Actor Tony Curtis 1925-2010 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 09-30-2010, 05:45 AM

Link

(CBS) Actor Tony Curtis has died at the age of 85, according to a publicist for his daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis.

CBS News correspondent Manuel Gallegus reports that Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz, to poor Jewish immigrants in the Bronx. His father was a tailor from Hungary, his mother from Czechoslovakia.

He joined the Navy when he was 17 years old. When he got out, the GI Bill paid for acting school, an agent saw him and Curtis was on his way to Hollywood.

He moved quickly from bit parts to leads roles swashbucklers like Ali Baba.

"I had all that - dark hair and blue eyes, a nice figure, jumping around, kissing girls, a lot of energy, hip-hop jumping around," Curtis boasted in an interview once. "I mean, how could you not go for me? I even went for me!"

Ultimately, Curtis appeared in more than 100 films, playing roles as diverse as escape artist Harry Houdini, a noble slave in Sparticus, and a hustling Naval officer in Operation Petticoat.

In 1958, Curtis teamed up with Sidney Portier in The Defiant Ones, in which they played a pair of escaped convicts. They both received Best Actor Academy Award nominations.

But nothing was a bigger hit for Curtis than the classic comedy, Some Like it Hot, the following year.

Curtis and Jack Lemmon played two musicians running from the mafia. They joined up with an all girl orchestra featuring Marilyn Monroe.

He was married six times, first to actress Janet Leigh, mother of Jamie Lee Curtis, the only one of his six children to enter show business.

Curtis also loved to paint, and he credited his art with helping him through a period of addiction to alcohol and cocaine in the 1970s.

But as much as he loved standing in front of an easel, nothing gave Tony Curtis more pleasure than standing in front of an audience.

80sTrivia · 09-30-2010, 06:08 AM

So sad to hear of Tony's passing... my thoughts and prayers go out to Jamie Lee and the rest of his family...

ponytail · 09-30-2010, 06:11 AM

Oh that is sad news.

Mr. Television · 09-30-2010, 09:46 AM

He was a great actor. R.I.P. Tony.

catlover79 · 09-30-2010, 12:29 PM

What a fantastic actor - a true Hollywood legend. God bless his family, including Jamie Lee and his other children/granddchildren, and his widow, Jill.

Family Ties Forever! · 09-30-2010, 01:30 PM

RIP

HuntingtonM15 · 09-30-2010, 01:34 PM

Sad news.

Tony

Marvo301 · 09-30-2010, 02:34 PM

Tony Curtis

OH Nuts! · 09-30-2010, 03:00 PM

He was a fine actor, may he rest in peace.

Retro4Life · 09-30-2010, 03:44 PM

I liked him, too. I have to say I haven't seen a ton of his films, but I remember him from a movie called "Don't Make Waves" with Sharon Tate in 1967. It was cute and fluffy, but very, very funny.

I also remember him as the powerful and charismatic casino magnate Phillip "Slick" Roth on the old Vega$ show.

The old Hollywood royalty is swiftly leaving us and that's something to mourn.

Tony Curtis

MrCleveland · 09-30-2010, 04:00 PM

Curtis now joins Jack Lemmon and Marylin Monroe in Celebrity Heaven....

James28 · 09-30-2010, 06:02 PM

My condolences go out to Janie Lee Curtis and his immediate family...except for Jill Vandenburg, since she never lived to see the film "Some Like It Hot" when it was originally released in 1959. She was also born 19 years too late (1948-1967) to see the beginning of Tony's career. I heard that Jamie Lee does not like Jill Vandenburg and I feel that Vandenburg should not have married Tony Curtis in the first place.

I don't like Jill Vandenburg.
I never liked Jill Vandenburg.
I never want to see Jill Vandenburg ever again.

Mr. Television · 09-30-2010, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

Curtis now joins Jack Lemmon and Marylin Monroe in Celebrity Heaven....

My favorite Tony Curtis film was Some Like it Hot. They just don't make movies like that any more.

sara · 10-01-2010, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim856796

My condolences go out to Janie Lee Curtis and his immediate family...except for Jill Vandenburg, since she never lived to see the film "Some Like It Hot" when it was originally released in 1959. She was also born 19 years too late (1948-1967) to see the beginning of Tony's career. I heard that Jamie Lee does not like Jill Vandenburg and I feel that Vandenburg should not have married Tony Curtis in the first place.

I don't like Jill Vandenburg.
I never liked Jill Vandenburg.
I never want to see Jill Vandenburg ever again.

Tell us how you really feel.

