Bernard Schwartz, better known as Tony Curtis, was born in the Bronx and started his career at the movies in 1949 coming from the theatre using at first James Curtis and later Anthony Curtis as names. He always tried to work in various genres in order to avoid being typecast. In the genre of comedy one has to mention e.g. Goodbye Charlie and at the adventures e.g. The Vikings. That he is also able to play more complex and psychological roles he showed in The Boston Strangler. Curtis also produced some movies and appeared after 1973 several times in different TV productions. His daughter Jamie Lee Curtis with his first wife Janet Leigh has followed her father successfully into the movie business.


Othello, el comando negro (1982): $300,000
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978): $150,000
Sextette (1978): $150,000
Casanova & Co. (1977): $300,000
The Boston Strangler (1968): $30,000/week
The Great Race (1965): $125,000
Operation Petticoat (1959): $700,000
The Vikings (1958): $25,000/week
Trapeze (1956): $150,000
Forbidden (1953): $1,500/week
The All American (1953): $1,500/week
Houdini (1953): $1,500/week
Flesh and Fury (1952): $700/week
Kansas Raiders (1950): $225/week
Winchester '73 (1950): $225/week
Criss Cross (1949): $75/week

Father of Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis (with Janet Leigh). His son Nicholas died of seizures due to an overdose of heroin (2 July 1994). Enjoys painting and creating shadow boxes. In late 2005, the Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY) acquired one of his canvasses for its permanent collection. Appears on sleeve of The Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" He made a literary cameo in Matt Whyman's debut romantic comedy novel, 'Man or Mouse', in which the main character, Ren, e-mails Curtis with his love-life problems, and finally meets him briefly. Was the inspiration for and voiced the character Stoney Curtis on an episode of "The Flintstones" (1960), along with Ann-Margret as Ann Marg-rock. Appeared in [i]Sugar[/i], a stage musical based on Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot (1959) . He appeared as millionaire Osgood Fielding III, the character played by Joe E. Brown in the film. Serving with _"F-Troop"(1963)(TV)_ actor Larry Storch in the US Navy from 1942 to 1945 aboard a submarine tender, he witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay from a vantage point 300 yards away. He and Storch have had a lifelong friendship. They appeared together in The Great Race (1965) . Nearly died in hospital from pneumonia at Christmas 2006. Has appeared in tourism advertisements for his ancestral homeland Hungary. Elvis Presley copied his duck-tail hairstyle after seeing it on screen. He enjoys playing the flute for pleasure and relaxation. He is a very accomplished player. Claims that his mother was physically abusive and that his father was impassive. Sixth wife Jill (since 1998), who is more than 40 years younger than he, runs a wild-horse refuge. Broke a Hollywood taboo in the 1950s by insisting that an African-American actor, Sidney Poitier, have co-starring billing next to him in the movie The Defiant Ones (1958). Admits that he is largely estranged from all six of his children, including actress Jamie Lee Curtis, one of his children by first wife Janet Leigh.