Jack Lemmon was an American actor, executive producer, and director. He collaborated with Billy Wilder and Walter Matthau on many films.
In addition to acting in a number of films, he also directed the 1971 film Kotch. He executive produced stage, television and motion picture films through his production company, Jalem Productions, including Stowaway in the Sky (1962), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), How to Murder Your Wife (1965), The Great Race (1965), The Fortune Cookie (1966), Luv (1967), Cool Hand Luke (1967), The April Fools (1969), The Out-of-Towners (1970), Kotch (1971), The War Between Men and Women (1972), Avanti! (1972), and Save the Tiger (1973).
Film Year Title Role DirectorExecutive producer Notes 1949 The Lady Takes a Sailor Plasterer Michael Curtiz Uncredited 1950 Once Too Often Mike Charles Turner Uncredited; U.S Army training film, Short 1954 It Should Happen to You Pete Sheppard George Cukor Phffft Robert Tracey Mark Robson 1955 Three for the Show Martin "Marty" Stewart H. C. Potter Mister Roberts Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver John FordMervyn LeRoy My Sister Eileen Robert "Bob" Baker Richard Quine Hollywood Bronc Busters Himself Ralph Staub Short 1956 You Can't Run Away from It Peter Warne Dick Powell 1957 Fire Down Below Tony Robert Parrish Operation Mad Ball Private Hogan Richard Quine 1958 Cowboy Frank Harris Delmer Daves Bell, Book and Candle Nicky Holroyd Richard Quine 1959 Some Like It Hot Jerry "Gerald" / "Daphne" Billy Wilder It Happened to Jane George Denham Richard Quine 1960 The Apartment C. C. Baxter Billy Wilder Pepe Daphne George Sidney Cameo The Wackiest Ship in the Army Lt. Rip Crandall Richard Murphy 1962 The Notorious Landlady William "Bill" Gridley Richard Quine Stowaway in the Sky Narrator Albert Lamorisse Voice, 1962 US release; also presenter via Jalem Productions Days of Wine and Roses Joe Clay Blake Edwards 1963 Irma la Douce Nestor Patou / Lord X Billy Wilder Under the Yum Yum Tree Hogan David Swift 1964 Good Neighbor Sam Sam Bissell 1965 How to Murder Your Wife Stanley Ford Richard Quine The Great Race Professor Fate / Prince Hapnick Blake Edwards 1966 The Fortune Cookie Harold "Harry" Hinkle Billy Wilder 1967 Luv Harry Berlin Clive Donner Cool Hand Luke Stuart Rosenberg 1968 There Comes a Day Short The Odd Couple Felix Ungar Gene Saks 1969 The April Fools Howard Brubaker Stuart Rosenberg 1970 The Out-of-Towners George Kellerman Arthur Hiller 1971 Kotch Sleeping Bus Passenger Himself Cameo - also director 1972 The War Between Men and Women Peter Edward Wilson Melville Shavelson Avanti! Wendell Armbruster, Jr. Billy Wilder 1973 Save the Tiger Harry Stoner John G. Avildsen 1974 Killer Cop Narrator Luciano Ercoli Voice The Front Page Hildebrand "Hildy" Johnson Billy Wilder 1975 Wednesday Jerry Murphy Marvin Kupfer Short The Prisoner of Second Avenue Mel Edison Melvin Frank 1976 The Gentleman Tramp Narrator Richard Patterson Voice Alex & the Gypsy Alexander Main John Korty 1977 Airport '77 Captain Don Gallagher Jerry Jameson 1979 The China Syndrome Jack Godell James Bridges 1980 Tribute Scottie Templeton Bob Clark 1981Buddy Buddy Victor Clooney Billy Wilder 1982 Missing Ed Horman Costa-Gavras 1984 Mass Appeal Father Tim Farley Glenn Jordan 1985 Macaroni Robert Traven Ettore Scola 1986 That's Life! Harvey Fairchild Blake Edwards 1989 Dad Jake Tremont Gary David Goldberg 1991 JFK Jack Martin Oliver Stone1992 The PlayerHimself Robert Altman Glengarry Glen Ross