“A strange couple”, “Hello, Dolly!”, “Cactus Flower”, “Front page”, “Dennis the Tormentor”, “Charada” - films that made the audience remember Walter Mattau. The actor most often gets comedic roles with which he copes brilliantly. During his life, Walter managed to play in about a hundred film and television projects. Unfortunately, the artist died back in 2000, but his name forever entered the history of cinema. What is known about this talented person?
Walter Mattau: The Beginning of the Way
The comedian was born in New York, it happened in October 1920. Walter Mattau was born into a poor Jewish family. His father and mother moved to the States in search of a better life. The actor has an older brother named Henry, with whom he was very friendly.
Parents divorced when the boy was barely three. It was difficult for mother seamstress to feed herself and her children. Walter was forced to start earning money at the age of 11. Mattau performed episodic roles in the Jewish Theater, and 50 cents paid the child to enter the stage.
Adolescence
By the time he graduated from school, Walter Mattau had not yet had time to decide on his life path. The young man tried several professions, he happened to be a forester, boxing trainer, gymnastics instructor. Walter did not stand aside when the Second World War began. He rose to the rank of sergeant, returned home with six well-deserved awards.
In 1948, Mattau made his Broadway debut. He became the understudy of Rex Harrison in the production of Anna for a Thousand Days. Surprisingly, the young man got the role of an 83-year-old clergyman, with whom he coped well.
First roles
Walter Mattau first hit the set in the early 50s. His career began with episodic roles in the series. The first major achievement of the actor - participation in the film "Man from Kentucky" by Bert Lancaster. In this picture, he embodied the image of the "bad guy" Stan, a minor hero.
Next, Mattau played negative characters in several more tapes. For example, in the musical “King Creole”, which was released in 1958, he reincarnated as the ruthless leader of a criminal group.
In 1963, the comedic thriller "Charade" was presented to the audience court. Walter in this picture played the role of one of the key characters. The film tells about the misfortunes of a young widow who is trying to figure out the circumstances of her husband's death. Fate brings her to a man who offers her help. However, a new friend soon begins to scare a woman, as she behaves strangely and constantly changes her name.
Mattau and Lemmon
In 1966, Jack Lemmon and Walter Mattau first met on the set. Joint films of comedian actors have always enjoyed success with the audience. The story of the tandem began with the work on the painting "The Excitement of Fortune." The comedy tells the story of an unlucky cameraman whom relatives drag into a dangerous scam. In this tape, Mattau brilliantly played a rogue lawyer who is trying to make money from his wife’s brother’s accidental injury. This role gave the actor not only recognition from the audience, but also an Oscar.
The very next year, Mattau and Lemmon met again on the set. They played key roles in the comedy Strange Couple. The film tells the story of two bosom buddies who, by the will of fate, are forced to temporarily settle together. Walter got the role of a merry fellow and fouled Oscar, whose life turns into hell a clean and grumpy Felix.
What other films did Walter Mattau star in with Lemmon? One can not help but recall the comedy "Front page", in which the tandem also got key roles. The film tells the story of newspaper men who are used to always being in the thick of things. Also noteworthy is the comedy Old Grunts with Mattau and Lemmon, in which they played two warring neighbors. The story so impressed the audience that its creators decided to shoot the sequel.
90s movies
In the 90s, Walter Mattau played many vivid roles. His filmography during this period acquired paintings, a list of which is given below.
- "Occurrence."
- "Mrs. Lambert's love."
- "John F. Kennedy: Shots in Dallas."
- Dennis the Torturer.
- "Old grunts."
- "Intelligence coefficient."
- "Voices of grass."
- "The old grunts raged."
- "I'm not Rappoport."
- "In the open sea".
- Strange couple 2.
- "Love after death."
The last film from Mattau was presented to the audience in 2000. The picture “Hang Up” tells the story of three sisters, unlike each other. Each of them is trying to live their own lives. This continues until the relatives know about the serious illness of the father.
Life behind the scenes
Walter entered into legal marriage twice. He lived with his first wife Grace for about ten years. She bore him two children - son David and daughter Jenny. The birth of heirs did not help save the marriage, but the reasons for the divorce remained overs.
Mattau married for the second time in 1959. A woman named Carol became for him a devoted companion of life. The second wife gave birth to a son, who was named Charles.