1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Jack Lemmon Biography (1925-2001)

Real name, John Uhler Lemmon III; born February 8, 1925, in Boston, MA; son of John Uhler, Jr. (president of a doughnut company) and Mildred LaRue (maidenname, Noel) Lemmon; married Cynthia Boyd Stone (an actress), May 7, 1950 (divorced, 1956); married Felicia Farr (an actress), August 17, 1962; children:(first marriage) Christopher; (second marriage) Courtney. Avocational Interests: Golf. Career: Actor, producer, director, and screenwriter.Old Nick Saloon, New York City, piano player, 1947; actor in radio soap operas, 1948; Jalem Productions, Beverly Hills, CA, founder and president, 1952--.Appeared in summer stock productions, 1940-48, and on radio, 1948-52. Military service: U.S. Naval Reserve, active duty as a communications officer, 1945-46. Member: Screen Actors Guild (member of board of directors;third national vice-president, 1961-64), Players Club, Hasty Pudding Club (president, 1945-46). Awards, Honors: Academy Award, best supporting actor, 1955, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award nomination, bestforeign actor, 1956, both for Mister Roberts; British Academy of Filmand Television Arts Award, 1956, Academy Award nomination, best actor, 1962,both for Days of Wine and Roses; Academy Award nomination, best actor,British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award, best foreign actor, both1959, and Golden Globe Award, best actor in a musical or comedy film, 1960, all for Some Like It Hot; Golden Apple Award, Hollywood Women's Press Club, star of the year, 1960; Academy Award nomination, best actor, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award, best foreign actor, both 1960, and Golden Globe Award, best actor in a musical or comedy film, 1961, all for The Apartment; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor ina musical/comedy, 1966, for The Great Race; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award nominations, best foreign actor, 1966, for Good Neighbor Sam and How to Murder Your Wife; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor in a musical/comedy, 1969, for The Odd Couple; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor in a musical/comedy, 1971, The Out-of-Towners; Emmy Award, outstanding single variety or popular music program, 1972, for Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin; Academy Award, best actor, 1973, and Golden GlobeAward nomination, best motion picture actor--drama, 1974, both for Save the Tiger; Golden Globe Award, best actor in a musical or comedy film, 1973, for Avanti!; Hasty Pudding Man of the Year, Hasty Pudding Theatricals, 1973; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor in a musical/comedy, 1975, for The Front Page; Emmy Award nomination, best actorin a drama or comedy special, 1975, for The Entertainer; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best dramatic actor, and Drama Guild Award, both 1979,for Tribute; Academy Award nomination, best actor, British Academy ofFilm and Television Arts Award, best foreign actor, Cannes International FilmFestival Award, all 1979, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor--drama, 1980, all for The China Syndrome; Academy Award nomination, best actor, 1980, Berlin Film Festival Award, best actor, Genie Award, best performance by a foreign actor, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor--drama, and Silver Berlin Award, Berlin International Film Festival, 1981, all for Tribute; Academy Award nomination, best actor, Cannes International Film Festival Award, best actor, both 1982, British Academy of Film and Television ArtsAward nomination, best actor, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best actorin a motion picture--drama, both 1983, all for Missing; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best dramatic actor, 1986, for Long Day's Journey into Night; Career Achievement Award, National Board of Review, 1986; inducted into Television Academy Hall of Fame, 1987; D. W. Griffith