Sheldon "Shelley the Machine" Levene James Foley 1993 Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman In Carver County Himself John Dorr / Mike Kaplan Short Cuts Paul Finnigan Robert Altman Grumpy Old Men John Gustafson Donald Petrie 1995 The Grass Harp Dr. Morris Ritz Charles Matthau Grumpier Old Men John Gustafson Howard Deutch 1996 Getting Away with Murder Max Mueller / Karl Luger Harvey Miller My Fellow Americans President Russell P. Kramer Peter Segal Hamlet Marcellus Kenneth Branagh 1997 Out to Sea Herb Sullivan Martha Coolidge Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's HimselfShari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini 1998 Puppies for Sale Pet Shop Owner Ronald Krauss Short The Odd Couple II Felix Ungar Howard Deutch 2000 The Legend of Bagger Vance Narrator / Hardy Greaves Robert Redford Uncredited
Television Year Title Role Notes 1948 Studio One Fred Stevens Episode: "June Moon" 1949–1950 That Wonderful Guy Harold 3 episodes 1950 Toni Twin Time Host Episode dated May 31, 1950 1951 The Ad-Libbers Celebrity panelist 5 episodes 1951–1952 The Frances Langford-Don Ameche Show Newlywed "The Couple Next Door" sketches 1952 Heaven for Betsy Pete Bell 13 episodes1954Marriageable MaleBarney EvansThe Ford Television Theatre Episode aired Feb 25, 1954The episode is available on disc one of "The Jack Lemmon Film Collection" DVD set. The Road of Life Surgeon 1956 Ford Star Jubilee John Wilkes Booth Episode: "The Day Lincoln Was Shot"1957The Mystery of ThirteenDr. Billy PalmerPlayhouse 90, Season 2, Episode 7 What's My Line? Mystery Guest Season 9, Episode 10 1957–1958 Alcoa Theatre Henry CoyleSteve TylerWally MallLieutenant Tony CrawfordEdward King Episode: "Disappearance"Episode: "Most Likely to Succeed"Episode: "Loudmouth"Episode: "The Days of November"Episode: "Souvenir" 1959 Playhouse 90 David Poole Episode: "Face of a Hero" 1972 S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin Host Television special 1976 The Entertainer Archie Rice Television film 1987 Long Day's Journey into Night James Tyrone, Sr. 1988 The Murder of Mary Phagan Governor John Slaton Miniseries 1990 The Earth Day Special Coach StewartTelevision special 1992 For Richer, for Poorer Aram Katourian Television film Beyond 'JFK': The Question of Conspiracy Himself Television documentary film 1993 A Life in the Theatre Robert 1994 Wild West Host Miniseries 1996 A Weekend in the Country Bud Bailey Television film 1997 The Simpsons Frank Ormand (voice) Episode: "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" 12 Angry Men Juror #8 Television film 1998 The Long Way Home Thomas Gerrin 1999 Inherit the Wind Henry Drummond Tuesdays with Morrie Morrie Schwartz
Theatre Year Title Role LocationNotes1953 Room Service Leo Davis Playhouse Theatre1960 Face of a Hero David Poole Eugene O'Neill TheatreAlso producer through Jalem Productions1978 Tribute Scottie Templeton Brooks Atkinson Theatre1986 Long Day's Journey into Night James Tyrone Broadhurst Theatre
Discography A Twist of Lemmon (Epic, 1958) Some Like It Hot (1959) "Daphne"/"Sleepy Lagoon" (single not contained in the above album, 1959) "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"/"I Cover the Waterfront" (single, 1960) "The Apartment"/"Lemmon Blues" (single, piano solos, 1960) Jack Lemmon Plays Piano Selections from "Irma La Douce" (Capitol, 1963) Piano and Vocals (1990) Peter and the Wolf (1991) A Twist of Lemmon/Some Like It Hot (Collector's Choice reissue, 2001)
References