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'''Tony Curtis''' (born '''Bernard Schwartz'''; June 3, 1925{{spaced ndash}}September 29, 2010) was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades but who was mostly popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in more than 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 latter half of the 1950s he became a strong screen presence with the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles. In his earliest parts he acted in a string of mediocre films, including [[swashbuckler film|swashbucklers]], westerns, light comedies, sports films and a musical. However, by the time he starred in ''[[Houdini (film)|Houdini]]'' (1953) with his wife [[Janet Leigh]], "his first clear success," notes critic [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]], his acting had progressed immensely.<ref name=Siegel>Siegel, Scott and Barbara. ''The Encyclopedia of Hollywood’’ 2nd ed. Checkmark Books (2004) pp. 108–109</ref><ref name=Thomson>Thomson, David. ''The New Biographical Dictionary of Film'' Alfred A. Knopf (2002) pp. 196–197</ref>
He achieved his first serious recognition as a 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 ''[[The Defiant Ones]]'' (1958). Curtis then gave what could arguably be called his best performance: three interrelated roles in the comedy ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' (1959). Thomson called it an "outrageous film," and a survey carried out by the [[American Film Institute]] voted it the funniest American film ever made.<ref name=foxnews>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/09/30/reports-actor-tony-curtis-dead/ "Hollywood Legend Tony Curtis Dead at 85"] Fox News, September 30, 2010</ref> The film co-starred [[Jack Lemmon]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]], and was directed by [[Billy Wilder]]. That was followed by [[Blake Edwards]]’s ''[[Operation Petticoat]]'' (1959) with [[Cary Grant]]. They were both frantic comedies, and displayed his impeccable comic timing.<ref name=McCarty>Broeske, Pat H. And McCarty, John. ''International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers: Actors and Actresses'' (3rd Ed.) St. James Press (1997) pp. 275-277</ref> He often collaborated with Edwards on later films. In 1960, Curtis played a supporting role in ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'', which became another major hit for him.
His stardom and film career declined considerably after 1960. His most significant dramatic part came in 1968 when he starred in the true-life drama ''[[The Boston Strangler (film)|The Boston Strangler]]'', which some consider his last major film role.<ref name=McCarty/> The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his chilling portrayal of serial killer [[Albert DeSalvo]].
He later starred alongside [[Roger Moore]] in the [[ITC Entertainment|ITC]] TV series ''[[The Persuaders!]]'', with Curtis playing American millionaire Danny Wilde. The series ran twenty-four episodes.
Curtis is the father of actresses [[Jamie Lee Curtis]] and [[Kelly Curtis]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/movies/2010/09/30/15537731.html|title=Jamie Lee Honours Her Dad|author=wenn.com|accessdate=October 1, 2010}}</ref> by his first wife, actress Janet Leigh.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8034695/Tony-Curtis.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=Tony Curtis | date=September 30, 2010}}</ref>
==Early life==
Tony Curtis was born '''Bernard Schwartz''' on June 3, 1925, in Manhattan, New York, to Helen (née Klein) and Emanuel Schwartz.<ref name=a&e>{{cite web|title=Tony Curtis biography|url=http://www.biography.com/articles/Tony-Curtis-9263844|work=biography.com|publisher=A&E Television Networks|accessdate=August 11, 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907041843/http://www.biography.com/articles/Tony-Curtis-9263844|archivedate=September 7, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=encyclopedia>{{cite web|title=Curtis, Tony 1925–|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Tony_Curtis.aspx|work=Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television|publisher=encyclopedia.com|accessdate=August 11, 2011}}</ref>
Biographies have propagated a misconception that he was born in the Bronx, probably due to the family's moves when he was very young, but Tony pointedly corrected this in a TV interview.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with cable TV host Skip E Lowe|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmwPhwN0pHA?t=115|accessdate=31 August 2017}}</ref>
His parents were Jewish emigrants from [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[Hungary]]: his father was born in [[Ópályi]], near [[Mátészalka]], and his mother was a native of [[Nagymihály]] (now [[Michalovce]], [[Slovakia]]); she later said she arrived in the US from Válykó (now Vaľkovo, [[Slovakia]]).<ref>[http://www.slovenskecentrum.sk/sk/news/read/15615/usa-zomrel-americky-herec-tony-curtis-po-matke-slovenskeho-povodu Zomrel americký herec Tony Curtis, po matke slovenského pôvodu] (Slovak); ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'', S06E20, 9 February 1956. 02:08-02:20.</ref> He did not learn English until he was five or six, delaying his schooling.<ref name="tcmcurtis"/> His father was a tailor and the family lived in the back of the shop—his parents in one corner and Curtis and his brothers Julius and Robert in another. His mother once made an appearance as a participant on the television show ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'', hosted by [[Groucho Marx]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD8WHdPpMCA |title=You Bet Your Life 0 |publisher=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=July 1, 2011}}</ref> Curtis said, "When I was a child, Mom beat me up and was very aggressive and antagonistic." His mother was later diagnosed with [[schizophrenia]]. His brother Robert was [[Involuntary commitment|institutionalized]] with the same mental illness.
When Curtis was eight, he and his brother Julius were placed in an orphanage for a month because their parents could not afford to feed them. Four years later, Julius was struck and killed by a truck. Curtis joined a neighborhood gang whose main crimes were playing hooky from school and minor pilfering at the local dime store. When Curtis was 11, a friendly neighbor saved him from what he felt would have led to a life of [[Juvenile delinquency|delinquency]] by sending him to a [[Boy Scout]] camp, where he was able to work off his energy and settle down. He attended [[Seward Park High School]]. At 16, he had his first small acting part in a school stage play.<ref name=Lifemag/>
===War Service===
Curtis enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] after the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] and war was declared. Inspired by [[Cary Grant]]'s role in ''[[Destination Tokyo]]'' and [[Tyrone Power]]'s in ''[[Crash Dive]]'' (1943), he joined the [[United States Asiatic Fleet|Pacific submarine force]].<ref name="tcmcurtis">''Private Screenings: Tony Curtis'' [[Turner Classic Movies]], January 19, 1999.</ref> Curtis served aboard a [[submarine tender]], the [[USS Proteus (AS-19)|USS ''Proteus'']]'','' until the end of the [[Second World War]]. On September 2, 1945, Curtis witnessed the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Japanese surrender]] in [[Tokyo Bay]] from his ship's signal bridge about a mile away.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tendertale.com/ttiii/ttiii1.html |title=TenderTale |publisher=TenderTale |accessdate=June 18, 2010}}</ref>
Following his [[Military discharge|discharge]] from the Navy, Curtis attended [[City College of New York]] on the [[G.I. Bill]]. He then studied acting at [[The New School]] in [[Greenwich Village]] under the influential German stage director [[Erwin Piscator]]. His contemporaries included [[Elaine Stritch]], [[Harry Belafonte]], [[Walter Matthau]], [[Bea Arthur|Beatrice Arthur]], and [[Rod Steiger]]. While still at college, Curtis was discovered by [[Joyce Selznick]], the notable [[talent agent]], [[casting director]], and niece of film producer [[David O. Selznick]].
==Career==
In 1948, Curtis arrived in [[Hollywood]] at age 23.
===Universal as "Anthony Curtis"===
When he was placed under contract at [[Universal Pictures]], he changed his name from '''Bernard Schwartz''' to '''Tony Curtis'''. It is also the same studio where he met unknown actors [[Rock Hudson]], [[Julie Adams]] and [[Piper Laurie]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatentertainersarchives.blogspot.com/2012/04/julie-adams-at-85.html | title = 'Julie Adams at 85' | publisher=Great Entertainers Archives.com| date=2012-04-09|accessdate=2015-10-26}}</ref> The first name was from the novel ''[[Anthony Adverse]]'' and "Curtis" was from Kurtz. a surname in his mother's family.<ref name="ref091">{{Cite news|last=Rizzo|first=Frank|title=My Interview With Tony Curtis|pages=|publisher=Hartford Courant|date=October 1, 2009|url=http://blogs.courant.com/curtain/2009/10/my-interview-with-tony-curtis.html|accessdate=October 1, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20120707005014/http://blogs.courant.com/curtain/2009/10/my-interview-with-tony-curtis.html|archivedate=July 7, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Although Universal Pictures taught him fencing and riding, in keeping with the cinematic themes of the era, Curtis admitted he was at first interested only in girls and money. Neither was he hopeful of his chances of becoming a major star. Curtis's biggest fear was having to return home to the Bronx as a failure:
<blockquote>I was a million-to-one shot, the ''least'' likely to succeed. I wasn't low man on the totem pole, I was ''under'' the totem pole, in a sewer, tied to a sack.<ref name=Lifemag>''Life'' magazine, Nov. 17, 1961 pp. 161-176</ref> </blockquote>
Curtis's uncredited screen debut came in ''[[Criss Cross (1949 film)|Criss Cross]]'' (1949) playing a [[Rhumba|rumba]] dancer, dancing with [[Yvonne de Carlo]]. The male star was [[Burt Lancaster]] who would make a number of films with Curtis.
In his second film, ''[[City Across the River]]'' (also in 1949), he was credited as "Anthony Curtis".<ref>{{IMDb title|0041251|title=City Across the River}}</ref> He had four lines in ''[[The Lady Gambles]]'' (1949) and a bigger part in ''[[Johnny Stool Pigeon]]'' (1949). He could also be spotted in ''[[Francis (film)|Francis]]'' (1950), ''[[Woman in Hiding]]'' (1950), and ''[[I Was a Shoplifter]]'' (1950).
He was in two Westerns, ''[[Sierra (film)|Sierra]]'' (1950), starring [[Audie Murphy]], and ''[[Winchester '73]]'' (1950), one of many names (including fellow Universal contractee, [[Rock Hudson]]). He supported Murphy in another Western, ''[[Kansas Raiders]]'' (1951), playing [[Kit Dalton]]; this time he was billed as "Tony Curtis".
===Stardom===
Curtis was receiving a lot of fan mail so Universal decided to give him the starring role in ''[[The Prince Who Was a Thief]]'' (1951), an Eastern swashbuckler with Piper Laurie. It was a hit at the box office and Curtis was now established.
He followed it with ''[[Flesh and Fury]]'' (1952), a boxing movie; ''[[No Room for the Groom]]'' (1952), a comedy with Laurie directed by [[Douglas Sirk]]; and ''[[Son of Ali Baba]]'' (1952), another "Eastern" with Laurie.
Curtis' career stepped up another notch when he teamed with then-wife [[Janet Leigh]] in ''[[Houdini (film)|Houdini]]'' (1953), where Curtis played the title role. His next movies were more "B" fare: ''[[All American (film)|All American]]'' (1953), as a footballer; ''[[Forbidden (1953 film)|Forbidden]]'' (1953), as a criminal; ''[[Beachhead (film)|Beachhead]]'' (1954), a war film; ''[[Johnny Dark (film)|Johnny Dark]]'' (1954), with Laurie, as a racing car driver; and ''[[The Black Shield of Falworth]]'' (1954), a medieval swashbuckler with Leigh. The box office performances of these films were solid, and Curtis was growing in popularity.
For a change of pace he did a musical, ''[[So This Is Paris (1955 film)|So This Is Paris]]'' (1955), then it was back to more typical fare: ''[[Six Bridges to Cross]]'' (1955), as a bank robber; ''[[The Purple Mask]]'' (1955), a swashbuckler; ''[[The Square Jungle]]'' (1955), a boxing film.
