Lemmon and Matthau: The Best Odd Couple
When we think of dynamic duos in show business, many pairs that come to mind, i.e.: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, or Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Another great pair for that list would be Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Lemmon & Matthau appeared in a total of eleven movies together, most of which were comedies. What sets them apart from other show business pairs is that their prolific success. Each had over 50-year-careers in show business, and together, they won a combined total of three Oscars and seven Golden Globes. In this blog, I’d like to tell you about how they met, were able to connect, and why their partnership has left an enduring legacy in movies.
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau first met when they were paired together by Billy Wilder in the romantic comedy The Fortune Cookie (1966). Lemmon was the first to sign on to play the role of Harry Hinkle, and Wilder originally wrote the role of of “Whiplash” Willie Gingrich with Matthau in mind, but United Artists tried to pressure Wilder into casting a major star like Frank Sinatra or Jackie Gleason in the part. But Lemmon and Wilder were both intent on sticking with Matthau. Lemmon had also already appeared under Wilder’s direction in Some Like it Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), and Irma La Douce (1963). While filming the movie, they became friends, discovering a mutual love of football and golf. The film was well-received and earned Matthau the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Their next pairing happened in The Odd Couple (1968). Just prior, Matthau appeared in Ensign Pulver (1964), which was the sequel to Mister Roberts (1955), the film that won Jack Lemmon his first Oscar as Best Supporting Actor. Matthau originated the role of Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple” when it opened on Broadway in 1965, and won a Tony for it, though the role of Felix Ungar was originated by Art Carney. When Paramount Pictures bought the movie rights to “Odd Couple,” then head of Paramount Robert Evans was intent on casting Jack Lemmon for Felix, believing that Carney didn’t have enough “box office punch,” and he wanted to hire Billy Wilder to direct. Unfortunately, the cost was too high for all three of them, so Wilder ultimately walked away from the project. Gene Saks was hired to direct, and the film did so well, (better than “Fortune Cookie,”), it became the fourth-highest grossing film of 1968.
Matthau & Lemmon’s next film was in Kotch (1971), which Lemmon directed, though he made a cameo as a sleeping Bus passenger. The two friends reunited with Billy Wilder again in The Front Page (1974), and in Buddy Buddy (1981); and they later appeared in the Best-Picture-Oscar-Nominated JFK (1991), but had no scenes together. In 1993, they appeared together in Grumpy Old Men, starring opposite Ann-Margret, who also worked with Matthau in I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982). Although the film received mixed reviews, it did spawn a sequel, Grumpier Old Men (1995), which was the first sequel of all the Lemmon & Matthau efforts, and the cast included Sophia Loren. The same year as “Grumpier,” Lemmon and Matthau appeared together in the drama comedy The Grass Harp, in which they were directed by Walter Matthau’s son, Charlie.
After “Grass Harp,” Lemmon & Matthau made the film Out to Sea (1997) and then they made their final pairing in The Odd Couple 2 (1998) in which they reprise their Felix Ungar and Oscar Madison roles, and were directed by Howard Deutch, who had also directed them in “Grumpier Old Men.” Both men passed away in their late 70s, Matthau at age 79 on July 1st, 2000 and Lemmon at age 76 on June 27th, 2001. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon’s unique partnership over the course of 11 movies leaves an enduring legacy. and their lasting friendship was unique in Hollywood.
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