Award, 1987; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a motion picturein a comedy/musical, 1987, for That's Life!; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, 1988, for Long Day's Journey into Night; Lifetime Achievement Award, American Film Institute, 1988; Emmy Award nomination, best actorin a miniseries or special, 1988, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a miniseries or motion picture made for television,1989, both for The Murder of Mary Phagan; Annual Achievement Award, Screen Actors Guild, 1989; Academy Award nomination, best actor, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a motion picture--drama,1990, both for Dad; Lifetime Achievement Award, American Comedy Awards, George Schlatter Productions, 1991; Cecil B. De Mille Award, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, 1991; National Board of Review Award, and Volpi Cup Award, Venice Film Festival, best actor, both 1992, for Glengarry Glen Ross; Lincoln Center Tribute, 1993; Volpi Cup Award, Venice Film Festival, best ensemble cast (shared with others), 1993, for Short Cuts; LifetimeAchievement Award, ShoWest Convention, 1993; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, 1994, for A Life in the Theater; Golden Berlin Bear Award, Berlin International Film Festival, 1996; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding leadactor in a miniseries or movie, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, ScreenActors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries, all 1998, for 12 Angry Men. Addresses: Agent: Fred Spector, Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-1804.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, producer, director, screenwriter

Birth Details

February 8, 1925

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Death Details

June 27, 2001

Los Angeles, California

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• Pete Sheppard, It Should Happen to You, Columbia, 1954
• Robert Tracy, Phffft!, Columbia, 1954
• Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver, Mister Roberts, Warner Bros., 1955
• Bob Baker, My Sister Eileen, Columbia, 1955
• Marty Stewart, Three for the Show, Columbia, 1955
• Peter Warne, You Can't Run Away from It, Columbia, 1956
• Tony, Fire Down Below, Columbia, 1957
• Private Hogan, Operation Mad Ball, Columbia, 1957
• Nicky Holroyd, Bell, Book, and Candle, Columbia, 1958
• Frank Harris, Cowboy, Columbia, 1958
• George Denham, It Happened to Jane (also known as Twinkle and Shine), Columbia, 1959
• Jerry/Daphne, Some Like It Hot, United Artists, 1959
• C. C. "Bud" Baxter, The Apartment, United Artists, 1960
• Himself, Pepe, Columbia, 1960
• Lieutenant Rip Crandall, The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Columbia,1961
• Joe Clay, Days of Wine and Roses, Warner Bros., 1962
• William Gridley, The Notorious Landlady, Columbia, 1962
• Narrator, Stowaway in the Sky (also known as Le Voyage en ballon and Voyage in a Balloon), Lopert, 1962
• Lord X/Nestor Patou, Irma La Douce, United Artists, 1963
• Mr. Hogan, Under the Yum-Yum Tree, Columbia, 1963
• Sam Bissel, Good Neighbor Sam, Columbia, 1964
• Professor Fate/Prince Hapnik, The Great Race, Warner Bros., 1965
• Stanley Ford, How to Murder Your Wife, United Artists, 1965
• Harry Hinkle, The Fortune Cookie (also known as Meet Whiplash Willie), United Artists, 1966
• Harry Berlin, Luv, Columbia, 1967
• Felix Ungar, The Odd Couple, Paramount, 1968
• There Comes a Day, 1968
• Howard Brubaker, The April Fools, National General, 1969
• George Kellerman, The Out-of-Towners, Paramount, 1970
• Stranger on bus, Kotch, Cinerama, 1971
• Wendell Armbruster, Avanti!, United Artists, 1972
• Peter Wilson, The War between Men and Women, National General, 1972
• Costa del Sol malaguena, 1972
• Harry Stoner, Save the Tiger, Paramount, 1973
• Hildy Johnson, The Front Page, Universal, 1974
• Jerry Murphy, Wednesday, 1974
• Narrator, La polizia ha le mani legate (also known as Killer Cop, The Police Can't Move, and Portrait of a Sixty Percent Perfect Man), 1974
