Walter Matthau
Acting
132
Acting Credits
1
Directed
Biography
Walter Matthau (born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, comedian and film director. He is best known for his film roles in A Face in the Crowd (1957), King Creole (1958) and as a coach of a hapless little league team in the baseball comedy The Bad News Bears (1976). He also starred in 10 films alongside Jack Lemmon, including The Odd Couple (1968), The Front Page (1974) and Grumpy Old Men (1993). Matthau won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor fo...
Known For
Filmography
Elvis: A Life in Music
2026
as Self (archive footage)
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick'
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Hanging Up
2000
as Lou Mozell
The Odd Couple II
1998
as Oscar Madison
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy
1998
as Narrator
The Marriage Fool
1998
as Frank Walsh
Out to Sea
1997
as Charlie
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997
as Self
I'm Not Rappaport
1996
as Nat Moyer
The Grass Harp
1996
as Judge Charlie Cool
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
1996
as Self
Grumpier Old Men
1995
as Max Goldman
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self
I.Q.
1994
as Albert Einstein
Incident in a Small Town
1994
as Harmon Cobb
Grumpy Old Men
1993
as Max Goldman
Dennis the Menace
1993
as Mr. Wilson
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
1993
as Self
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1992
as Narrator (voice)
Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore
1992
as Harmon Cobb
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
1992
as Self
JFK
1991
as Senator Long
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
1991
as Clifford Pepperman
The Incident
1990
as Harmon Cobb
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Self (voice)
The Couch Trip
1988
as Donald Becker
The Little Devil
1988
as Padre Maurizio
A Beverly Hills Christmas
1987
as Self
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
as Self
Pirates
1986
as Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special
1986
as Self
Movers & Shakers
1985
as Joe Mulholland
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1984
as Self - Performer
The Survivors
1983
as Sonny Paluso
I Love Liberty
1982
as Self
I Ought to Be in Pictures
1982
as Herbert Tucker
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
1982
as Self
Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder
1982
as Self
Buddy Buddy
1981
as Trabucco
First Monday in October
1981
as Dan Snow
Hopscotch
1980
as Miles Kendig
Little Miss Marker
1980
as Sorrowful Jones
California Suite
1978
as Marvin Michaels
House Calls
1978
as Dr. Charley Nichols
Casey's Shadow
1978
as Lloyd Bourdelle
The Stingiest Man in Town
1978
as Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
Funny Business
1978
as Self - Host
Actor
1978
as Boris Thomashevsky
The Bad News Bears
1976
as Morris Buttermaker
The Gentleman Tramp
1976
as Self / Narrator
The Sunshine Boys
1975
as Willy Clark
The Lion Roars Again
1975
as Self
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
The Front Page
1974
as Walter Burns
Earthquake
1974
as Drunk
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974
as Lieutenant Garber
Charley Varrick
1973
as Charley Varrick
The Laughing Policeman
1973
as Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
Pete 'n' Tillie
1972
as Pete Seltzer
Awake and Sing!
1972
as Moe Axelrod
Plaza Suite
1971
as Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley
A New Leaf
1971
as Henry Graham
Kotch
1971
as Joseph P. Kotcher
Great Performances
1971
as Self
Film '72
1971
as Self
Cactus Flower
1969
as Dr. Julian Winston
Hello, Dolly!
1969
as Horace Vandergelder
The Odd Couple
1968
as Oscar Madison
Candy
1968
as Gen. R.A. Smight
The Secret Life of an American Wife
1968
as The Movie Star
Carol Channing and 101 Men
1968
as Self
Jack Benny's Bag
1968
as Self
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
A Guide for the Married Man
1967
as Paul Manning
The Fortune Cookie
1966
as Willie Gingrich
Mirage
1965
as Ted Caselle
Fail Safe
1964
as Prof. Groeteschele
Ensign Pulver
1964
as Doc
Goodbye Charlie
1964
as Leo Sartori
Profiles in Courage
1964
as Gov. John Slaton
Profiles in Courage
1964
as Andrew Johnson
Charade
1963
as Hamilton Bartholemew
Island of Love
1963
as Tony Dallas
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as Tom Gregory
Lonely are the Brave
1962
as Sheriff Morey Johnson
Who's Got the Action?
1962
as Tony Gagouts
Big Deal in Laredo
1962
as Meredith
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
Target: The Corruptors!
1961
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Franklin Gaer
Tallahassee 7000
1961
as Lex Rogers
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
Strangers When We Meet
1960
as Felix Anders
Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands'
1960
as Ben Alexander / Philip Judah
Route 66
1960
Gangster Story
1959
as Jack Martin
Ride a Crooked Trail
1958
as Judge Kyle
King Creole
1958
as Maxie Fields
Voice in the Mirror
1958
as Dr. Karnes
Onionhead
1958
as 'Red' Wildoe
Naked City
1958
as Peter Kanopolis
Naked City
1958
as Dr. Max Lewine
A Face in the Crowd
1957
as Mel Miller
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
1957
as Al Dahlke
Bigger Than Life
1956
as Wally Gibbs
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Host
The Kentuckian
1955
as Stan Bodine
The Indian Fighter
1955
as Wes Todd
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Off. Pete Chandler
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Moran
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Harry Wade
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Phil
Atomic Attack
1954
as Dr. Spinelli
Climax!
1954
as Charlie Mapes
General Electric Theater
1953
The Oscars
1953
as Self
General Electric Theater
1953
as Tom Dutton
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Coastguardsman
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Inspector
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Craig
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
as The Bartender
Suspense
1949
as Lawrence Stevens
Studio One
1948
as Jacobs
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
Studio One
1948
as Olsen
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
as Iago
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
as Stuart Benson
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee / Presenter