Jack Lemmon's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) American Masters Jack Lemmon Heaven for Betsy Pete Bell The Road Of Life Surgeon

Main Movie Roles 2000 - The Legend of Bagger Vance 1998 - The Odd Couple II 1997 - Out to Sea 1996 - My Fellow Americans 1996 - Hamlet 1995 - Grumpier Old Men 1993 - Short Cuts 1993 - Grumpy Old Men 1992 - Chaplin 1992 - Glengarry Glen Ross 1992 - The Player 1991 - JFK 1989 - Dad 1982 - Missing 1981 - Buddy Buddy 1979 - The China Syndrome 1977 - Airport '77 1975 - The Prisoner of Second Avenue 1974 - The Front Page 1972 - Avanti! 1970 - The Out of Towners 1968 - The Odd Couple 1966 - The Fortune Cookie 1965 - The Great Race 1965 - How To Murder Your Wife 1964 - Good Neighbor Sam 1963 - Irma la Douce 1963 - Under the Yum Yum Tree 1962 - Days Of Wine And Roses 1960 - The Wackiest Ship in the Army 1960 - The Apartment 1959 - It Happened to Jane 1959 - Some Like It Hot 1958 - Cowboy 1955 - Mister Roberts 1954 - It Should Happen To You

BIOGRAPHY:

Jack Lemmon's father was the president of a doughnut company, and Jack attended prep schools before Harvard, where he was in the Dramatic Club. After service as a Navy ensign, he worked in a beer hall (playing piano), on radio, off Broadway, TV and Broadway. His movie debut was with Judy Holliday in It Should Happen to You (1954). He won Best Supporting Actor as Ensign Pulver in Mister Roberts (1955). He received nominations in comedy (Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960)) and drama (Days of Wine and Roses (1962), The China Syndrome (1979), Tribute (1980) and Missing (1982)). He won the Best Actor Oscar for Save the Tiger (1973) and the Cannes Best Actor award for "Syndrome" and "Missing". He made his debut as a director with Kotch (1971) and in 1985 on Broadway in "Long Day's Journey into Night". In 1988 he received the Life Achievement Award of the American Film Institute.


TRIVIA:

• 'Billy Wilder' (qv) directed him in 7 movies: _The Apartment (1960)_ (qv), _Avanti! (1972)_ (qv), _Buddy Buddy (1981)_ (qv), _The Fortune Cookie (1966)_ (qv), _The Front Page (1974)_ (qv), _Irma la Douce (1963)_ (qv) and _Some Like It Hot (1959)_ (qv).
• His performance as Jerry/Daphne in _Some Like It Hot (1959)_ (qv) is ranked #29 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
• Lemmon's dad, a bakery executive, didn't approve of his son taking up acting, but told him he should continue with it only as long as he felt passion for it, adding: "The day I don't find romance in a loaf of bread..." His dying words to Jack were: "Spread a little sunshine."
• His son, 'Chris Lemmon' (qv), appeared with him in _Airport '77 (1977)_ (qv).
• He was voted the 45th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Premiere Magazine.
• Born at 2:00pm-EST.
• Starred opposite 'Henry Fonda' (qv) in _Mister Roberts (1955)_ (qv) in 1955 and opposite Henry's daughter, 'Jane Fonda' (qv), in _The China Syndrome (1979)_ (qv) in 1979.
• Owner of Jalem Productions, which co-produced many of his films as well as _Cool Hand Luke (1967)_ (qv) starring 'Paul Newman (I)' (qv).