Tony Curtis
Legendary film star, Tony Curtis, died of cardiac arrest at his Las Vegas home Wednesday night, according to his daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis.
Curtis, the son of Jewish immigrants from Hungary, was born Bernard Schwartz in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, on June 3, 1925. He arrived in Hollywood in 1948 and was placed under contract at Universal. He began with a few small roles that led to the 1952 hit “No Room For The Groom.” He took his name from the novel and film Anthony Adverse and “Kurtz,” a family name.
Curtis was probably best known for his roles in the 1959 movie “Some Like it Hot” with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon and “Spartacus” in 1960 with Kirk Douglas.
In 1958, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assocation named Mr. Curtis “the world’s favorite movie actor.” At the time he was Hollywood royalty, married to a fellow movie star, Janet Leigh.
His final film appearance was in the 2008 indie “David & Fatima,” in which he played a character named Mr. Schwartz.
In a statement, Jamie Lee Curtis said, “My father leaves behind a legacy of great performances in movies and in his paintings and assemblages. He leaves behind children and their families who loved him and respected him and a wife and in-laws who were devoted to him. He also leaves behind fans all over the world. He will be greatly missed..”
