Tony Curtis June 3 1925 September 29 2010 was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s He acted in over 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 later half of the 1950s he became a notable and strong screen presence He began proving himself to be a fine dramatic actor having the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles In his earliest parts he acted in a string of mediocre films including swashbucklers westerns light comedies sports films and a musical However by the time he starred in Houdini 1953 with his wife Janet Leigh his first clear success notes critic David Thomson his acting had progressed immensely He won his first serious recognition as a skilled dramatic actor in Sweet Smell of Success 1957 with costar Burt Lancaster The following year he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in another drama The Defiant Ones 1958 Curtis then gave what many believe was his best acting in a completely different role the comedy Some Like It Hot 1959 Thomson calls it an outrageous film and it was voted the number 1 funniest film in history from a survey done by the American Film Institute It costarred Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe and was directed by Billy Wilder That was followed by Blake Edwards comedy Operation Petticoat 1959 with Cary Grant They were both frantic comedies and displayed his impeccable comic timing He often collaborated with Edwards on later films His most significant serious part came in 1968 when he starred in the truelife drama The Boston Strangler which some consider his last major film role The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his chilling portrayal of serial killer Albert DeSalvo He gained 30 pounds and had his face rebuilt with a false nose to look like the real DeSalvo Curtis was the father of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis by his first wife actress Janet Leigh
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