1925-06-03 Bronx, New York, USA
Tony Curtis (June 3, 1925 – September 29, 2010) was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama. In his later years, Curtis made numerous television appearances. Although his early film roles were partly the result of his good looks, by the later half of the 1950's he became a notable and strong screen presence. He began proving himself to be a “fine dramatic actor,” having the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles. In his earliest parts he acted in a string of "mediocre" films, including swashbucklers, westerns, light comedies, sports films, and a musical. However, by the time he starred in Houdini (1953) with his wife Janet Leigh, "his first clear success," notes critic David Thomson, his acting had progressed immensely. He won his first serious recognition as a skilled dramatic actor in Sweet Smell of Success (1957) with co-star Burt Lancaster. The following year he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in another drama, The Defiant Ones (1958). Curtis then gave what many believe was his best acting, in a completely different role, the comedy Some Like It Hot (1959). Thomson calls it an "outrageous film," and it was voted the number 1 funniest film in history from a survey done by the American Film Institute. It costarred Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, and was directed by Billy Wilder. That was followed by Blake Edwards’ comedy Operation Petticoat (1959) with Cary Grant. They were both “frantic comedies,” and displayed "his impeccable comic timing." He often collaborated with Edwards on later films. His most significant serious part came in 1968 when he starred in the true-life drama The Boston Strangler, which some consider his "last major film role." The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his "chilling portrayal" of serial killer Albert DeSalvo. He gained 30 pounds and had his face "rebuilt" with a false nose to look like the real DeSalvo. Curtis was the father of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis by his first wife, actress Janet Leigh.
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From Roger Moore with Love | Self (archive footage) | 2024-12-15 |
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Rat Pack | Self (archive footage) | 2022-01-11 |
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Amicalement vôtre : Hollywood au service de sa Majesté | Danny Wilde | 2017-07-05 |
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Marlon Brando, un acteur nommé désir | Self - Actor (archive footage) | 2014-09-20 |
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Tony Curtis - le gamin de Bronx | Self | 2012-03-20 |
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Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe | Self (archive footage) | 2012-05-15 |
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That's Insignificance | Self | 2011-06-14 |
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Marilyn Monroe - Ich möchte geliebt werden | Self | 2010-02-10 |
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Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff | Eric (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2010-05-05 |
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Tony Curtis erzählt... | Self | 2010-10-03 |
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Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel | Self | 2009-09-12 |
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David & Fatima | Mr. Schwartz | 2008-06-27 |
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The Jill & Tony Curtis Story | 2008-04-27 | |
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The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot' | Self | 2006-06-25 |
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The Making of 'Some Like It Hot' | Self | 2006-06-25 |
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Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten | Self (archive footage) | 2006-03-15 |
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Hollywood Legenden | Self | 2004-01-01 |
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Hugh Hefner: American Playboy | Self | 2003-11-18 |
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Reflections of Evil | Host | 2002-03-22 |
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Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot | Self | 2001-12-31 |
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Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot' | Self | 2001-05-22 |
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Rescued from the Closet | Self | 2001-05-29 |
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Play It to the Bone | Tony Curtis (Ringside Fan) | 1999-12-25 |
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Stargames | King Fendel | 1998-06-03 |
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Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever | Bernard (voice) | 1998-12-15 |
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Louis & Frank | Lenny Star Springer | 1998-07-08 |
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Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball | Wald | 1997-03-30 |
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Elvis Meets Nixon | Tony Curtis | 1997-08-12 |
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The Continued Adventures of Reptile Man | Jack Steele | 1997-05-13 |
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The Celluloid Closet | Self | 1996-03-15 |
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Roger Moore: A Matter of Class | Self | 1995-11-16 |
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The Immortals | Dominic | 1995-10-05 |
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Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit | Lucky Bergstrom | 1994-04-03 |
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A Century of Cinema | Self | 1994-01-01 |
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Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor | Johnny Steele | 1994-11-09 |
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The Mummy Lives | Aziru / Dr. Mohassid | 1993-07-10 |
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Naked in New York | Carl Fisher | 1993-11-10 |
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Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time | Self | 1992-01-01 |