As to Jamie Lee not liking Jill I have never heard that. I watched a biography on Tony Curtis a few years back on E! I think, and Jamie Lee said that when she met Jill she told her father that if he'd be crazy if he didn't marry her. Somehow I doubt she would say that if she hated Jill.

Tony Curtis

Janice · 10-01-2010, 02:51 PM

I always liked Tony Curtis. He was a handsome one, for sure. Very talented. I saw some of his artwork in a magazine article a few years back, and I couldn't believe he painted them. I had no idea he was an artist. Rest in Peace, Tony Curtis.

09-30-2010, 05:45 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,407	Actor Tony Curtis 1925-2010 Link (CBS) Actor Tony Curtis has died at the age of 85, according to a publicist for his daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis. CBS News correspondent Manuel Gallegus reports that Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz, to poor Jewish immigrants in the Bronx. His father was a tailor from Hungary, his mother from Czechoslovakia. He joined the Navy when he was 17 years old. When he got out, the GI Bill paid for acting school, an agent saw him and Curtis was on his way to Hollywood. He moved quickly from bit parts to leads roles swashbucklers like Ali Baba. "I had all that - dark hair and blue eyes, a nice figure, jumping around, kissing girls, a lot of energy, hip-hop jumping around," Curtis boasted in an interview once. "I mean, how could you not go for me? I even went for me!" Ultimately, Curtis appeared in more than 100 films, playing roles as diverse as escape artist Harry Houdini, a noble slave in Sparticus, and a hustling Naval officer in Operation Petticoat. In 1958, Curtis teamed up with Sidney Portier in The Defiant Ones, in which they played a pair of escaped convicts. They both received Best Actor Academy Award nominations. But nothing was a bigger hit for Curtis than the classic comedy, Some Like it Hot, the following year. Curtis and Jack Lemmon played two musicians running from the mafia. They joined up with an all girl orchestra featuring Marilyn Monroe. He was married six times, first to actress Janet Leigh, mother of Jamie Lee Curtis, the only one of his six children to enter show business. Curtis also loved to paint, and he credited his art with helping him through a period of addiction to alcohol and cocaine in the 1970s. But as much as he loved standing in front of an easel, nothing gave Tony Curtis more pleasure than standing in front of an audience.
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09-30-2010, 06:08 AM	#2
80sTrivia Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 23, 2002 Posts: 21,714	So sad to hear of Tony's passing... my thoughts and prayers go out to Jamie Lee and the rest of his family...
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09-30-2010, 09:46 AM	#4
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	He was a great actor. R.I.P. Tony.
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09-30-2010, 12:29 PM	#5
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	What a fantastic actor - a true Hollywood legend. God bless his family, including Jamie Lee and his other children/granddchildren, and his widow, Jill.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

09-30-2010, 01:30 PM	#6
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,214	RIP
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09-30-2010, 06:11 AM	#3
ponytail Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Location: In Happy, Healthy, Wealthyville Posts: 4,273	Oh that is sad news.

09-30-2010, 01:34 PM	#7
HuntingtonM15 That Bothers Me Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 11,060	Sad news. Tony

09-30-2010, 02:34 PM	#8
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	Tony Curtis
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09-30-2010, 03:00 PM	#9
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	He was a fine actor, may he rest in peace.

09-30-2010, 03:44 PM	#10
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	I liked him, too. I have to say I haven't seen a ton of his films, but I remember him from a movie called "Don't Make Waves" with Sharon Tate in 1967. It was cute and fluffy, but very, very funny. I also remember him as the powerful and charismatic casino magnate Phillip "Slick" Roth on the old Vega$ show. The old Hollywood royalty is swiftly leaving us and that's something to mourn. Tony Curtis
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09-30-2010, 04:00 PM	#11
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,228	Curtis now joins Jack Lemmon and Marylin Monroe in Celebrity Heaven....
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09-30-2010, 06:02 PM	#12
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,982	My condolences go out to Janie Lee Curtis and his immediate family...except for Jill Vandenburg, since she never lived to see the film "Some Like It Hot" when it was originally released in 1959. She was also born 19 years too late (1948-1967) to see the beginning of Tony's career. I heard that Jamie Lee does not like Jill Vandenburg and I feel that Vandenburg should not have married Tony Curtis in the first place. I don't like Jill Vandenburg. I never liked Jill Vandenburg. I never want to see Jill Vandenburg ever again.
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10-01-2010, 02:51 PM	#15
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I always liked Tony Curtis. He was a handsome one, for sure. Very talented. I saw some of his artwork in a magazine article a few years back, and I couldn't believe he painted them. I had no idea he was an artist. Rest in Peace, Tony Curtis.