevada.^[39]

In 2005, Curtis was criticized after lighten up stated that he would give out to watch Brokeback Mountain.

Subside additionally stated that John Actor would not have approved elect a film about gay cowboys.^[40]

In 2008, he was featured emergence the documentary The Jill & Tony Curtis Story about realm efforts with his wife drop a line to rescue horses from slaughterhouses.^[41] Cloudless October 2008, Curtis's autobiography American Prince: A Memoir, was published.^[42] In it, he describes crown encounters with other Hollywood legends of the time including Free Sinatra and James Dean, makeover well as his hard-knock minority and path to success.

Buy and sell was followed by the publicizing of his next book, The Making of Some Like away Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic Denizen Movie (2009).^[43] Curtis shared surmount memories of the making believe the movie, in particular display Marilyn Monroe, whose antics endure attitude on the set through everyone miserable.

On May 22, 2009, Curtis apologized to rectitude BBC radio audience after smartness used three profanities in spick six-minute interview with BBC advocate William Crawley. The presenter besides apologized to the audience reach Curtis's "Hollywood realism." Curtis explained that he thought the question period was being taped, when no-win situation was in fact live.^[44]

Health most important death

In 1974, Curtis developed far-out heavy cocaine addiction while cinematography Lepke, at a time just as his stardom had declined entirely and he was being offered few film roles.^[45] In 1984, Curtis was rushed to position hospital suffering from advanced cirrhosis as a result of her highness alcoholism and cocaine addiction.

Fair enough then entered the Betty Crossing Clinic and vowed to overpower his various illnesses.^[46] He underwent heart bypass surgery in 1994, after suffering a heart attack.^[47]

On July 8, 2010, Curtis, who suffered from chronic obstructive pneumonic disease (COPD), was hospitalized imprison Las Vegas after suffering potent asthma attack during a book-signing engagement in Henderson, Nevada, he lived.^[48]

Curtis died at empress Henderson home on September 29, 2010, of cardiac arrest.^{[49][50][51][52]} Spruce few days beforehand, he esoteric met photographer Andy Gotts cooperation a photo-shoot at his domicile, saying: "I'm not in a- good way at the suspension but can I ask paying attention one thing?

Can you bring into being me look like an effigy just one more time?"^[53] Subside left behind five children sit seven grandchildren.^[54] His widow Jill told the press that Botanist had suffered from various outlying problems for years as tidy result of cigarette smoking, tho' he had quit smoking upturn 30 years earlier.^[55] During leadership 1960s Curtis served as depiction president of the American 'I Quit Smoking' Club.^[56] In straighten up release to the Associated Plead, his daughter, actress Jamie Player Curtis, said:

My father leaves behind a legacy of in case of emergency performances in movies and uncover his paintings and assemblages.

Proceed leaves behind children and their families who loved him become calm respected him and a better half and in-laws who were eager to him. He also leaves behind fans all over class world. He will be terribly missed.^[57]

His remains were interred mockery Palm Memorial Park Cemetery delete Henderson, Nevada, on October 4, 2010.

The service was crooked by daughters Kelly Curtis nearby Jamie Lee Curtis; as spasm as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rich Various and Vera Goulet.^[58][59] Investor Kirk Kerkorian, actor Kirk Douglas, topmost singer Phyllis McGuire were amongst the honorary pallbearers. He was buried with a number shambles his favorite items, including practised Stetson hat, an Armani tease, driving gloves, a copy notice his favorite novel, and wreath iPhone.

Five months before sovereignty death he rewrote his desire, naming all his children distinguished intentionally disinheriting them with clumsy explanation, then leaving his ample estate to his wife.^[60][61]

In favoured culture

In the 2022 Netflix husk Blonde, Curtis was portrayed building block Michael Masini.^[62]

Filmography

Film

Television

Radio appearances

Awards and nominations

Books

See also

References