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Christmas in Connecticut | Alexander Yardley | 1992-12-22 |
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Center of the Web | Stephen Moore | 1992-05-15 |
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Prime Target | Copella | 1991-09-27 |
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Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box | Narrator (voice) / Self | 1991-11-29 |
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Lobster Man from Mars | J.P. Shelldrake | 1990-02-09 |
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Thanksgiving Day | Max Schloss | 1990-11-19 |
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Walter og Carlo: I Amerika | WIlly La Rouge | 1989-11-24 |
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Tarzan in Manhattan | Archimedes Porter | 1989-04-15 |
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Midnight | Mr. B | 1989-07-01 |
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Der Passagier - Welcome to Germany | Mr. Cornfield | 1988-05-04 |
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Sparky's Magic Piano | 1987-01-01 | |
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Mafia Princess | Sam Giancana | 1986-01-19 |
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Banter | Charles Foster | 1986-08-25 |
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Club Life | Hector | 1986-02-20 |
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The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal | Self | 1986-07-31 |
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Murder in Three Acts | Charles Cartwright | 1986-10-01 |
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Insignificance | The Senator | 1985-08-02 |
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Half Nelson | 1985-03-24 | |
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Where Is Parsifal? | Parsifal Katzanella-Boden | 1984-01-01 |
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Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1983-02-25 |
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BrainWaves | Dr. Clavius | 1983-08-05 |
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Balboa | Ernie Stoddard | 1983-01-02 |
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Otelo (Comando negro) | Col. Iago | 1982-11-15 |
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Portrait of a Showgirl | Joey DeLeon | 1982-04-09 |
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Magic with the Stars | Harry Houdini (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1982-01-17 |
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The Million Dollar Face | Chester Masterson | 1981-03-12 |
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Inmates: A Love Story | Flanagan | 1981-02-13 |
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The Scarlett O'Hara War | David O. Selznick | 1980-05-19 |
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The Mirror Crack'd | Martin N. Fenn | 1980-09-19 |
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It Rained All Night the Day I Left | Robert Talbot | 1980-08-05 |
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The Masqueraders | Danny Wilde | 1980-01-01 |
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Little Miss Marker | Blackie | 1980-03-21 |
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Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration | Self | 1979-05-07 |
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Death Becomes Me | Danny Wilde/Aunt Sophie Schwartz | 1979-01-01 |
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Title Shot | Frank Renzetti | 1979-09-09 |
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The Manitou | Harry Erskine | 1978-04-28 |
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Sextette | Alexei Karansky | 1978-03-03 |
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The Bad News Bears Go to Japan | Marvin Lazar | 1978-06-30 |
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The Users | Randy Brent | 1978-10-01 |
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Casanova & Co. | Giacomo Casanova / Giacomino | 1977-03-01 |
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The Last Appointment! | Danny Wilde | 1977-06-11 |
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The Switch | Danny Wilde | 1976-06-07 |
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The Last Tycoon | Rodriguez | 1976-11-18 |
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Lepke | Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter | 1975-05-23 |
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The Count of Monte-Cristo | Fernand Morcerf Mondego | 1975-10-31 |
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Sporting Chance | Danny Wilde | 1975-01-01 |
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London Conspiracy | Danny Wilde | 1974-10-04 |
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Mission: Monte Carlo | Danny Wilde | 1974-01-01 |
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The Third Girl from the Left | Joey Jordan | 1973-10-16 |
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The Persuaders! | Danny Wilde | 1973-04-01 |
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Norman Jewison, Film Maker | Self (uncredited) | 1971-01-01 |
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You Can't Win 'Em All | Adam Dyer | 1970-07-23 |
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Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? | Shannon Gambroni | 1970-09-11 |
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Monte Carlo or Bust! | Chester Schofield | 1969-04-28 |
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Rosemary's Baby | Donald Baumgart (voice) (uncredited) | 1968-06-12 |
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The Boston Strangler | Albert DeSalvo | 1968-10-08 |
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Don't Make Waves | Carlo Cofield | 1967-06-20 |
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La cintura di castità | Guerrando da Montone | 1967-12-01 |
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The Legend of Marilyn Monroe | 1966-11-30 | |
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Chamber of Horrors | Mr. Julian | 1966-10-19 |
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Arrivederci, Baby! | Nick Johnson | 1966-12-28 |
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Not With My Wife, You Don't! | Tom Ferris | 1966-11-02 |
