Tony Curtis: Biography and Films to Watch Streaming

Bernard Schwartz was born on June 3, 1925, in East Harlem, Manhattan, the son of Hungarian Jewish immigrants. Raised in a modest family, he spoke only Hungarian until the age of six, delaying the start of his education. The turning point came when he signed with Universal Pictures, which gave him the stage name Tony Curtis. The name “Anthony” comes from the novel Anthony Adverse, while “Curtis” is a variation of a maternal surname.

His film debut dates back to 1949 with Criss Cross, where he played a rumba dancer uncredited. In 1951, he landed his first leading role in The Prince Who Was a Thief, a swashbuckler set in the Middle East, which solidified his fame.

In 1953, he portrayed Harry Houdini in the biographical film Houdini, acting alongside Janet Leigh, his first wife. They married in 1951 despite opposition from Universal. The couple had two daughters, Kelly and Jamie Lee Curtis, both actresses.

In 1957, Tony Curtis was chosen by Burt Lancaster for the role of Sidney Falco in Sweet Smell of Success. The film was not a commercial success, but his performance was praised by critics. The following year, he starred in The Defiant Ones, playing a racist white prisoner chained to a black man, a role that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor at the 31st Academy Awards. The film received nine nominations and won two Oscars, but Curtis lost to David Niven.

In 1959, he starred in two highly successful comedies: Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot, alongside Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon, and Operation Petticoat with Cary Grant. Some Like It Hot is considered a classic of film comedy.

In 1960, he appeared in Stanley Kubrick’s historical epic Spartacus with Kirk Douglas. After this period, his film career declined. His marriage to Janet Leigh ended in 1962, followed by a marriage to Christine Kaufmann in 1963, from which he divorced in 1968.

In 1968, he played the lead role in The Boston Strangler, accepting a significant pay cut. The performance was well received by critics and audiences.

In the 1970s, he mainly focused on television, starring in the British series The Persuaders! with Roger Moore, playing Danny Wilde. He continued working in European productions and television until the 2000s.

Tony Curtis married six times. After Christine Kaufmann, he married Leslie Allen in 1968, with whom he had two children, divorcing in 1982. This was followed by marriages to Andrea Savio (1984-1992), then Lisa Deutsch (1993-1994). His last wife was Jill Vandenberg, whom he married in 1998.

In his later years, he devoted himself to surrealist painting, with works exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2007. He died on September 29, 2010, in Henderson, Nevada, at the age of 85, after a career spanning over 100 films.

His last film appearance was in 2008. His legacy continues through his daughters, particularly Jamie Lee Curtis, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2023 for Everything Everywhere All at Once.