Directed credits
1
Emerging
Beginning to build directing work.
Director
Walter Matthau
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
1.5
Low visibility
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Directed movies: 1Directed series: 0All crew credits: 2
TMDB ID: 6837
IMDb ID: nm0000527
Known for: Acting
Born: October 1, 1920
Died: July 1, 2000
Age: 79
Place of birth: New York City, New York, USA
Gender: Male
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1944 - 2026
Years active: 83
Average TMDB rating: 6.61
Wikidata: Q202172
Also known as
Walter John Matthau
Frequent jobs
Director (1)Executive Producer (1)
Biography
Walter Matthau (born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, comedian and film director. He is best known for his film roles in A Face in the Crowd (1957), King Creole (1958) and as a coach of a hapless little league team in the baseball comedy The Bad News Bears (1976). He also starred in 10 films alongside Jack Lemmon, including The Odd Couple (1968), The Front Page (1974) and Grumpy Old Men (1993). Matthau won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the Billy Wilder film The Fortune Cookie (1966). Matthau is also known for his performances in Stanley Donen's romance Charade (1963), Gene Kelly's musical Hello, Dolly! (1969), Elaine May's screwball comedy A New Leaf (1971) and Herbert Ross' ensemble comedy California Suite (1978). He also starred in Plaza Suite, Kotch (both 1971), Charley Varrick (1973), The Sunshine Boys (1975), and Hopscotch (1980). On Broadway, Matthau originated the role of Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple by playwright Neil Simon, for which he received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1965, his second after A Shot in the Dark in 1962. Matthau also received two British Academy Film Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 1963, he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his performance in The DuPont Show of the Week. In 1982, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Photos
Movies
Directed Movies
Movies directed by Walter Matthau.
Movies
Top Rated Movies
Highest rated movies linked with Walter Matthau.
as Prof. Groeteschele
Fail Safe
1964 • Movie
as Hamilton Bartholemew
Charade
1963 • Movie
as Mel Miller
A Face in the Crowd
1957 • Movie
as Senator Long
JFK
1991 • Movie
as Lt. Garber
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974 • Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Chaplin
1992 • Movie
as Oscar Madison
The Odd Couple
1968 • Movie
as Sheriff Morey Johnson
Lonely are the Brave
1962 • Movie
as Charley Varrick
Charley Varrick
1973 • Movie
as Walter Burns
The Front Page
1974 • Movie
as Henry Graham
A New Leaf
1971 • Movie
as Dr. Julian Winston
Cactus Flower
1969 • Movie
Series
Top Rated Series
Highest rated series linked with Walter Matthau.
Movies
Most Popular Movies
Most viewed movie titles linked with Walter Matthau.
as Mr. Wilson
Dennis the Menace
1993 • Movie
as Gen. R.A. Smight
Candy
1968 • Movie
as Hamilton Bartholemew
Charade
1963 • Movie
as Senator Long
JFK
1991 • Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Chaplin
1992 • Movie
as Max Goldman
Grumpy Old Men
1993 • Movie
as Horace Vandergelder
Hello, Dolly!
1969 • Movie
as Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
Pirates
1986 • Movie
as Drunk
Earthquake
1974 • Movie
as Max Goldman
Grumpier Old Men
1995 • Movie
as Lt. Garber
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974 • Movie
as Albert Einstein
I.Q.
1994 • Movie
Series
Most Popular Series
Most viewed series linked with Walter Matthau.
as Self • 5 eps
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 • Series
as Self • 2 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 • Series
as Self - Host • 1 eps
Saturday Night Live
1975 • Series
as Self - Nominee / Presenter • 1 eps
Golden Globe Awards
1944 • Series
2 eps
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950 • Series
as Self - Host • 1 eps
Tony Awards
1956 • Series
as Self • 1 eps
Great Performances
1971 • Series
as Self • 1 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 • Series
as Self - Guest • 2 eps
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 • Series
as Charlie Mapes • 1 eps
Climax!
1954 • Series
as Franklin Gaer • 1 eps
Dr. Kildare
1961 • Series
5 eps
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948 • Series
Movies
Other Crew Work in Movies
Additional movie credits for Walter Matthau.
Movies
Acting Appearances in Movies
Movie cast credits for Walter Matthau.
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Life in Music
2026 • Movie
as Self (archive footage)
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
2020 • Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
2015 • Movie
as Lou Mozell
Hanging Up
2000 • Movie
as Frank Walsh
The Marriage Fool
1998 • Movie
as Oscar Madison
The Odd Couple II
1998 • Movie
as Narrator
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
1998 • Movie
as Charlie Gordon
Out to Sea
1997 • Movie
as Self
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997 • Movie
as Nat Moyer
I'm Not Rappaport
1996 • Movie
as Self
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
1996 • Movie
as Judge Charlie Cool
The Grass Harp
1996 • Movie
Series
Acting Appearances in Series
Series cast credits for Walter Matthau.
as Self - Host • 1 eps
Saturday Night Live
1975 • Series
as Self • 1 eps
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973 • Series
as Self • 1 eps
Great Performances
1971 • Series
as Self - Guest • 2 eps
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 • Series
as Self • 5 eps
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 • Series
as Self • 1 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 • Series
as Self • 2 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 • Series
2 eps
Target: The Corruptors!
1961 • Series
as Franklin Gaer • 1 eps
Dr. Kildare
1961 • Series
as Lex Rogers • 26 eps
Tallahassee 7000
1961 • Series
1 eps
Route 66
1960 • Series
as Peter Kanopolis • 1 eps
Naked City
1958 • Series