===Major Star===
Curtis graduated to more prestigious projects when he was cast in support of [[Burt Lancaster]] and [[Gina Lollobrigida]] in ''[[Trapeze (film)|Trapeze]]'' (1956). It was one of the biggest hits of the year.
Curtis made a Western, ''[[The Rawhide Years]]'' (1957), was a gambler in ''[[Mister Cory]]'' (1957) and a cop in ''[[The Midnight Story]]'' (1957). Lancaster asked for him again, to play scheming press agent Sidney Falco in ''[[Sweet Smell of Success]]'' (1957), starring and co-produced by Lancaster. It was a box office disappointment but Curtis, for the first time in his years, received sensational reviews.
Another star-producer was interested in Curtis supporting him - [[Kirk Douglas]] for ''[[The Vikings (1958 film)|The Vikings]]'' (1958). Janet Leigh also starred and the resulting movie was a massive hit. Curtis then co-starred with [[Frank Sinatra]] and [[Natalie Wood]] in ''[[Kings Go Forth]]'' (1958), a war story. It was mildly popular but ''[[The Defiant Ones]]'' (1958), was a big success. Curtis gave an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-nominated performance as a bigoted white escaped convict chained to a black man, [[Sidney Poitier]].
[[File:Monroe and Curtis in Some Like it Hot.JPG|thumb|Curtis with [[Marilyn Monroe]] in ''Some Like It Hot'']]
Curtis and Leigh made a popular comedy for [[Blake Edwards]] at Universal, ''[[The Perfect Furlough]]'' (1958). He co-starred with [[Jack Lemmon]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]] in [[Billy Wilder]]'s ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' (1959). It was a huge success, as was ''[[Operation Petticoat]]'' (1959), a military comedy which Curtis made for Edwards alongside [[Cary Grant]].
Curtis and Leigh made one more film together ''[[Who Was That Lady?]]'' (1960), a comedy with Dean Martin. He and [[Debbie Reynolds]] then starred in the romantic comedy ''[[The Rat Race]]'' (1960).
Douglas came calling again, offering Curtis a key role in the former's epic production ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' (1960). It was a huge hit and earned Curtis a Golden Globe nomination.
Curtis then made his first movies in a while without a significant "name" co star. Both were biopics: ''[[The Great Impostor]]'' (1961), directed by Robert Mulligan, playing [[Ferdinand Waldo Demara]]; and ''[[The Outsider (1961 film)|The Outsider]]'' (1961), where he played war hero [[Ira Hayes]]. He went back to epics with ''[[Taras Bulba (1962 film)|Taras Bulba]]'' (1962), co starring [[Yul Brynner]] and [[Christine Kaufmann]], who soon became Curtis' second wife.
===Focus on Comedy===
He and Kaufmann were reunited on the comedy ''[[40 Pounds of Trouble]]'' (1962), which was a mild hit.
Curtis was one of many stars who had small roles in ''[[The List of Adrian Messenger]]'' (1963). He supported [[Gregory Peck]] in ''[[Captain Newman, M.D.]]'' (1963) and made a cameo in ''[[Paris When It Sizzles]]'' (1964). He and Kaufman made their third movie together, the comedy ''[[Wild and Wonderful]]'' (1964). His focus remained on comedies: ''[[Goodbye Charlie]]'' (1964), with Debbie Reynolds; ''[[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|Sex and the Single Girl]]'' (1964), with Natalie Wood; ''[[The Great Race]]'' (1965), with Wood and Lemmon for Blake Edwards - the most expensive comedy film up til that time but popular; ''[[Boeing Boeing (1965 film)|Boeing Boeing]]'' (1965) a sex farce with [[Jerry Lewis]]; ''[[Not with My Wife, You Don't!]]'' (1966) with [[George C. Scott]]; ''[[Drop Dead Darling]]'' (1966), a British comedy; ''[[Don't Make Waves]]'' (1967), a satire of beach life from director Alexander Mackendrick, with [[Claudia Cardinale]]; and ''[[On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...]]'' (1967), an Italian comedy with [[Monica Vitti]]. In the early 1960s, he was a voice-over guest star on ''[[The Flintstones]]'' as "Stoney Curtis".
===''The Boston Strangler''===
Curtis made his first dramatic film for a number of years with ''[[The Boston Strangler (film)|The Boston Strangler]]'' (1968) playing the title role and response from the critics and public was excellent. He returned to comedy for ''[[Monte Carlo or Bust!]]'' (1969), an all-star car race film in the vein of ''The Great Race''.
He made some comic adventure tales: ''[[You Can't Win 'Em All]]'' (1970) with [[Charles Bronson]] and ''[[Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came]]'' (1970).
Curtis decided it was time to turn to television and co-starred with [[Roger Moore]] in the TV series ''[[The Persuaders!]]''.
He was one of the villains in ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' (1975) and had the title role in the gangster film ''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'' (1975). Curtis had the lead in a TV series that did not last, ''[[McCoy (TV series)|McCoy]]'' (1975-76). He was one of many names in ''[[The Last Tycoon (1976 film)|The Last Tycoon]]'' (1976) and had the title role in an Italian comedy ''[[Casanova & Co.]]'' (1977). Later, he co-starred and ''[[Vega$]]'' and was in ''[[The Users (1978 film)|The Users]]'' (1978).
===Later Career===
Curtis supported [[Mae West]] in ''[[Sextette]]'' (1978) and starred in ''[[The Manitou]]'' (1978), a horror film and ''[[The Bad News Bears Go to Japan]]'' (1978), a comedy. He had good roles in ''[[It Rained All Night the Day I Left]]'' (1980), ''[[Little Miss Marker (1980 film)|Little Miss Marker]]'' (1980) and ''[[The Scarlett O'Hara War]]'' (1980) and was one of many stars in ''[[The Mirror Crack'd]]'' (1980).
===Painter===
Throughout his life, Curtis enjoyed painting and, since the early 1980s, painted as a second career. His work commands more than $25,000 a canvas now. In the last years of his life, he concentrated on painting rather than movies. A [[surrealist]], Curtis claimed "[[Vincent Van Gogh|Van Gogh]], [[Paul Matisse|<nowiki>[Paul] </nowiki>Matisse]], [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]], [[René Magritte|Magritte]]" as influences.<ref name="tcmcurtis"/> "I still make movies but I'm not that interested in them any more. But I paint all the time." In 2007, his painting ''The Red Table'' was on display in the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in New York City. His paintings can also be seen at the [[Tony Vanderploeg]] Gallery in [[Carmel, California]].
Curtis spoke of his disappointment at never being awarded an [[Academy Award|Oscar]]. In March 2006, Curtis received the [[Empire Awards|Sony Ericsson Empire Lifetime Achievement Award]]. He also has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]],<!--awarded when?--> and received the ''[[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]'' from France in 1995.{{cn|date=September 2016}}
==Personal life==
===Marriages and children===
Curtis was married six times.<ref name = portrait /> His first wife was actress [[Janet Leigh]], to whom he was married from 1951 to 1962, and with whom he fathered actresses Kelly and Jamie Lee. "For a while, we were Hollywood's golden couple," he said. "I was very dedicated and devoted to Janet, and on top of my trade, but in her eyes that goldenness started to wear off. I realized that whatever I was, I wasn't enough for Janet. That hurt me a lot and broke my heart."<ref name = portrait>{{cite news | work=The Australian | date=October 1, 2010 | title=A Bronx boy who mastered his art | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/a-bronx-boy-who-mastered-his-art/story-e6frg6so-1225932601316}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|Xc142F5Cb60|Video clip compilation}} 2 minutes</ref>
The studio he was under contract with, [[Universal-International]], generally stayed out of their stars' love lives. However, when they chose to get married, studio executives spent three days trying to talk him out of it, telling him he would be "poisoning himself at the box office." They threatened "banishment" back to the Bronx and the end of his budding career. In response, Curtis and Leigh decided to defy the studio heads and instead eloped and were married by a local judge in Greenwich, Connecticut. Comedian and close friend [[Jerry Lewis]] was present as a witness.<ref name=Lifemag/>
The couple divorced in 1962, and the following year Curtis married [[Christine Kaufmann]], the 18-year-old German co-star of his latest film, ''[[Taras Bulba (1962 film)|Taras Bulba]].'' He stated that his marriage with Leigh had effectively ended "a year earlier".<ref name="tcmcurtis"/> Curtis and Kaufmann had two daughters, Alexandra (born July 19, 1964) and [[Allegra Curtis|Allegra]] (born July 11, 1966). They divorced in 1968. Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had interrupted during her marriage.
Curtis was also married to:
* Leslie Allen (April 20, 1968 – 1982); divorced, two sons: Nicholas Curtis (1970–1994) and Benjamin Curtis (born May 2, 1973)
* Andrea Savio (1984-1992); divorced<ref name=McDonald>McDonald, William. ''The Obits 2012: The New York Times Annual'', Workman Publishing (2011) p. 85</ref>
* Lisa Deutsch (February 28, 1993 – 1994); divorced
* Jill Vandenberg Curtis (November 6, 1998 – September 29, 2010; his death)<ref name=McDonald/>
His last wife was 45 years his junior. They met in a restaurant in 1993 and married in 1998. "The age gap doesn't bother us. We laugh a lot. My body is functioning and everything is good. She's the sexiest woman I've ever known. We don't think about time. I don't use [[Viagra]] either. There are 50 ways to please your lover."<ref>Drye, Brittny. [http://thestir.cafemom.com/entertainment/110302/tony_curtis_6_women_behind "Tony Curtis: 6 Women Behind the Hollywood Heartthrob"], ''The Stir'', September 30, 2010, accessed January 13, 2011.</ref>
His son Nicholas (December 31, 1970 – April 2, 1994,<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com Social Security Death Index]</ref> with Leslie Allen) died of a [[heroin]] [[drug overdose|overdose]] at the age of 23. After his son's death, Curtis remarked, "You never get over that. The death of a child. No. Can't talk about it,"<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-560606/Tony-Curtis-Marilyn-Monroe-It-like-kissing-Hitler.html |title=Tony Curtis on Marilyn Monroe: It was like kissing Hitler! |first=Petronella|last=Wyatt |date=April 18, 2008 |work=The Daily Mail |accessdate=February 28, 2011 |location=London}}</ref> and that it was "a terrible thing when a father loses his son."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101001/NEWS/10010322 |title=Movie star Tony Curtis had Cape ties |date=October 1, 2008 |work=Cape Cod Times |accessdate=February 28, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708115037/http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20101001%2FNEWS%2F10010322 |archivedate=July 8, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
According to the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'', Curtis, who had a problem with [[alcoholism]] and drug abuse, went through the treatment center of the [[Betty Ford Clinic]] in the mid-1980s, which was successful for him.<ref name=McDonald/>
===Philanthropy===
Beginning in 1990, Curtis and his daughter Jamie Lee Curtis took a renewed interest in their family's Hungarian Jewish heritage, and helped finance the rebuilding of the [[Dohány Street Synagogue|"Great Synagogue"]] in Budapest, Hungary. The largest synagogue in Europe today, it was originally built in 1859 and suffered damage during World War II.<ref>Steves, Rick. ''Rick Steves' Budapest'', Public Affairs publ. (2009) pp. 72-73</ref> In 1998, he also founded the Emanuel Foundation for Hungarian Culture, and served as honorary chairman. The organization works for the restoration and preservation of [[synagogue]]s and 1300 [[Jewish]] cemeteries in Hungary. He dedicated this to the 600,000 Jewish victims of the [[Holocaust]] in [[Hungary]] and lands occupied by the [[Hungarian Army]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3892380.html |title=Curtis aiding Hungary Jews|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times via HighBeam Research |date=June 29, 1988 |accessdate=September 30, 2010}} {{subscription}}</ref> He also helped promote Hungary's national image in commercials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.origo.hu/utazas/20100608-orszagimazs-tony-curtis-magyar-turizmus-zrt.html|title=Csináljon velünk országimázs filmet!|publisher=Origo.hu|date=June 8, 2010|accessdate=August 27, 2010}}</ref>
===Books and appearances===
[[File:2009-0314-LV-002-TonyCurtis.jpg|thumb|175px|right|Curtis, during a signing of his 2008 memoir, ''American Prince'']]
In 1965, Tony Curtis was animated in an episode of ''[[The Flintstones]]''; he also voiced his character Stoney Curtis.