• Archie Rice, The Entertainer, Seven Keys, 1975
• Mel Edison, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Warner Bros., 1975
• The Gentleman Tramp, 1975
• Alexander Main, Alex and the Gypsy (also known as Love and Other Crimes), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1976
• Dan Gallagher, Airport '77, Universal, 1977
• Jack Godell, The China Syndrome, Columbia, 1979
• Himself, Ken Murray: Shooting Stars, 1979
• Scottie Templeton, Tribute, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980
• Victor Clooney, Buddy Buddy, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1981
• Ed Horman, Missing, Universal, 1982
• Father Tim Farley, Mass Appeal, Universal, 1984
• Robert Traven, Macaroni (also known as Maccheroni), Paramount, 1985
• Harvey Fairchild, Blake Edwards' That's Life, Columbia, 1986
• Narrator, Debonair Dancers (documentary), Filmmakers Library, 1986
• Jake Tremont, Dad, Universal, 1989
• Jack Martin, JFK, Warner Bros., 1991
• Himself, The Player, Fine Line Features, 1992
• Shelley "The Machine" Levine, Glengarry Glen Ross, New Line Cinema, 1992
• Himself, Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy, 1992
• Paul Finnegan, Short Cuts, Fine Line Features, 1993
• John Gustafson, Grumpy Old Men, Warner Bros., 1993
• This Joint Is Jumpin', 1993
• Himself, Infant of Paradise: Alexander Trauner & the Development of Film Production Design, 1993
• Morris Ritz, The Grass Harp, New Line Cinema, 1995
• John Gustafson, Grumpier Old Men (also known as Grumpy Old Men2), Warner Bros., 1995
• Max Mueller/Luger, Getting Away with Murder, Savoy Pictures, 1996
• Russell P. Kramer, My Fellow Americans, Warner Bros., 1996
• Marcellus, William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1996
• Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's, 1996
• Puppies for Sale, 1997
• Herb Sullivan, Out to Sea, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1997
• Felix Ungar, Neil Simon's The Odd Couple II, Paramount, 1998
• Film Work
• Executive producer, Cool Hand Luke, Warner Bros., 1967
• Director, Kotch, Cinerama, 1971
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Harold, That Wonderful Guy, ABC, 1950
• Host, Toni Twin Time (also known as Twin Time), CBS, 1950
• Regular, Ad Libbers, CBS, 1951
• Pete Bell, Heaven for Betsy, CBS, 1952
• Road of Life, CBS, 1954
• Regular, Turn of Fate (also known as Alcoa Theatre), NBC, 1957-58
• Also appeared in The Brighter Day, CBS.
• Movies
• Archie Rich, The Entertainer, NBC, 1976
• Governor John M. Slaton, The Murder of Mary Phagan, NBC, 1988
• Aram Katourian, For Richer, For Poorer (also known as Getting There and Father, Son and the Mistress), HBO, 1992
• Robert, A Life in the Theatre, TNT, 1993
• Bud Bailey, A Weekend in the Country, USA Network, 1996
• Juror #8, 12 Angry Men, Showtime, 1997
• Tom Gerrin, The Long Way Home, CBS, 1998
• Episodic
• "The Times Square Story," Old Knickerbocker Music Hall, CBS, 1948
• "Pride's Castle," Philco Television Playhouse, NBC, 1949
• "June Moon," Studio One, CBS, 1949
• "Whistling in the Dark," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1949
• "The Grey Helmet," Suspense, CBS, 1949
• "Wisdom Teeth," Studio One, CBS, 1950
• "The Easy Mark," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1951
• Pete Bell, "The Couple Next Door," The Frances Langford/Don Ameche Show, ABC, 1951
• Host, Goodyear Television Playhouse, NBC, 1951
• "Sparrow Cop," Danger, CBS, 1951
• "The Happy Journey," Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, ABC, 1951
• "Cops Must Be Tough," The Web, CBS, 1951
• "Size 12 Tantrum," News Stand Theatre, ABC, 1952
• "The Grand Cross of the Crescent," Chrysler Medallion Theatre (also known as Medallion Theatre), CBS, 1953
• "Duet," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1953
• "Snooksie," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1953
• "Dinah, Kip, and Mr. Barlow," Robert Montgomery Presents, NBC, 1953
• "The Checkerboard Heart," Armstrong Circle Theatre, NBC, 1953
• "Marriageable Male," Ford Television Theatre, NBC, 1954