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Boeing, Boeing | Bernard Lawrence | 1965-12-22 |
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The Great Race | The Great Leslie | 1965-07-01 |
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Wild and Wonderful | Terry Williams | 1964-06-09 |
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Sex and the Single Girl | Bob Weston | 1964-12-25 |
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Paris When It Sizzles | Actor Portraying Maurice or Philippe (uncredited) | 1964-03-01 |
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Goodbye Charlie | George Wellington Tracy | 1964-11-18 |
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Captain Newman, M.D. | Cpl. Jackson "Jake" Leibowitz | 1963-12-25 |
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The List of Adrian Messenger | Organ Grinder | 1963-05-23 |
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Taras Bulba | Andrei Bulba | 1962-11-21 |
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40 Pounds of Trouble | Steve McCluskey | 1962-12-31 |
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The Outsider | Ira Hamilton Hayes | 1961-12-27 |
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Spartacus | Antoninus | 1960-10-13 |
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The Great Impostor | Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. / Martin Donner / Dr. Gilbert / Ben. W. Stone / Dr. Joseph Mornay / Robert Boyd Hammnd | 1960-12-23 |
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Pepe | Tony Curtis | 1960-12-21 |
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The Rat Race | Pete Hammond Jr. | 1960-07-10 |
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Who Was That Lady? | David Wilson | 1960-04-08 |
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Menschen, Hoffnungen, Medaillen | Self | 1960-03-14 |
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Operation Petticoat | Lieutenant Nicholas Holden | 1959-12-05 |
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Some Like It Hot | Joe (Josephine) | 1959-03-19 |
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The Perfect Furlough | Cpl. Paul Hodges | 1958-11-30 |
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Kings Go Forth | Caporal Britt Harris | 1958-06-28 |
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The Defiant Ones | John 'Joker' Jackson | 1958-08-14 |
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The Vikings | Eric | 1958-06-11 |
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Sweet Smell of Success | Sidney Falco | 1957-07-04 |
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Mister Cory | Cory | 1957-02-23 |
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The Midnight Story | Joe Martini | 1957-06-04 |
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The Rawhide Years | Ben Matthews | 1956-07-01 |
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Nightmare | Tony | 1956-01-01 |
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Trapeze | Tino Orsini | 1956-05-30 |
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The Purple Mask | Rene de Traviere / The Purple Mask | 1955-06-15 |
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Allen in Movieland | Self | 1955-07-02 |
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Six Bridges to Cross | Jerry Florea | 1955-01-21 |
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The Square Jungle | Eddie Quaid / Packy Glennon | 1955-12-30 |
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The Black Shield of Falworth | Myles Falworth | 1954-09-02 |
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So This Is Paris | Joe Maxwell | 1954-12-15 |
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A Star Is Born World Premiere | Self | 1954-09-28 |
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Beachhead | Burke | 1954-02-05 |
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Miss Glucksman Visits Hollywood | 1954-04-18 | |
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Johnny Dark | Johnny Dark | 1954-06-25 |
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The World's Most Beautiful Girls | Self | 1953-01-29 |
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Forbidden | Eddie Darrow | 1953-12-02 |
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Houdini | Harry Houdini | 1953-07-02 |
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The All American | Nick Bonelli | 1953-10-01 |
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Son of Ali Baba | Kashma Baba | 1952-08-15 |
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Come Back Little Shiksa | 1952-01-01 | |
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No Room for the Groom | Alvah Morrell | 1952-06-13 |
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Meet Danny Wilson | Nightclub Patron | 1952-02-08 |
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Flesh and Fury | Paul Callan | 1952-06-26 |
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An Eye for an Eye | 1952-01-02 | |
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Fairfax Avenue | 1951-01-01 | |
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The Prince Who Was a Thief | Julna | 1951-05-17 |
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The Re-Inforcer | Baffo | 1951-10-04 |
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Kansas Raiders | Kit Dalton | 1950-11-15 |
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I Was a Shoplifter | Pepe | 1950-05-13 |
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Francis | Captain Jones | 1950-02-08 |
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Sierra | Brent Coulter | 1950-05-26 |
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Woman in Hiding | Dave Shaw (voice) (uncredited) | 1950-01-06 |
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Winchester '73 | Doan | 1950-07-12 |
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How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border | 1949-01-01 | |
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Criss Cross | Gigolo (uncredited) | 1949-02-04 |
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City Across the River | Mitch (as Anthony Curtis) | 1949-04-07 |
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The Lady Gambles | Bellboy (as Anthony Curtis) | 1949-05-20 |
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Johnny Stool Pigeon | Joey Hyatt (as Anthony Curtis) | 1949-04-20 |