In 1994,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lamurals.org/MuralFiles/Hollywood/TonyCurtis.html|title=Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles|accessdate=October 3, 2010}}</ref> a mural featuring his likeness, painted by the artist George Sportelli, was unveiled on the Sunset Boulevard overpass of the Hollywood Freeway [[Highway 101]] in California. The mural was relocated to Hollywood Boulevard and Bronson Avenue in September 2011.
Also in 1994, the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation awarded its Lone Sailor Award for his naval service and his subsequent acting career.
In 2004, he was inducted into the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.viewnews.com/2004/VIEW-Sep-10-Fri-2004/Summerlin/24694628.html |title=View Newspapers: "TONY CURTIS: Now a local legend"|publisher=Viewnews.com |date=September 10, 2004 |accessdate=June 18, 2010}}</ref> A street is named after him in the Sun City Anthem development in [[Henderson, Nevada]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}
In 2008, he was featured in the documentary ''[[The Jill & Tony Curtis Story]]'' about his efforts with his wife to rescue horses from slaughterhouses.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20018144-10391698.html |title=Jill VanderBerg Curtis Worked With Husband On Last Film |publisher=CBS News |date=September 30, 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614031657/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20018144-10391698.html |archivedate=June 14, 2013 }}</ref>
In October 2008, Curtis's [[autobiography]] ''American Prince: A Memoir'', was published.<ref name=Curtis>Curtis, Tony; Golenbock, Peter. ''American Prince'', [[Harmony Books]] (2008) {{ISBN|978-1-905264-34-6}}.</ref> In it, he describes his encounters with other Hollywood legends of the time including Frank Sinatra and [[James Dean]], as well as his hard-knock childhood and path to success. It was followed by the publication of his next book, ''The Making of Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie'' (2009).<ref name=Vieira>Curtis, Tony; Vieira, Mark A. ''The Making of Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie'', John Wiley and Sons (2009) {{ISBN|978-0-470-53721-3}}</ref> Curtis shared his memories of the making of the movie, in particular about Marilyn Monroe, whose antics and attitude on the set made everyone miserable.
On May 22, 2009, Curtis apologized to the [[BBC]] radio audience after he used three profanities in a six-minute interview with BBC presenter [[William Crawley]]. The presenter also apologized to the audience for Curtis's "Hollywood realism." Curtis explained that he thought the interview was being taped, when it was in fact live.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2009/05/tony_curtis_brings_some_holywo.html |title=Tony Curtis brings some Hollywood realism to BBC radio|publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=May 23, 2009}}</ref>
==Later years and death==
Curtis was a lifelong [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] and attended the 1960 Democratic National Convention alongside such liberal performers as [[Edward G. Robinson]], [[Shelley Winters]], [[Ralph Bellamy]], and [[Lee Marvin]].<ref>{{YouTube|7opAIZ9dv3E}}</ref>
Curtis developed a heavy [[cocaine]] addiction in 1974 while filming ''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'', at a time when his stardom had declined considerably and he was being offered few film roles.<ref>Curtis, Tony ''American Prince: My Autobiography'' (2008) p. 303</ref> In 1984, Curtis was rushed to the hospital suffering from advanced [[cirrhosis]] as a result of his alcoholism and cocaine addiction. He then entered the Betty Ford Clinic and vowed to overcome his various illnesses.<ref name=tele_695>{{cite news
|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8034695/Tony-Curtis.html| title= Tony Curtis|author = | work= The Daily Telegraph | date= October 30, 2010| accessdate=October 1, 2010| location=London}}</ref> He underwent [[heart bypass]] surgery in 1994, after suffering a heart attack.<ref name=record_86908>{{cite web |title=Tony Curtis 1925-2010: A movie star and icon in the golden age of Hollywood |date=October 30, 2010 |work=Daily Record |location=Glasgow |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/10/01/movie-star-tony-curtis-was-icon-of-golden-age-of-hollywood-and-epitome-of-cool-86908-22599821/ |accessdate=October 1, 2010}}</ref>
[[File:Tony Curtis portrait.jpg|thumb|left|Curtis in 2004]]
Curtis nearly died when he contracted [[pneumonia]] in December 2006 and was in a [[coma]] for more than a month. As a result, he used a wheelchair afterwards and could walk only short distances.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=560321&in_page_id=1773 |title=Bald and in a wheelchair: Tony Curtis cuts a frail figure as he rolls into Harrods |first=Laura |last=Roberts |work=Daily Mail |date=April 17, 2008 |accessdate=June 18, 2010 |location=London}}</ref>
On July 8, 2010, Curtis, who suffered from [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] (COPD), was hospitalized in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] after suffering an [[asthma]] attack during a book-signing engagement in Henderson, Nevada, where he lived.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tony Curtis 'stable' after asthma attack|url=http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2010/07/16/20100716tony-curtis-stable-after-asthma-attack.html|publisher=AZcentral.com|accessdate=July 19, 2010}}</ref>
Curtis died at his Henderson home on September 29, 2010, of [[cardiac arrest]].<ref name=nyt30_Sept_2010>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/movies/01curtis.html?partner=rss&emc=rss|title=Tony Curtis, Hollywood Leading Man, Dies at 85|author=Kehr, Dave|publisher=[[New York Times]]|date=September 30, 2010|accessdate=October 1, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11443271|title=Film star Tony Curtis dies at 85 |publisher=BBC News |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=September 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/69439,people,news,tony-curtis-dies-aged-85-marilyn-monroe-stanley-kubrick- |title=Film star Tony Curtis dies aged 85 |publisher=The First Post |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=September 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/celebs/article.aspx?cp-documentid=25774328 "Coroner:Actor Tony Curtis Dies At Las Vegas Home"]. Associated Press. Retrieved September 30, 2010.</ref> He left behind five children and seven grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tony Curtis's Widow Speaks Exclusively To Inside Edition |date=March 29, 2011 |work=Inside Edition |url=http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/2194-tony-curtiss-widow-speaks-exclusively-to-inside-edition |accessdate=March 22, 2016}}</ref> His widow Jill told the press that Curtis had suffered from various lung problems for years as a result of cigarette smoking, although he had quit smoking about 30 years earlier.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/tony-curtis-died-long-history-lung-problems-smoking-widow-jill-curtis-article-1.443819 | title= Tony Curtis died after long history of lung problems from smoking, says widow Jill Curtis |first=Caroline |last=Culbertson |location=New York | work=Daily News |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref> In fact, during the 1960s Curtis served as the president of the American 'I Quit Smoking' Club.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Tony Curtis on drugs charge at airport|last=|first=|date=27 April 1970|work=Daily Express|access-date=}}</ref> In a release to the Associated Press, his daughter, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, stated:
<blockquote>
My father leaves behind a legacy of great performances in movies and in his paintings and assemblages. He leaves behind children and their families who loved him and respected him and a wife and in-laws who were devoted to him. He also leaves behind fans all over the world. He will be greatly missed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Legendary actor Tony Curtis has died|url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/30/report-legendary-actor-tony-curtis-has-died/?iref=NS1|publisher=CNN.com|accessdate=September 30, 2010|date=September 30, 2010}}</ref></blockquote>
His remains were interred at Palm Memorial Park Cemetery in Henderson, Nevada, on October 4, 2010.<ref>[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/01/memorial-service-for-actor-tony-curtis-set-for-monday/?hpt=T2 "Memorial Service for actor Tony Curtis Set For Monday"]. cnn.com, Retrieved October 1, 2010</ref><ref name="news.yahoo.com">{{cite news |last=Garcia |first=Oskar |date=October 4, 2010 |title=Actor Tony Curtis buried after Vegas funeral |work=Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_en_ot/us_tony_curtis_funeral |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013061828/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_en_ot/us_tony_curtis_funeral |archivedate=October 13, 2010}}</ref> His memorial service was attended by his daughters, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis; [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]; [[Rich Little]]; and Vera Goulet, [[Robert Goulet]]'s widow.<ref name="news.yahoo.com"/> Investor [[Kirk Kerkorian]], actor Kirk Douglas and singer [[Phyllis McGuire]] were among the honorary [[pallbearers]].