• John Wilkes Booth, "The Day Lincoln Was Shot," Ford Star Jubilee,NBC, 1956
• "The Mystery of 13," Playhouse 90, NBC, 1957
• "Lost and Found," Goodyear Theatre, NBC, 1957
• "Souvenir," Alcoa Theatre, NBC, 1957
• "The Three Graves," Zane Grey Theater, 1957
• Mystery guest, What's My Line, 1957
• "The Days of November," Goodyear Theatre, NBC, 1958
• "Loudmouth," Alcoa Theatre, NBC, 1958
• "Most Likely to Succeed," Alcoa Theatre, NBC, 1958
• "Disappearance," Goodyear Theatre, NBC, 1958
• "Face of a Hero," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1959
• Person to Person, CBS, 1959
• Host, "The Judge," The Dick Powell Show, NBC, 1963
• "The Three Lost Graves," Zane Grey Theatre (also known as DickPowell's Zane Grey Theatre), CBS, 1967
• "Wednesday," Shortstories, Arts and Entertainment, 1985
• "Gregory Peck--His Own Man," Crazy about the Movies, Cinemax, 1988
• The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, CBS, 1988
• "Neil Simon: Not Just for Laughs" (also known as "Simply Simon: A Neil Simon Retrospective" and "Neil Simon: Simply Simon"), American Masters,PBS, 1989
• "Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius," American Masters, PBS, 1989
• A Conversation with Dinah, syndicated, 1989
• Reflections on the Silver Screen with Professor Richard Brown, syndicated, 1990
• "Rita Hayworth: Dancing into the Dream," Crazy About the Movies, Cinemax, 1991
• Debbie Reynolds' Movie Memories, syndicated, 1991
• Alan King: Inside the Comedy Mind, syndicated, 1991
• "Milton Berle: Mr. Television," Biography, Arts and Entertainment,1994
• American Cinema, PBS, 1995
• American Cinema, 1995
• Inside the Actors Studio, 1995
• Voice of Frank Orman (Pretzel Man), "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson,"The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1997
• Himself, "Ernie Kovacs," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
• Also appeared as Nel's friend, I Remember Mama, CBS; in Hollywood Screen Test; The Campbell Television Sound Stage (also known asTV Sound Stage), NBC; and The Dick Cavett Show, ABC.
• Specials
• Super Comedy Bowl, CBS, 1971
• Host, Super Comedy Bowl II, CBS, 1972
• Host, Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin, NBC,1972
• Host, Jack Lemmon--Get Happy, NBC, 1973
• A Show Business Salute to Milton Berle, NBC, 1973
• The American Film Institute Salute to James Cagney, CBS, 1974
• Celebration: The American Spirit, ABC, 1976
• Host, The Best of Ernie Kovacs, PBS, 1977
• The American Film Institute Salute to Henry Fonda, CBS, 1978
• Tom Snyder's Celebrity Spotlight, 1980
• Musical Comedy Tonight, PBS, 1981
• Bob Hope's Stars Over Texas, NBC, 1982
• The American Film Institute Salute to Frank Capra, CBS, 1982
• Co-host, Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter, ABC, 1982
• Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius, 1982
• The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard, ABC, 1984
• The Screen Actors Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration, CBS, 1984
• War of the Stars, 1984
• Liberty Weekend, ABC, 1986
• Host, The American Film Institute Salute to Billy Wilder, NBC, 1986
• James Tyrone, Long Day's Journey into Night, PBS, 1987
• The Television Academy Hall of Fame, Fox, 1987
• The American Film Institute Salute to Jack Lemmon, CBS, 1988
• Time Warner Presents the Earth Day Special, ABC, 1990
• Sinatra 75: The Best Is Yet to Come, CBS, 1990
• The MDA Jerry Lewis Telethon (also known as The 25th Anniversary MDA Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon), syndicated, 1990
• The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1990
• The American Film Institute Presents "TV or Not TV?" NBC, 1990
• Here He Is.The One.The Only.Groucho, HBO, 1991
• James Cagney: Top of the World, TNT, 1992
• The Larry King TNT Extra, TNT, 1992
• An American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala, CBS, 1993
• Voice, Earth and the American Dream, HBO, 1993
• Presenter, The First Annual Comedy Hall of Fame, NBC, 1993
