John Kobal Foundation / Getty Images
Hollywood Good
Looks
Born Bernard Schwartz in 1925 in New York, the actor served in
World War II before taking the name Tony Curtis when he began his film career in
1949. The actor signed with Universal Pictures and began a string of small movie
roles.
Leading Man
In 1953, Curtis was cast as lead
in the biopic Houdini, where he co-starred with Janet Leigh, right, the
first of his six wives.
Allan Grant / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
Family Photo
With his wife Leigh, Curtis had
two daughters, both stars in their own right. In this photo, Tony holds Jamie
Lee, while Kelly Lee leans on his thighs
Remembering
Tony Curtis
The Sweet Smell of
Success
Curtis' first major success as a star came in this 1957
feature about a scheming press agent.
Oscar Nomination
In the 1958 release The Defiant ones, Curtis starred opposite
Sidney Poitier in the groundbreaking story of a two escaped convicts, one white,
one black, who are chained together but must cooperate to survive. Both Curtis,
whose character is a bigot, and Poitier were nominated for the Academy Award for
their performances
Sexy
Curtis will most likely be remembered
for his performance in Some Like It Hot,
the 1959 screwball Billy Wilder comedy in which he and Jack Lemmon play the jazz
musicians who dress up as women to escape retribution after witnessing a
gangland massacre. Curtis's character — sporting an accent famously reminiscent
of Cary Grant's — ends up falling for the jazz vovalist played by bombshell
Marilyn Monroe. The movie is frequently cited as one of the greatest of all
time.
Remembering
Tony Curtis
Epic
In the 1960
historical drama Spartacus directed by
Stanley Kubrick, Curtis was cast as the slave Antonius, who leaves his master
and joins with Spartacus, played by Kirk Douglas, who leads a revolt of
gladiators in ancient Rome.
Eamonn McCormack / Getty Images
New Pursuits
Later in life, Curtis pursued a
passion for painting. His canvasses were known to sell for as much as $20,000.
"I'm not ready to settle down like an elderly Jewish gentleman, sitting on a
bench and leaning on a cane," he said at 60. "I've got a helluva lot of living
to do."
Looking Sharp
Though the Oscar eluded him,
Curtis the veteran of over 120 films, is a certifiable Hollywood icon, leaving
behind a long list of extraordinary memorable performances. The actor was
85.