==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1949 || ''[[City Across the River]]'' || Mitch || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1949 || ''[[The Lady Gambles]]'' || Bellboy || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1949 || ''[[Johnny Stool Pigeon]]'' || Joey Hyatt || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1949 || ''[[How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border]]'' || || Short film
|-
|1950 || ''[[Francis (film)|Francis]]'' || Capt. Jones || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950 || ''[[Woman in Hiding]]'' || Dave Shaw || Voice role; uncredited
|-
|1950 || ''[[I Was a Shoplifter]]'' || Pepe || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950 || ''[[Sierra (film)|Sierra]]'' || Brent Coulter || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950|| ''[[Winchester '73]]'' || Doan || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950 || ''[[Kansas Raiders]]'' || Kit Dalton ||
|-
| 1951 || ''[[The Prince Who Was a Thief]]'' || Julna ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[Flesh and Fury]]'' || Paul Callan ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[No Room for the Groom]]''|| Alvah Morrell ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[Son of Ali Baba]]'' || Kashma Baba ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[Houdini (film)|Houdini]]'' || [[Harry Houdini]] ||
|-
|1953 || ''[[All American (film)|All American]]'' || Nick Bonelli ||
|-
|1953 || ''[[Forbidden (1953 film)|Forbidden]]'' || Eddie Darrow ||
|-
|1954 || ''[[Beachhead (film)|Beachhead]]'' || Burke ||
|-
|1954 || ''[[Johnny Dark (film)|Johnny Dark]]'' || Johnny Dark ||
|-
|1954 || ''[[The Black Shield of Falworth]]'' || Myles ||
|-
|1955 || ''[[So This Is Paris (1955 film)|So This Is Paris]]'' || Joe Maxwell ||
|-
|1955 || ''[[Six Bridges to Cross]]'' || Jerry Florea ||
|-
|1955 || ''[[The Purple Mask]]'' || Rene de Traviere ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[The Square Jungle]]'' || Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon ||
|-
|1956 || ''[[Trapeze (film)|Trapeze]]'' || Tino Orsini ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[The Rawhide Years]]''|| Ben Matthews ||
|-
|1957 || ''[[Mister Cory]]'' || Cory ||
|-
|1957 || ''[[The Midnight Story]]'' || Joe Martini ||
|-
|1957 || ''[[Sweet Smell of Success]]'' || Sidney Falco ||
|-
|1958 || ''[[The Vikings (1958 film)|The Vikings]]''|| Eric ||
|-
|1958 || ''[[Kings Go Forth]]'' || Cpl. Britt Harris ||
|-
|1958 || ''[[The Defiant Ones]]'' || John 'Joker' Jackson ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[The Perfect Furlough]]'' || Cpl. Paul Hodges ||
|-
|1959 || ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' || Joe / Josephine / Shell Oil Junior ||
|-
|1959 || ''[[Operation Petticoat]]'' || Lt. JG Nicholas Holden ||
|-
|1960 || ''[[Who Was That Lady?]]'' || David Wilson ||
|-
|1960 || ''[[The Rat Race]]'' || Pete Hammond Jr. ||
|-
|1960 || ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' || Antoninus ||
|-
|1961 || ''[[The Great Impostor]]'' || Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert /<br> Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd ||
|-
|1961 || ''[[The Outsider (1961 film)|The Outsider]]'' || [[Ira Hayes]] ||
|-
|1962 || ''[[Taras Bulba (1962 film)|Taras Bulba]]'' || Andrei Bulba ||
|-
|1962 || ''[[40 Pounds of Trouble]]'' || Steve McCluskey ||
|-
|1963 || ''[[The List of Adrian Messenger]]'' || Organ grinder || Cameo
|-
|1963 || ''[[Captain Newman, M.D.]]''|| Cpl. Jackson 'Jake' Leibowitz ||
|-
|1964 || ''[[Paris When It Sizzles]]'' || Maurice / Philippe - 2nd Policeman; uncredited ||
|-
|1964 || ''[[Wild and Wonderful]]'' || Terry Williams ||
|-
|1964 || ''[[Goodbye Charlie]]'' || George Tracy ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|Sex and the Single Girl]]'' || Bob Weston ||
|-
|1965 || ''[[The Great Race]]'' || The Great Leslie ||
|-
| 1965 || ''[[The Flintstones]]'' || Stony Curtis || Voice role
|-
|1965 || ''[[Boeing Boeing (1965 film)|Boeing Boeing]]'' || Bernard Lawrence ||
|-
|1966 || ''[[Chamber of Horrors (1966 film)|Chamber of Horrors]]'' || Mr. Julian || Cameo; uncredited
|-
| 1966 || ''[[Not with My Wife, You Don't!]]'' || Tom Ferris ||
|-
|1966 || ''[[Drop Dead Darling|Arrivederci, Baby!]]'' || Nick Johnson ||
|-
|1967 || ''[[Don't Make Waves]]'' || Carlo Coifed ||
|-
| 1967 || ''[[On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...]]'' || Guerrando da Montone ||
|-
|1968 || ''[[Rosemary's Baby (film)|Rosemary's Baby]]'' || Donald Baumgart || Voice; uncredited
|-
|1968 || ''[[The Boston Strangler (film)|The Boston Strangler]]'' || [[Albert DeSalvo]] ||
|-
|1969 || ''[[Monte Carlo or Bust!]]'' || Chester Schofield ||
|-
|1970 || ''[[You Can't Win 'Em All]]'' || Adam Dyer ||
|-
|1970 || ''[[Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came]]'' || Shannon Gambroni ||
|-
| 1975 || ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' || Fernand Mondego ||
|-
|1975 || ''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'' || Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter ||
|-
|1976 || ''[[The Last Tycoon (1976 film)|The Last Tycoon]]'' || Rodriguez ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Casanova & Co.]]'' || Giacomo / Casanova ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Sextette]]'' || Alexei Karansky ||
|-
|1978 || ''[[The Manitou]]'' || Harry Erskine ||
|-
|1978 || ''[[The Bad News Bears Go to Japan]]'' || Marvin Lazar ||
|-
|1978 || ''[[The Users (1978 film)|The Users]]'' || Randy Brent ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Electric Light Orchestra]]'' ''[[Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley]]'' || Himself ||
|-
|1979 || ''Title Shot'' || Frank Renzetti ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[It Rained All Night the Day I Left]]''|| Robert Talbot ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[Little Miss Marker (1980 film)|Little Miss Marker]]'' || Blackie ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[The Scarlett O'Hara War]]'' || [[David O. Selznick]] ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[The Mirror Crack'd]]'' || Martin N. Fenn ||
|-
|1982 || ''Othello, the Black Commando'' || Col. Iago ||
|-
|1982 || ''Brainwaves'' || Dr. Clavius ||
|-
|1983 || ''Balboa'' || Ernie Stoddard ||
|-
|1984 || ''[[Where Is Parsifal?]]'' || Parsifal Katzenellenbogen ||
|-
|1985 || ''[[The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1985 || ''[[Insignificance (film)|Insignificance]]'' || Senator ||
|-
|1986 || ''Mafia Princess'' || Sam Giancana ||
|-
|1986 || ''Club Life'' || Hector ||
|-
| 1986 || ''Banter'' || Charles Foster ||
|-
|1986 || ''[[Murder in Three Acts]]'' || Charles Cartwright ||
|-
| 1988 || ''[[The Passenger – Welcome to Germany]]'' || Mr. Cornfield ||
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Lobster Man from Mars]]'' || J.P. Shelldrake ||
|-
|1989 || ''[[Tarzan in Manhattan]]'' || Archimedes Porter ||
|-
|1989 || ''[[Midnight (1989 film)|Midnight]]'' || Mr. B ||
|-
|1989 || ''Walter & Carlo In America'' || Willy La Rouge ||
|-
|1990 ||''Thanksgiving Day'' || Max Schloss || Television film
|-
|1991 || ''Prime Target'' || Marietta Copella ||
|-
|1992 || ''[[Christmas in Connecticut#Remake|Christmas in Connecticut]]'' || Alexander Yardley ||
|-
|1992 || ''Center of the Web''|| Stephen Moore||
|-
|1992 || ''Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1993 || ''The Mummy Lives'' || Aziru / Dr. Mohassid ||
|-
|1993 || ''[[Naked in New York]]'' || Carl Fisher ||
|-
|1994|| ''[[A Century of Cinema]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1995 || ''[[The Immortals (1995 film)|The Immortals]]'' || Dominic ||
|-
|1995 || ''[[The Celluloid Closet]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1997 || ''Hardball'' || Wald ||
|-
|1997 || ''Brittle Glory'' || Jack Steele ||
|-
|1997 || ''[[Elvis Meets Nixon]]'' || Himself || Uncredited
|-
|1997 || ''Alien X Factor''|| Dr. Lancaster || Archive footage
|-
|1998 || ''Louis & Frank'' || Lenny Star Springer ||
|-
|1998|| ''Stargames'' || King Fendel ||
|-
|1999 || ''[[Play It to the Bone]]'' || Ringside Fan || Cameo
|-
|2002 || ''Reflections of Evil'' || Narrator ||
|-
|2006 || ''Where's Marty?'' || Himself ||
|-
|2007 || ''The Blacksmith and the Carpenter'' || God || Voice role
|-
|2008 || ''[[David & Fatima]]'' || Mr. Schwartz ||
|-
|2008 || ''[[The Jill & Tony Curtis Story]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|2012 || ''Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom'' ||Himself || Documentary<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117947721/|title=Variety|first=Lissa|last=Simon|date=June 7, 2012}}</ref>
|-
|}
===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1971–1972|| ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' || Danny Wilde / Aunt Sophie ||
|-
| 1974 || ''[[The Persuaders!|Mission: Monte Carlo]]'' || Danny Wilde|| Archive footage
|-
|1975–1976 || ''[[McCoy (TV series)|McCoy]]'' || McCoy ||
|-
|1978–1981 || ''[[Vega$]]''|| Roth ||
|-
|1996 || ''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' || Dr. Isaac Mamba ||
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Roseanne]]'' || Hal ||
|-
|}
===Box Office Ranking===
For a number of years Curtis was voted by exhibitors in an annual poll from Quigley Publishing as among the top stars in the US:
* 1954 – 23rd
* 1959 – 18th
* 1960 – 6th
* 1961 – 9th
* 1962 – 18th
==Radio appearances==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Program !! Episode/source
|-
| 1951 || ''[[Suspense (radio drama)|Suspense]]'' || ''The McKay College Basketball Scandal''<ref>{{cite journal|title=Radio's Golden Age|journal=Nostalgia Digest|date=Winter 2011|volume=37|issue=1|page=41}}</ref>
|-
| 1952|| ''Stars in the Air'' || ''Model Wife''<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kirby|first1=Walter|title=Better Radio Programs for the Week|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2540149/the_decatur_daily_review/|agency=The Decatur Daily Review|date=February 10, 1952|page=38|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = June 2, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>
|}
==In literature==
The costumes of [[Tony Curtis]] worn in the movie [[Some Like It Hot]], are discussed in the 2017 gambling novel [[Never Split Tens]] by [[Les Golden]] of Oak Park, Illinois, published by Springer.
==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}
==Further reading==
{{Portal|Film}}
* {{Cite book|last= Curtis |first= Tony |authorlink= |author2=[[Barry Paris]] |title= Tony Curtis: The Autobiography |year= 1993 |publisher= [[William Morrow & Company]] |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-688-09759-2}}
* {{Cite book|last= Ayres |first= Ian |title= Van Gogh's Ear: The Celebrity Edition |year= 2006 |publisher= French Connection |location= Paris |isbn= 978-2-914853-07-1}} The book includes Tony Curtis's prose, poetry, and artwork.
* {{Cite book|last= Curtis |first= Tony |authorlink= |author2=[[Peter Golenbock]] |title= Tony Curtis: American Prince: My Autobiography |year= 2008 |publisher= [[Harmony Books]] |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-307-40849-5}}
* {{Cite book|last= Curtis |first= Tony |authorlink= |title= Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Making of the Classic Movie |year= 2009 |publisher= [[John Wiley & Sons]] |location= New York |page=240|isbn= 978-0-470-53721-3}}
* Wise, James. ''Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America's Sea Services''. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997. {{ISBN|1557509379}} {{OCLC|36824724}}
==External links==
{{external links|section|date=August 2013}}
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.tonycurtis.com Tonycurtis.com]
* {{Britannica|1367066}}
* {{IMDb name|0000348}}
* Remembering Tony Curtis [http://www.bronx.com/Local/obituaries/2550.html] Bronx News, 2012
* {{YouTube|zcf5zUEw764|Tony Curtis, 1925-2010}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* {{Find a Grave|59410614}}
* [http://www.oralhistoryproject.com/TonyCurtis1.html Biography] and [http://www.oralhistoryproject.com/tcurtis_navy.html naval service] from the California Center for Military History website
* [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/49771/tony-curtis-famous-friends Tony Curtis' Famous Friends] – slideshow by ''[[Life magazine]]''
* 2009 [http://mnw.squarespace.com/magicnewsfeed/2010/9/30/broken-wand-tony-curtis.html interview] with Dodd Vickers for the [http://www.magicnewswire.com Magic Newswire]
* [http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,2274258,00.html John Patterson, "Some like it very hot", ''The Guardian'', 18 April 2008]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article3779814.ece Alison Jackson, ''Some tormented Hollywood souls still like their gossip hot, Profile: Tony Curtis,'' ''Sunday Times'', 20 April 2008]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110920220616/http://www.frenchcx.com/en_films/tonyc-en.html Documentary film, ''The Jill & Tony Curtis Story'']
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=4784 Photographs and literature]
* [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/49761/tony-curtis-life-and-times Tony Curtis: Life and Times] – slideshow by ''[[Life magazine]]''
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8034695/Tony-Curtis.html ''The Telegraph'' obituary]
* [https://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201006/tony-curtis-last-of-the-playboys Interview by Michael Hainey for ''GQ Magazine'']
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Tony}}
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Although his early film roles were partly the result of his good looks, by the latter half of the 1950s he became a strong screen presence with the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles. In his earliest parts he acted in a string of mediocre films, including [[swashbuckler film|swashbucklers]], westerns, light comedies, sports films and a musical. However, by the time he starred in ''[[Houdini (film)|Houdini]]'' (1953) with his wife [[Janet Leigh]], "his first clear success," notes critic [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]], his acting had progressed immensely.<ref name=Siegel>Siegel, Scott and Barbara. ''The Encyclopedia of Hollywood’’ 2nd ed. Checkmark Books (2004) pp. 108–109</ref><ref name=Thomson>Thomson, David. ''The New Biographical Dictionary of Film'' Alfred A. Knopf (2002) pp. 196–197</ref>
He achieved his first serious recognition as a 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 ''[[The Defiant Ones]]'' (1958). Curtis then gave what could arguably be called his best performance: three interrelated roles in the comedy ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' (1959). Thomson called it an "outrageous film," and a survey carried out by the [[American Film Institute]] voted it the funniest American film ever made.<ref name=foxnews>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/09/30/reports-actor-tony-curtis-dead/ "Hollywood Legend Tony Curtis Dead at 85"] Fox News, September 30, 2010</ref> The film co-starred [[Jack Lemmon]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]], and was directed by [[Billy Wilder]]. That was followed by [[Blake Edwards]]’s ''[[Operation Petticoat]]'' (1959) with [[Cary Grant]]. They were both frantic comedies, and displayed his impeccable comic timing.<ref name=McCarty>Broeske, Pat H. And McCarty, John. ''International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers: Actors and Actresses'' (3rd Ed.) St. James Press (1997) pp. 275-277</ref> He often collaborated with Edwards on later films. In 1960, Curtis played a supporting role in ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'', which became another major hit for him.