• Narrator, The Wild West, syndicated, 1993
• November 22, 1993: Where Were You? A Larry King Special Live from Washington, TNT, 1993
• Luck, Trust, and Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country, syndicated, 1994
• Inside the Dream Factory, 1995
• Julie Andrews: Back on Broadway, 1995
• The American Film Institute Salute to Steven Spielberg, 1995
• Intimate Portrait: Shirley MacLaine, Lifetime, 1996
• Jack Lemmon, PBS, 1996
• Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman, Arts and Entertainment, 1996
• The American Film Institute Salute to Martin Scorsese, CBS, 1997
• Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy, PBS, 1998
• "Puppies for Sale," Chicken Soup for the Soul, Pax TV, 1998
• Ernie Kovacs: Please Stand By, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Monica Mancini.On Record, PBS, 1998
• NYTV: By the People Who Made It, PBS, 1998
• Private Screenings: Lemmon & Matthau, The Movie Channel, 1998
• The American Film Institute Salute to Robert Wise, NBC, 1998
• The Warner Bros. Story: No Guts, No Glory--75 Years of Blockbusters, TNT, 1998
• Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Warner Bros. Story: No Guts, No Glory: 75 Years of Laughter, TNT,1998
• Awards Presentations
• Host, The Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1985
• The 40th Annual Tony Awards, 1986
• The 60th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, 1988
• The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards, 1988
• The 18th Annual American Film Institute Life Achievement Award: A Salute to Sir David Lean, ABC, 1990
• Presenter from Moscow, The 62nd Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1990
• The 5th Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1991
• Presenter, The 63rd Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1991
• The 48th Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1991
• The Great Ones: The National Sports Awards, NBC, 1993
• The Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards Presented by Footlocker, ABC, 1993
• The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, 1996
• The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1996
• The 70th Annual Academy Awards, 1998
• Pilots
• Tom Snyder's Celebrity Spotlight, NBC, 1980
• War of the Stars, syndicated, 1985
• Television Work
• Producer; Series
• That Wonderful Guy, ABC, 1950
• Ad Libbers, CBS, 1951
• Heaven for Betsy, CBS, 1952
• Executive Producer; Movies
• A Weekend in the Country, USA Network, 1996
• Stage Appearances
• Leo Davis, Room Service, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1953
• David Poole, Face of a Hero! Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1960
• Idiot's Delight, Los Angeles Music Center, 1970
• Juno and the Paycock, Los Angeles Music Center, 1975
• Scottie Templeton, Tribute, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Richard Dale, A Sense of Humor, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1983
• James Tyrone, Long Day's Journey into Night, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1986
• Veteran's Day (London production), 1989
• Major Tours
• Scottie Templeton, Tribute, U.S. and Israeli cities, 1978-79
• Richard Dale, A Sense of Humor, U.S. cities, 1983-84
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Jack Lemmon Piano and Vocals, LaserLight Digital, Delta Music, 1991
• Jack Lemmon Tells the Musical Tale of Peter and the Wolf, LaserLight Digital, Delta Music, 1991
• Other albums include A Twist of Lemmon and Jack Lemmon Plays and Sings Music from "Some Like It Hot".
• WRITINGS
• Screenplays
• Track Two, DEC, 1981
• Film Music Compositions
• (Harmonic theme only) Fire Down Below, Columbia, 1957
• Tribute, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• American Film, March 1988, p. 32.
• Entertainment Weekly, April 12, 1996, p. 19; fall, 1996, p. 70; January 17, 1997, p. 75; March 1, 1999, p. 86.
• Interview, January 12, 1996, p. 26.
• People Weekly, January 13, 1997, p. 146; May 18, 1998, p. 141.
• Saturday Evening Post, September 13, 1997, p. 36.*