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MILESTONES

Walter Matthau 1920-2000 Matthau, lived in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles,
had two children, Jennie and David, by his first wife, and a
son, Charlie, by his second wife whom he wed in 1959.
Walter Matthau, the comedian known for his portrayals of Reuters
cantankerous but lovable oddballs and for his collaborations
with Jack Lemmon in "The Odd Couple" and "Grumpy Old Alec Guinness 1914-2000
Men" died on Saturday, July I, of a hea1t attack. He was 79.
Ealing comedy star Sir Alec Guinness died in hospital on
"I have lost someone I loved as a brother, as a closest friend, August 5, at the age of 86. Sir Alec, whose career spanned
and a remarkable human being," 75-year-old Jack Lemmon 60 years, had been iJJ ill-health for a number of years. He
said in a statement. "We have also lost one of the best da1ru1 had also battled against chronic glaucoma and cataracts for
actors we'll ever see." They made nine films together. a number of years and underwent extensive surgery to restore
his vision.
Destined to be a villain or a comic, Mattbau once said that,
with a face like his, he was destined in Hollywood to be The l1igh points of that career perhaps faU into two catego-
either a villain or a comic. " I don't look like an actor," he ries, both after the war (in which Guinness briefly served)
said in one interview. "1 could be anyone from a toilet at- and neatly divided by the Atlantic. In England he did clas-
tendant to a business executive". Matthau, who called him- sics of British bumble-wit like his eighl different roles in
self "the Ukrain ian Cary Grant," was born Walter "Kind Hea1ts and Coronets," "The Ladykillers," "The Man
Matuscbanskavasky on October 1, 1920, to poor, Russian- in the White Suit" and "The Lavender Hill Mob," in which
Jewish parents. He grew up in the Lower East Side of New Guinness's milquetoast banker waits his wl10le life for the
York. perfect gold bullion theft. These were tiny movies, gems of
the emotional slapstick at which he was a master.
After high school and a World War IJ stint as a radioman-
gwmer on Army bombers, he enrolled in acting classes. This ln Hollywood, David Lean used Guinness to hold up his
led to bit parts on Broadway and television shows. He made epics, like the third leg of a tripod. As Colonel Nicholson in
his film debut in "The Kentuckian". Through the remainder "Bridge on the River Kwai," the Arab prince FeisaJ in
of the 1950's, he played bad guys and dnmks in a variety of "Lawrence of Arabia." Gen. Yevgraf Zhivago in ·'Doctor
movies, including the Elvis Presley film "King Creole" and Zllivago," there was the story. the place, and somewhere.
an Audie Murphy Western, "Ride a Crooked Trail". As Alec Guinness. The moment in '·Kwai" when the maniacally
Matthau 's movies improved, so did the variety of his char- correct Nicholson stumbles across William Holden- "You!"
acters. -and looks at the ground as bullets fly and disillusiorunent
explodes all over Nicholson's face, could have won him his
But it was his Broadway portrayal of the slob sportswriter Best Actor all by itself. The movie. too big for the grimacing
Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple" a part written for him Holden to fill out on his own, is complete because of
by Neil Simon, that catapulted Matthau into stardom. Simon Guinness. Also "Doctor Zhivago'· could have used more of
was at a cocktail party when he walked over to Matthau and him.
said, "You're gonna be in my next play." Matthau replied,
" Who are you?" Later, Simon had to convince Matthau to There's a third category - the gifts to lesser, Later movies.
play Madison. Matthau wanted to play the finicky Felix The blind butler Jamessir Bensonmum in "Murder by
Unger because the Madison part was too close to his own Death", the mummified chief clerk in "'Kafka" and Obi-Wan
personality. Kenobi in '·Star Wars'·, eyes glittering with wisdom.
salvaging that tortured Lucas dialogue. Would there be a
A year later, Matthau first teamed with Jack Lemmon in "Phantom Menace" without his saving injection of class in
"The Fortune Cookie". Matthau played a sleazy lawyer, the first installment?
Lemmon his wimpish brother-in-law. It was this comic team-
ing that would breed continued success in such films as "The Sir Alec married playwright Merula Salaman in 1938 and
Odd Couple", "The Front Page", and "Buddy, Buddy". The the couple lived well away from the spotlight. There was
pair also achieved success with "Gnnnpy Old Men", in one son, Matthew.
which they teamed with Alm-Margret. and '·Grumpier Old
Men" with Sophia Loren, as well as '"The Odd Couple U" We should not forget his role as George Smiley in lhe John
in 1998. LeCaJTe television movies. (At most good video shops)

Matthau survived a 1965 heart attack, a 1975 quadruple Peter Sellars, another screen chameleon, did an incredible
coronary bypass operation, and a gambling habit that once imitation of a character called Sir Eric Goodness. It is said
cost him $ 183,000 in two weeks. His last film was this year's by some that Sellars sounded more like Sir Alec Guinness
"Hanging Up". than good old Alec did himself.
7ime Maga:iue and Reuters