His stardom and film career declined considerably after 1960. His most significant dramatic part came in 1968 when he starred in the true-life drama ''[[The Boston Strangler (film)|The Boston Strangler]]'', which some consider his last major film role.<ref name=McCarty/> The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his chilling portrayal of serial killer [[Albert DeSalvo]].
He later starred alongside [[Roger Moore]] in the [[ITC Entertainment|ITC]] TV series ''[[The Persuaders!]]'', with Curtis playing American millionaire Danny Wilde. The series ran twenty-four episodes.
Curtis is the father of actresses [[Jamie Lee Curtis]] and [[Kelly Curtis]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/movies/2010/09/30/15537731.html|title=Jamie Lee Honours Her Dad|author=wenn.com|accessdate=October 1, 2010}}</ref> by his first wife, actress Janet Leigh.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8034695/Tony-Curtis.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=Tony Curtis | date=September 30, 2010}}</ref>
==Early life==
Tony Curtis was born '''Bernard Schwartz''' on June 3, 1925, in Manhattan, New York, to Helen (née Klein) and Emanuel Schwartz.<ref name=a&e>{{cite web|title=Tony Curtis biography|url=http://www.biography.com/articles/Tony-Curtis-9263844|work=biography.com|publisher=A&E Television Networks|accessdate=August 11, 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907041843/http://www.biography.com/articles/Tony-Curtis-9263844|archivedate=September 7, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=encyclopedia>{{cite web|title=Curtis, Tony 1925–|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Tony_Curtis.aspx|work=Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television|publisher=encyclopedia.com|accessdate=August 11, 2011}}</ref>
Biographies have propagated a misconception that he was born in the Bronx, probably due to the family's moves when he was very young, but Tony pointedly corrected this in a TV interview.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with cable TV host Skip E Lowe|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmwPhwN0pHA?t=115|accessdate=31 August 2017}}</ref>
His parents were Jewish emigrants from [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[Hungary]]: his father was born in [[Ópályi]], near [[Mátészalka]], and his mother was a native of [[Nagymihály]] (now [[Michalovce]], [[Slovakia]]); she later said she arrived in the US from Válykó (now Vaľkovo, [[Slovakia]]).<ref>[http://www.slovenskecentrum.sk/sk/news/read/15615/usa-zomrel-americky-herec-tony-curtis-po-matke-slovenskeho-povodu Zomrel americký herec Tony Curtis, po matke slovenského pôvodu] (Slovak); ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'', S06E20, 9 February 1956. 02:08-02:20.</ref> He did not learn English until he was five or six, delaying his schooling.<ref name="tcmcurtis"/> His father was a tailor and the family lived in the back of the shop—his parents in one corner and Curtis and his brothers Julius and Robert in another. His mother once made an appearance as a participant on the television show ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'', hosted by [[Groucho Marx]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD8WHdPpMCA |title=You Bet Your Life 0 |publisher=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=July 1, 2011}}</ref> Curtis said, "When I was a child, Mom beat me up and was very aggressive and antagonistic." His mother was later diagnosed with [[schizophrenia]]. His brother Robert was [[Involuntary commitment|institutionalized]] with the same mental illness.
When Curtis was eight, he and his brother Julius were placed in an orphanage for a month because their parents could not afford to feed them. Four years later, Julius was struck and killed by a truck. Curtis joined a neighborhood gang whose main crimes were playing hooky from school and minor pilfering at the local dime store. When Curtis was 11, a friendly neighbor saved him from what he felt would have led to a life of [[Juvenile delinquency|delinquency]] by sending him to a [[Boy Scout]] camp, where he was able to work off his energy and settle down. He attended [[Seward Park High School]]. At 16, he had his first small acting part in a school stage play.<ref name=Lifemag/>
===War Service===
Curtis enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] after the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] and war was declared. Inspired by [[Cary Grant]]'s role in ''[[Destination Tokyo]]'' and [[Tyrone Power]]'s in ''[[Crash Dive]]'' (1943), he joined the [[United States Asiatic Fleet|Pacific submarine force]].<ref name="tcmcurtis">''Private Screenings: Tony Curtis'' [[Turner Classic Movies]], January 19, 1999.</ref> Curtis served aboard a [[submarine tender]], the [[USS Proteus (AS-19)|USS ''Proteus'']]'','' until the end of the [[Second World War]]. On September 2, 1945, Curtis witnessed the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Japanese surrender]] in [[Tokyo Bay]] from his ship's signal bridge about a mile away.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tendertale.com/ttiii/ttiii1.html |title=TenderTale |publisher=TenderTale |accessdate=June 18, 2010}}</ref>
Following his [[Military discharge|discharge]] from the Navy, Curtis attended [[City College of New York]] on the [[G.I. Bill]]. He then studied acting at [[The New School]] in [[Greenwich Village]] under the influential German stage director [[Erwin Piscator]]. His contemporaries included [[Elaine Stritch]], [[Harry Belafonte]], [[Walter Matthau]], [[Bea Arthur|Beatrice Arthur]], and [[Rod Steiger]]. While still at college, Curtis was discovered by [[Joyce Selznick]], the notable [[talent agent]], [[casting director]], and niece of film producer [[David O. Selznick]].
==Career==
In 1948, Curtis arrived in [[Hollywood]] at age 23.
===Universal as "Anthony Curtis"===
When he was placed under contract at [[Universal Pictures]], he changed his name from '''Bernard Schwartz''' to '''Tony Curtis'''. It is also the same studio where he met unknown actors [[Rock Hudson]], [[Julie Adams]] and [[Piper Laurie]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatentertainersarchives.blogspot.com/2012/04/julie-adams-at-85.html | title = 'Julie Adams at 85' | publisher=Great Entertainers Archives.com| date=2012-04-09|accessdate=2015-10-26}}</ref> The first name was from the novel ''[[Anthony Adverse]]'' and "Curtis" was from Kurtz. a surname in his mother's family.<ref name="ref091">{{Cite news|last=Rizzo|first=Frank|title=My Interview With Tony Curtis|pages=|publisher=Hartford Courant|date=October 1, 2009|url=http://blogs.courant.com/curtain/2009/10/my-interview-with-tony-curtis.html|accessdate=October 1, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20120707005014/http://blogs.courant.com/curtain/2009/10/my-interview-with-tony-curtis.html|archivedate=July 7, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Although Universal Pictures taught him fencing and riding, in keeping with the cinematic themes of the era, Curtis admitted he was at first interested only in girls and money. Neither was he hopeful of his chances of becoming a major star. Curtis's biggest fear was having to return home to the Bronx as a failure:
<blockquote>I was a million-to-one shot, the ''least'' likely to succeed. I wasn't low man on the totem pole, I was ''under'' the totem pole, in a sewer, tied to a sack.<ref name=Lifemag>''Life'' magazine, Nov. 17, 1961 pp. 161-176</ref> </blockquote>
Curtis's uncredited screen debut came in ''[[Criss Cross (1949 film)|Criss Cross]]'' (1949) playing a [[Rhumba|rumba]] dancer, dancing with [[Yvonne de Carlo]]. The male star was [[Burt Lancaster]] who would make a number of films with Curtis.
In his second film, ''[[City Across the River]]'' (also in 1949), he was credited as "Anthony Curtis".<ref>{{IMDb title|0041251|title=City Across the River}}</ref> He had four lines in ''[[The Lady Gambles]]'' (1949) and a bigger part in ''[[Johnny Stool Pigeon]]'' (1949). He could also be spotted in ''[[Francis (film)|Francis]]'' (1950), ''[[Woman in Hiding]]'' (1950), and ''[[I Was a Shoplifter]]'' (1950).
He was in two Westerns, ''[[Sierra (film)|Sierra]]'' (1950), starring [[Audie Murphy]], and ''[[Winchester '73]]'' (1950), one of many names (including fellow Universal contractee, [[Rock Hudson]]). He supported Murphy in another Western, ''[[Kansas Raiders]]'' (1951), playing [[Kit Dalton]]; this time he was billed as "Tony Curtis".
===Stardom===
Curtis was receiving a lot of fan mail so Universal decided to give him the starring role in ''[[The Prince Who Was a Thief]]'' (1951), an Eastern swashbuckler with Piper Laurie. It was a hit at the box office and Curtis was now established.
He followed it with ''[[Flesh and Fury]]'' (1952), a boxing movie; ''[[No Room for the Groom]]'' (1952), a comedy with Laurie directed by [[Douglas Sirk]]; and ''[[Son of Ali Baba]]'' (1952), another "Eastern" with Laurie.
Curtis' career stepped up another notch when he teamed with then-wife [[Janet Leigh]] in ''[[Houdini (film)|Houdini]]'' (1953), where Curtis played the title role. His next movies were more "B" fare: ''[[All American (film)|All American]]'' (1953), as a footballer; ''[[Forbidden (1953 film)|Forbidden]]'' (1953), as a criminal; ''[[Beachhead (film)|Beachhead]]'' (1954), a war film; ''[[Johnny Dark (film)|Johnny Dark]]'' (1954), with Laurie, as a racing car driver; and ''[[The Black Shield of Falworth]]'' (1954), a medieval swashbuckler with Leigh. The box office performances of these films were solid, and Curtis was growing in popularity.
For a change of pace he did a musical, ''[[So This Is Paris (1955 film)|So This Is Paris]]'' (1955), then it was back to more typical fare: ''[[Six Bridges to Cross]]'' (1955), as a bank robber; ''[[The Purple Mask]]'' (1955), a swashbuckler; ''[[The Square Jungle]]'' (1955), a boxing film.
===Major Star===
Curtis graduated to more prestigious projects when he was cast in support of [[Burt Lancaster]] and [[Gina Lollobrigida]] in ''[[Trapeze (film)|Trapeze]]'' (1956). It was one of the biggest hits of the year.
Curtis made a Western, ''[[The Rawhide Years]]'' (1957), was a gambler in ''[[Mister Cory]]'' (1957) and a cop in ''[[The Midnight Story]]'' (1957). Lancaster asked for him again, to play scheming press agent Sidney Falco in ''[[Sweet Smell of Success]]'' (1957), starring and co-produced by Lancaster. It was a box office disappointment but Curtis, for the first time in his years, received sensational reviews.
Another star-producer was interested in Curtis supporting him - [[Kirk Douglas]] for ''[[The Vikings (1958 film)|The Vikings]]'' (1958). Janet Leigh also starred and the resulting movie was a massive hit. Curtis then co-starred with [[Frank Sinatra]] and [[Natalie Wood]] in ''[[Kings Go Forth]]'' (1958), a war story. It was mildly popular but ''[[The Defiant Ones]]'' (1958), was a big success. Curtis gave an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-nominated performance as a bigoted white escaped convict chained to a black man, [[Sidney Poitier]].
[[File:Monroe and Curtis in Some Like it Hot.JPG|thumb|Curtis with [[Marilyn Monroe]] in ''Some Like It Hot'']]
Curtis and Leigh made a popular comedy for [[Blake Edwards]] at Universal, ''[[The Perfect Furlough]]'' (1958). He co-starred with [[Jack Lemmon]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]] in [[Billy Wilder]]'s ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' (1959). It was a huge success, as was ''[[Operation Petticoat]]'' (1959), a military comedy which Curtis made for Edwards alongside [[Cary Grant]].
Curtis and Leigh made one more film together ''[[Who Was That Lady?]]'' (1960), a comedy with Dean Martin. He and [[Debbie Reynolds]] then starred in the romantic comedy ''[[The Rat Race]]'' (1960).
Douglas came calling again, offering Curtis a key role in the former's epic production ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' (1960). It was a huge hit and earned Curtis a Golden Globe nomination.
Curtis then made his first movies in a while without a significant "name" co star. Both were biopics: ''[[The Great Impostor]]'' (1961), directed by Robert Mulligan, playing [[Ferdinand Waldo Demara]]; and ''[[The Outsider (1961 film)|The Outsider]]'' (1961), where he played war hero [[Ira Hayes]]. He went back to epics with ''[[Taras Bulba (1962 film)|Taras Bulba]]'' (1962), co starring [[Yul Brynner]] and [[Christine Kaufmann]], who soon became Curtis' second wife.
===Focus on Comedy===
He and Kaufmann were reunited on the comedy ''[[40 Pounds of Trouble]]'' (1962), which was a mild hit.
Curtis was one of many stars who had small roles in ''[[The List of Adrian Messenger]]'' (1963). He supported [[Gregory Peck]] in ''[[Captain Newman, M.D.]]'' (1963) and made a cameo in ''[[Paris When It Sizzles]]'' (1964). He and Kaufman made their third movie together, the comedy ''[[Wild and Wonderful]]'' (1964). His focus remained on comedies: ''[[Goodbye Charlie]]'' (1964), with Debbie Reynolds; ''[[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|Sex and the Single Girl]]'' (1964), with Natalie Wood; ''[[The Great Race]]'' (1965), with Wood and Lemmon for Blake Edwards - the most expensive comedy film up til that time but popular; ''[[Boeing Boeing (1965 film)|Boeing Boeing]]'' (1965) a sex farce with [[Jerry Lewis]]; ''[[Not with My Wife, You Don't!]]'' (1966) with [[George C. Scott]]; ''[[Drop Dead Darling]]'' (1966), a British comedy; ''[[Don't Make Waves]]'' (1967), a satire of beach life from director Alexander Mackendrick, with [[Claudia Cardinale]]; and ''[[On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...]]'' (1967), an Italian comedy with [[Monica Vitti]]. In the early 1960s, he was a voice-over guest star on ''[[The Flintstones]]'' as "Stoney Curtis".
===''The Boston Strangler''===
Curtis made his first dramatic film for a number of years with ''[[The Boston Strangler (film)|The Boston Strangler]]'' (1968) playing the title role and response from the critics and public was excellent. He returned to comedy for ''[[Monte Carlo or Bust!]]'' (1969), an all-star car race film in the vein of ''The Great Race''.
He made some comic adventure tales: ''[[You Can't Win 'Em All]]'' (1970) with [[Charles Bronson]] and ''[[Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came]]'' (1970).
Curtis decided it was time to turn to television and co-starred with [[Roger Moore]] in the TV series ''[[The Persuaders!]]''.
He was one of the villains in ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' (1975) and had the title role in the gangster film ''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'' (1975). Curtis had the lead in a TV series that did not last, ''[[McCoy (TV series)|McCoy]]'' (1975-76). He was one of many names in ''[[The Last Tycoon (1976 film)|The Last Tycoon]]'' (1976) and had the title role in an Italian comedy ''[[Casanova & Co.]]'' (1977). Later, he co-starred and ''[[Vega$]]'' and was in ''[[The Users (1978 film)|The Users]]'' (1978).
===Later Career===
Curtis supported [[Mae West]] in ''[[Sextette]]'' (1978) and starred in ''[[The Manitou]]'' (1978), a horror film and ''[[The Bad News Bears Go to Japan]]'' (1978), a comedy. He had good roles in ''[[It Rained All Night the Day I Left]]'' (1980), ''[[Little Miss Marker (1980 film)|Little Miss Marker]]'' (1980) and ''[[The Scarlett O'Hara War]]'' (1980) and was one of many stars in ''[[The Mirror Crack'd]]'' (1980).
===Painter===
Throughout his life, Curtis enjoyed painting and, since the early 1980s, painted as a second career. His work commands more than $25,000 a canvas now. In the last years of his life, he concentrated on painting rather than movies. A [[surrealist]], Curtis claimed "[[Vincent Van Gogh|Van Gogh]], [[Paul Matisse|<nowiki>[Paul] </nowiki>Matisse]], [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]], [[René Magritte|Magritte]]" as influences.<ref name="tcmcurtis"/> "I still make movies but I'm not that interested in them any more. But I paint all the time." In 2007, his painting ''The Red Table'' was on display in the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in New York City. His paintings can also be seen at the [[Tony Vanderploeg]] Gallery in [[Carmel, California]].
Curtis spoke of his disappointment at never being awarded an [[Academy Award|Oscar]]. In March 2006, Curtis received the [[Empire Awards|Sony Ericsson Empire Lifetime Achievement Award]]. He also has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]],<!--awarded when?--> and received the ''[[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]'' from France in 1995.{{cn|date=September 2016}}
==Personal life==
===Marriages and children===
Curtis was married six times.<ref name = portrait /> His first wife was actress [[Janet Leigh]], to whom he was married from 1951 to 1962, and with whom he fathered actresses Kelly and Jamie Lee. "For a while, we were Hollywood's golden couple," he said. "I was very dedicated and devoted to Janet, and on top of my trade, but in her eyes that goldenness started to wear off. I realized that whatever I was, I wasn't enough for Janet. That hurt me a lot and broke my heart."<ref name = portrait>{{cite news | work=The Australian | date=October 1, 2010 | title=A Bronx boy who mastered his art | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/a-bronx-boy-who-mastered-his-art/story-e6frg6so-1225932601316}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|Xc142F5Cb60|Video clip compilation}} 2 minutes</ref>
The studio he was under contract with, [[Universal-International]], generally stayed out of their stars' love lives. However, when they chose to get married, studio executives spent three days trying to talk him out of it, telling him he would be "poisoning himself at the box office." They threatened "banishment" back to the Bronx and the end of his budding career. In response, Curtis and Leigh decided to defy the studio heads and instead eloped and were married by a local judge in Greenwich, Connecticut. Comedian and close friend [[Jerry Lewis]] was present as a witness.<ref name=Lifemag/>
The couple divorced in 1962, and the following year Curtis married [[Christine Kaufmann]], the 18-year-old German co-star of his latest film, ''[[Taras Bulba (1962 film)|Taras Bulba]].'' He stated that his marriage with Leigh had effectively ended "a year earlier".<ref name="tcmcurtis"/> Curtis and Kaufmann had two daughters, Alexandra (born July 19, 1964) and [[Allegra Curtis|Allegra]] (born July 11, 1966). They divorced in 1968. Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had interrupted during her marriage.
Curtis was also married to:
* Leslie Allen (April 20, 1968 – 1982); divorced, two sons: Nicholas Curtis (1970–1994) and Benjamin Curtis (born May 2, 1973)
* Andrea Savio (1984-1992); divorced<ref name=McDonald>McDonald, William. ''The Obits 2012: The New York Times Annual'', Workman Publishing (2011) p. 85</ref>
* Lisa Deutsch (February 28, 1993 – 1994); divorced
* Jill Vandenberg Curtis (November 6, 1998 – September 29, 2010; his death)<ref name=McDonald/>
His last wife was 45 years his junior. They met in a restaurant in 1993 and married in 1998. "The age gap doesn't bother us. We laugh a lot. My body is functioning and everything is good. She's the sexiest woman I've ever known. We don't think about time. I don't use [[Viagra]] either. There are 50 ways to please your lover."<ref>Drye, Brittny. [http://thestir.cafemom.com/entertainment/110302/tony_curtis_6_women_behind "Tony Curtis: 6 Women Behind the Hollywood Heartthrob"], ''The Stir'', September 30, 2010, accessed January 13, 2011.</ref>
His son Nicholas (December 31, 1970 – April 2, 1994,<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com Social Security Death Index]</ref> with Leslie Allen) died of a [[heroin]] [[drug overdose|overdose]] at the age of 23. After his son's death, Curtis remarked, "You never get over that. The death of a child. No. Can't talk about it,"<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-560606/Tony-Curtis-Marilyn-Monroe-It-like-kissing-Hitler.html |title=Tony Curtis on Marilyn Monroe: It was like kissing Hitler! |first=Petronella|last=Wyatt |date=April 18, 2008 |work=The Daily Mail |accessdate=February 28, 2011 |location=London}}</ref> and that it was "a terrible thing when a father loses his son."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101001/NEWS/10010322 |title=Movie star Tony Curtis had Cape ties |date=October 1, 2008 |work=Cape Cod Times |accessdate=February 28, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708115037/http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20101001%2FNEWS%2F10010322 |archivedate=July 8, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
According to the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'', Curtis, who had a problem with [[alcoholism]] and drug abuse, went through the treatment center of the [[Betty Ford Clinic]] in the mid-1980s, which was successful for him.<ref name=McDonald/>
===Philanthropy===
Beginning in 1990, Curtis and his daughter Jamie Lee Curtis took a renewed interest in their family's Hungarian Jewish heritage, and helped finance the rebuilding of the [[Dohány Street Synagogue|"Great Synagogue"]] in Budapest, Hungary. The largest synagogue in Europe today, it was originally built in 1859 and suffered damage during World War II.<ref>Steves, Rick. ''Rick Steves' Budapest'', Public Affairs publ. (2009) pp. 72-73</ref> In 1998, he also founded the Emanuel Foundation for Hungarian Culture, and served as honorary chairman. The organization works for the restoration and preservation of [[synagogue]]s and 1300 [[Jewish]] cemeteries in Hungary. He dedicated this to the 600,000 Jewish victims of the [[Holocaust]] in [[Hungary]] and lands occupied by the [[Hungarian Army]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3892380.html |title=Curtis aiding Hungary Jews|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times via HighBeam Research |date=June 29, 1988 |accessdate=September 30, 2010}} {{subscription}}</ref> He also helped promote Hungary's national image in commercials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.origo.hu/utazas/20100608-orszagimazs-tony-curtis-magyar-turizmus-zrt.html|title=Csináljon velünk országimázs filmet!|publisher=Origo.hu|date=June 8, 2010|accessdate=August 27, 2010}}</ref>
===Books and appearances===
[[File:2009-0314-LV-002-TonyCurtis.jpg|thumb|175px|right|Curtis, during a signing of his 2008 memoir, ''American Prince'']]
In 1965, Tony Curtis was animated in an episode of ''[[The Flintstones]]''; he also voiced his character Stoney Curtis.
In 1994,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lamurals.org/MuralFiles/Hollywood/TonyCurtis.html|title=Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles|accessdate=October 3, 2010}}</ref> a mural featuring his likeness, painted by the artist George Sportelli, was unveiled on the Sunset Boulevard overpass of the Hollywood Freeway [[Highway 101]] in California. The mural was relocated to Hollywood Boulevard and Bronson Avenue in September 2011.
Also in 1994, the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation awarded its Lone Sailor Award for his naval service and his subsequent acting career.
In 2004, he was inducted into the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.viewnews.com/2004/VIEW-Sep-10-Fri-2004/Summerlin/24694628.html |title=View Newspapers: "TONY CURTIS: Now a local legend"|publisher=Viewnews.com |date=September 10, 2004 |accessdate=June 18, 2010}}</ref> A street is named after him in the Sun City Anthem development in [[Henderson, Nevada]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}
In 2008, he was featured in the documentary ''[[The Jill & Tony Curtis Story]]'' about his efforts with his wife to rescue horses from slaughterhouses.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20018144-10391698.html |title=Jill VanderBerg Curtis Worked With Husband On Last Film |publisher=CBS News |date=September 30, 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614031657/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20018144-10391698.html |archivedate=June 14, 2013 }}</ref>
In October 2008, Curtis's [[autobiography]] ''American Prince: A Memoir'', was published.<ref name=Curtis>Curtis, Tony; Golenbock, Peter. ''American Prince'', [[Harmony Books]] (2008) {{ISBN|978-1-905264-34-6}}.</ref> In it, he describes his encounters with other Hollywood legends of the time including Frank Sinatra and [[James Dean]], as well as his hard-knock childhood and path to success. It was followed by the publication of his next book, ''The Making of Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie'' (2009).<ref name=Vieira>Curtis, Tony; Vieira, Mark A. ''The Making of Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie'', John Wiley and Sons (2009) {{ISBN|978-0-470-53721-3}}</ref> Curtis shared his memories of the making of the movie, in particular about Marilyn Monroe, whose antics and attitude on the set made everyone miserable.
On May 22, 2009, Curtis apologized to the [[BBC]] radio audience after he used three profanities in a six-minute interview with BBC presenter [[William Crawley]]. The presenter also apologized to the audience for Curtis's "Hollywood realism." Curtis explained that he thought the interview was being taped, when it was in fact live.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2009/05/tony_curtis_brings_some_holywo.html |title=Tony Curtis brings some Hollywood realism to BBC radio|publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=May 23, 2009}}</ref>
==Later years and death==
Curtis was a lifelong [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] and attended the 1960 Democratic National Convention alongside such liberal performers as [[Edward G. Robinson]], [[Shelley Winters]], [[Ralph Bellamy]], and [[Lee Marvin]].<ref>{{YouTube|7opAIZ9dv3E}}</ref>
Curtis developed a heavy [[cocaine]] addiction in 1974 while filming ''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'', at a time when his stardom had declined considerably and he was being offered few film roles.<ref>Curtis, Tony ''American Prince: My Autobiography'' (2008) p. 303</ref> In 1984, Curtis was rushed to the hospital suffering from advanced [[cirrhosis]] as a result of his alcoholism and cocaine addiction. He then entered the Betty Ford Clinic and vowed to overcome his various illnesses.<ref name=tele_695>{{cite news
|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8034695/Tony-Curtis.html| title= Tony Curtis|author = | work= The Daily Telegraph | date= October 30, 2010| accessdate=October 1, 2010| location=London}}</ref> He underwent [[heart bypass]] surgery in 1994, after suffering a heart attack.<ref name=record_86908>{{cite web |title=Tony Curtis 1925-2010: A movie star and icon in the golden age of Hollywood |date=October 30, 2010 |work=Daily Record |location=Glasgow |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/10/01/movie-star-tony-curtis-was-icon-of-golden-age-of-hollywood-and-epitome-of-cool-86908-22599821/ |accessdate=October 1, 2010}}</ref>
[[File:Tony Curtis portrait.jpg|thumb|left|Curtis in 2004]]
Curtis nearly died when he contracted [[pneumonia]] in December 2006 and was in a [[coma]] for more than a month. As a result, he used a wheelchair afterwards and could walk only short distances.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=560321&in_page_id=1773 |title=Bald and in a wheelchair: Tony Curtis cuts a frail figure as he rolls into Harrods |first=Laura |last=Roberts |work=Daily Mail |date=April 17, 2008 |accessdate=June 18, 2010 |location=London}}</ref>
On July 8, 2010, Curtis, who suffered from [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] (COPD), was hospitalized in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] after suffering an [[asthma]] attack during a book-signing engagement in Henderson, Nevada, where he lived.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tony Curtis 'stable' after asthma attack|url=http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2010/07/16/20100716tony-curtis-stable-after-asthma-attack.html|publisher=AZcentral.com|accessdate=July 19, 2010}}</ref>
Curtis died at his Henderson home on September 29, 2010, of [[cardiac arrest]].<ref name=nyt30_Sept_2010>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/movies/01curtis.html?partner=rss&emc=rss|title=Tony Curtis, Hollywood Leading Man, Dies at 85|author=Kehr, Dave|publisher=[[New York Times]]|date=September 30, 2010|accessdate=October 1, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11443271|title=Film star Tony Curtis dies at 85 |publisher=BBC News |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=September 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/69439,people,news,tony-curtis-dies-aged-85-marilyn-monroe-stanley-kubrick- |title=Film star Tony Curtis dies aged 85 |publisher=The First Post |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=September 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/celebs/article.aspx?cp-documentid=25774328 "Coroner:Actor Tony Curtis Dies At Las Vegas Home"]. Associated Press. Retrieved September 30, 2010.</ref> He left behind five children and seven grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tony Curtis's Widow Speaks Exclusively To Inside Edition |date=March 29, 2011 |work=Inside Edition |url=http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/2194-tony-curtiss-widow-speaks-exclusively-to-inside-edition |accessdate=March 22, 2016}}</ref> His widow Jill told the press that Curtis had suffered from various lung problems for years as a result of cigarette smoking, although he had quit smoking about 30 years earlier.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/tony-curtis-died-long-history-lung-problems-smoking-widow-jill-curtis-article-1.443819 | title= Tony Curtis died after long history of lung problems from smoking, says widow Jill Curtis |first=Caroline |last=Culbertson |location=New York | work=Daily News |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref> In fact, during the 1960s Curtis served as the president of the American 'I Quit Smoking' Club.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Tony Curtis on drugs charge at airport|last=|first=|date=27 April 1970|work=Daily Express|access-date=}}</ref> In a release to the Associated Press, his daughter, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, stated:
<blockquote>
My father leaves behind a legacy of great performances in movies and in his paintings and assemblages. He leaves behind children and their families who loved him and respected him and a wife and in-laws who were devoted to him. He also leaves behind fans all over the world. He will be greatly missed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Legendary actor Tony Curtis has died|url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/30/report-legendary-actor-tony-curtis-has-died/?iref=NS1|publisher=CNN.com|accessdate=September 30, 2010|date=September 30, 2010}}</ref></blockquote>
His remains were interred at Palm Memorial Park Cemetery in Henderson, Nevada, on October 4, 2010.<ref>[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/01/memorial-service-for-actor-tony-curtis-set-for-monday/?hpt=T2 "Memorial Service for actor Tony Curtis Set For Monday"]. cnn.com, Retrieved October 1, 2010</ref><ref name="news.yahoo.com">{{cite news |last=Garcia |first=Oskar |date=October 4, 2010 |title=Actor Tony Curtis buried after Vegas funeral |work=Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_en_ot/us_tony_curtis_funeral |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013061828/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_en_ot/us_tony_curtis_funeral |archivedate=October 13, 2010}}</ref> His memorial service was attended by his daughters, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis; [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]; [[Rich Little]]; and Vera Goulet, [[Robert Goulet]]'s widow.<ref name="news.yahoo.com"/> Investor [[Kirk Kerkorian]], actor Kirk Douglas and singer [[Phyllis McGuire]] were among the honorary [[pallbearers]].
==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1949 || ''[[City Across the River]]'' || Mitch || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1949 || ''[[The Lady Gambles]]'' || Bellboy || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1949 || ''[[Johnny Stool Pigeon]]'' || Joey Hyatt || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1949 || ''[[How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border]]'' || || Short film
|-
|1950 || ''[[Francis (film)|Francis]]'' || Capt. Jones || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950 || ''[[Woman in Hiding]]'' || Dave Shaw || Voice role; uncredited
|-
|1950 || ''[[I Was a Shoplifter]]'' || Pepe || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950 || ''[[Sierra (film)|Sierra]]'' || Brent Coulter || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950|| ''[[Winchester '73]]'' || Doan || Credited as Anthony Curtis
|-
|1950 || ''[[Kansas Raiders]]'' || Kit Dalton ||
|-
| 1951 || ''[[The Prince Who Was a Thief]]'' || Julna ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[Flesh and Fury]]'' || Paul Callan ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[No Room for the Groom]]''|| Alvah Morrell ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[Son of Ali Baba]]'' || Kashma Baba ||
|-
|1952 || ''[[Houdini (film)|Houdini]]'' || [[Harry Houdini]] ||
|-
|1953 || ''[[All American (film)|All American]]'' || Nick Bonelli ||
|-
|1953 || ''[[Forbidden (1953 film)|Forbidden]]'' || Eddie Darrow ||
|-
|1954 || ''[[Beachhead (film)|Beachhead]]'' || Burke ||
|-
|1954 || ''[[Johnny Dark (film)|Johnny Dark]]'' || Johnny Dark ||
|-
|1954 || ''[[The Black Shield of Falworth]]'' || Myles ||
|-
|1955 || ''[[So This Is Paris (1955 film)|So This Is Paris]]'' || Joe Maxwell ||
|-
|1955 || ''[[Six Bridges to Cross]]'' || Jerry Florea ||
|-
|1955 || ''[[The Purple Mask]]'' || Rene de Traviere ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[The Square Jungle]]'' || Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon ||
|-
|1956 || ''[[Trapeze (film)|Trapeze]]'' || Tino Orsini ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[The Rawhide Years]]''|| Ben Matthews ||
|-
|1957 || ''[[Mister Cory]]'' || Cory ||
|-
|1957 || ''[[The Midnight Story]]'' || Joe Martini ||
|-
|1957 || ''[[Sweet Smell of Success]]'' || Sidney Falco ||
|-
|1958 || ''[[The Vikings (1958 film)|The Vikings]]''|| Eric ||
|-
|1958 || ''[[Kings Go Forth]]'' || Cpl. Britt Harris ||
|-
|1958 || ''[[The Defiant Ones]]'' || John 'Joker' Jackson ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[The Perfect Furlough]]'' || Cpl. Paul Hodges ||
|-
|1959 || ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' || Joe / Josephine / Shell Oil Junior ||
|-
|1959 || ''[[Operation Petticoat]]'' || Lt. JG Nicholas Holden ||
|-
|1960 || ''[[Who Was That Lady?]]'' || David Wilson ||
|-
|1960 || ''[[The Rat Race]]'' || Pete Hammond Jr. ||
|-
|1960 || ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' || Antoninus ||
|-
|1961 || ''[[The Great Impostor]]'' || Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert /<br> Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd ||
|-
|1961 || ''[[The Outsider (1961 film)|The Outsider]]'' || [[Ira Hayes]] ||
|-
|1962 || ''[[Taras Bulba (1962 film)|Taras Bulba]]'' || Andrei Bulba ||
|-
|1962 || ''[[40 Pounds of Trouble]]'' || Steve McCluskey ||
|-
|1963 || ''[[The List of Adrian Messenger]]'' || Organ grinder || Cameo
|-
|1963 || ''[[Captain Newman, M.D.]]''|| Cpl. Jackson 'Jake' Leibowitz ||
|-
|1964 || ''[[Paris When It Sizzles]]'' || Maurice / Philippe - 2nd Policeman; uncredited ||
|-
|1964 || ''[[Wild and Wonderful]]'' || Terry Williams ||
|-
|1964 || ''[[Goodbye Charlie]]'' || George Tracy ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|Sex and the Single Girl]]'' || Bob Weston ||
|-
|1965 || ''[[The Great Race]]'' || The Great Leslie ||
|-
| 1965 || ''[[The Flintstones]]'' || Stony Curtis || Voice role
|-
|1965 || ''[[Boeing Boeing (1965 film)|Boeing Boeing]]'' || Bernard Lawrence ||
|-
|1966 || ''[[Chamber of Horrors (1966 film)|Chamber of Horrors]]'' || Mr. Julian || Cameo; uncredited
|-
| 1966 || ''[[Not with My Wife, You Don't!]]'' || Tom Ferris ||
|-
|1966 || ''[[Drop Dead Darling|Arrivederci, Baby!]]'' || Nick Johnson ||
|-
|1967 || ''[[Don't Make Waves]]'' || Carlo Coifed ||
|-
| 1967 || ''[[On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...]]'' || Guerrando da Montone ||
|-
|1968 || ''[[Rosemary's Baby (film)|Rosemary's Baby]]'' || Donald Baumgart || Voice; uncredited
|-
|1968 || ''[[The Boston Strangler (film)|The Boston Strangler]]'' || [[Albert DeSalvo]] ||
|-
|1969 || ''[[Monte Carlo or Bust!]]'' || Chester Schofield ||
|-
|1970 || ''[[You Can't Win 'Em All]]'' || Adam Dyer ||
|-
|1970 || ''[[Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came]]'' || Shannon Gambroni ||
|-
| 1975 || ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' || Fernand Mondego ||
|-
|1975 || ''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'' || Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter ||
|-
|1976 || ''[[The Last Tycoon (1976 film)|The Last Tycoon]]'' || Rodriguez ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Casanova & Co.]]'' || Giacomo / Casanova ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Sextette]]'' || Alexei Karansky ||
|-
|1978 || ''[[The Manitou]]'' || Harry Erskine ||
|-
|1978 || ''[[The Bad News Bears Go to Japan]]'' || Marvin Lazar ||
|-
|1978 || ''[[The Users (1978 film)|The Users]]'' || Randy Brent ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Electric Light Orchestra]]'' ''[[Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley]]'' || Himself ||
|-
|1979 || ''Title Shot'' || Frank Renzetti ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[It Rained All Night the Day I Left]]''|| Robert Talbot ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[Little Miss Marker (1980 film)|Little Miss Marker]]'' || Blackie ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[The Scarlett O'Hara War]]'' || [[David O. Selznick]] ||
|-
|1980 || ''[[The Mirror Crack'd]]'' || Martin N. Fenn ||
|-
|1982 || ''Othello, the Black Commando'' || Col. Iago ||
|-
|1982 || ''Brainwaves'' || Dr. Clavius ||
|-
|1983 || ''Balboa'' || Ernie Stoddard ||
|-
|1984 || ''[[Where Is Parsifal?]]'' || Parsifal Katzenellenbogen ||
|-
|1985 || ''[[The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1985 || ''[[Insignificance (film)|Insignificance]]'' || Senator ||
|-
|1986 || ''Mafia Princess'' || Sam Giancana ||
|-
|1986 || ''Club Life'' || Hector ||
|-
| 1986 || ''Banter'' || Charles Foster ||
|-
|1986 || ''[[Murder in Three Acts]]'' || Charles Cartwright ||
|-
| 1988 || ''[[The Passenger – Welcome to Germany]]'' || Mr. Cornfield ||
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Lobster Man from Mars]]'' || J.P. Shelldrake ||
|-
|1989 || ''[[Tarzan in Manhattan]]'' || Archimedes Porter ||
|-
|1989 || ''[[Midnight (1989 film)|Midnight]]'' || Mr. B ||
|-
|1989 || ''Walter & Carlo In America'' || Willy La Rouge ||
|-
|1990 ||''Thanksgiving Day'' || Max Schloss || Television film
|-
|1991 || ''Prime Target'' || Marietta Copella ||
|-
|1992 || ''[[Christmas in Connecticut#Remake|Christmas in Connecticut]]'' || Alexander Yardley ||
|-
|1992 || ''Center of the Web''|| Stephen Moore||
|-
|1992 || ''Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1993 || ''The Mummy Lives'' || Aziru / Dr. Mohassid ||
|-
|1993 || ''[[Naked in New York]]'' || Carl Fisher ||
|-
|1994|| ''[[A Century of Cinema]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1995 || ''[[The Immortals (1995 film)|The Immortals]]'' || Dominic ||
|-
|1995 || ''[[The Celluloid Closet]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|1997 || ''Hardball'' || Wald ||
|-
|1997 || ''Brittle Glory'' || Jack Steele ||
|-
|1997 || ''[[Elvis Meets Nixon]]'' || Himself || Uncredited
|-
|1997 || ''Alien X Factor''|| Dr. Lancaster || Archive footage
|-
|1998 || ''Louis & Frank'' || Lenny Star Springer ||
|-
|1998|| ''Stargames'' || King Fendel ||
|-
|1999 || ''[[Play It to the Bone]]'' || Ringside Fan || Cameo
|-
|2002 || ''Reflections of Evil'' || Narrator ||
|-
|2006 || ''Where's Marty?'' || Himself ||
|-
|2007 || ''The Blacksmith and the Carpenter'' || God || Voice role
|-
|2008 || ''[[David & Fatima]]'' || Mr. Schwartz ||
|-
|2008 || ''[[The Jill & Tony Curtis Story]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|2012 || ''Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom'' ||Himself || Documentary<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117947721/|title=Variety|first=Lissa|last=Simon|date=June 7, 2012}}</ref>
|-
|}
===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1971–1972|| ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' || Danny Wilde / Aunt Sophie ||
|-
| 1974 || ''[[The Persuaders!|Mission: Monte Carlo]]'' || Danny Wilde|| Archive footage
|-
|1975–1976 || ''[[McCoy (TV series)|McCoy]]'' || McCoy ||
|-
|1978–1981 || ''[[Vega$]]''|| Roth ||
|-
|1996 || ''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' || Dr. Isaac Mamba ||
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Roseanne]]'' || Hal ||
|-
|}
===Box Office Ranking===
For a number of years Curtis was voted by exhibitors in an annual poll from Quigley Publishing as among the top stars in the US:
* 1954 – 23rd
* 1959 – 18th
* 1960 – 6th
* 1961 – 9th
* 1962 – 18th
==Radio appearances==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Program !! Episode/source
|-
| 1951 || ''[[Suspense (radio drama)|Suspense]]'' || ''The McKay College Basketball Scandal''<ref>{{cite journal|title=Radio's Golden Age|journal=Nostalgia Digest|date=Winter 2011|volume=37|issue=1|page=41}}</ref>
|-
| 1952|| ''Stars in the Air'' || ''Model Wife''<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kirby|first1=Walter|title=Better Radio Programs for the Week|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2540149/the_decatur_daily_review/|agency=The Decatur Daily Review|date=February 10, 1952|page=38|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = June 2, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>
|}
==In literature==
The costumes of [[Tony Curtis]] worn in the movie [[Some Like It Hot]], are discussed in the 2017 gambling novel [[Never Split Tens]] by [[Les Golden]] of Oak Park, Illinois, published by Springer.
==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}
==Further reading==
{{Portal|Film}}
* {{Cite book|last= Curtis |first= Tony |authorlink= |author2=[[Barry Paris]] |title= Tony Curtis: The Autobiography |year= 1993 |publisher= [[William Morrow & Company]] |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-688-09759-2}}
* {{Cite book|last= Ayres |first= Ian |title= Van Gogh's Ear: The Celebrity Edition |year= 2006 |publisher= French Connection |location= Paris |isbn= 978-2-914853-07-1}} The book includes Tony Curtis's prose, poetry, and artwork.
* {{Cite book|last= Curtis |first= Tony |authorlink= |author2=[[Peter Golenbock]] |title= Tony Curtis: American Prince: My Autobiography |year= 2008 |publisher= [[Harmony Books]] |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-307-40849-5}}
* {{Cite book|last= Curtis |first= Tony |authorlink= |title= Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Making of the Classic Movie |year= 2009 |publisher= [[John Wiley & Sons]] |location= New York |page=240|isbn= 978-0-470-53721-3}}
* Wise, James. ''Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America's Sea Services''. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997. {{ISBN|1557509379}} {{OCLC|36824724}}
==External links==
{{external links|section|date=August 2013}}
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.tonycurtis.com Tonycurtis.com]
* {{Britannica|1367066}}
* {{IMDb name|0000348}}
* Remembering Tony Curtis [http://www.bronx.com/Local/obituaries/2550.html] Bronx News, 2012
* {{YouTube|zcf5zUEw764|Tony Curtis, 1925-2010}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* {{Find a Grave|59410614}}
* [http://www.oralhistoryproject.com/TonyCurtis1.html Biography] and [http://www.oralhistoryproject.com/tcurtis_navy.html naval service] from the California Center for Military History website
* [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/49771/tony-curtis-famous-friends Tony Curtis' Famous Friends] – slideshow by ''[[Life magazine]]''
* 2009 [http://mnw.squarespace.com/magicnewsfeed/2010/9/30/broken-wand-tony-curtis.html interview] with Dodd Vickers for the [http://www.magicnewswire.com Magic Newswire]
* [http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,2274258,00.html John Patterson, "Some like it very hot", ''The Guardian'', 18 April 2008]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article3779814.ece Alison Jackson, ''Some tormented Hollywood souls still like their gossip hot, Profile: Tony Curtis,'' ''Sunday Times'', 20 April 2008]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110920220616/http://www.frenchcx.com/en_films/tonyc-en.html Documentary film, ''The Jill & Tony Curtis Story'']
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=4784 Photographs and literature]
* [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/49761/tony-curtis-life-and-times Tony Curtis: Life and Times] – slideshow by ''[[Life magazine]]''
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8034695/Tony-Curtis.html ''The Telegraph'' obituary]
* [https://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201006/tony-curtis-last-of-the-playboys Interview by Michael Hainey for ''GQ Magazine'']
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Tony}}
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