USA: FLOWERS ARE PLACED ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME IN MEMORY OF JACK LEMMON WHO DIED ON WEDNESDAY

Record ID: 391448

  • Title: USA: FLOWERS ARE PLACED ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME IN MEMORY OF JACK LEMMON WHO DIED ON WEDNESDAY
  • Date: 28th June 2001
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (FILE) (REUTERS) WIDE OF JACK LEMMON POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH WALTER MATTHAU, DURING CEREMONY HONORING MATTHAU (4 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Obituaries,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA1YFMJJQI24YZ2KNQOI00CH810
  • Story Text: Flowers were placed on Hollywood Boulevard at the star of veteran actor Jack Lemmon, who died Wednesday (June 27) at the age 76.
    Lemmon, a two-time Oscar winner and an Emmy winner for the TV movie "Tuesdays with Morrie," died Wednesday night.
    The Harvard-educated son of a baker, Lemmon dreamed of becoming an actor during a sickly boyhood. His father gave him the go-ahead -- $300 in cash and his blessing -- and Lemmon was off and running, winding up in Hollywood in the early 1950s as the co-star of Broadway great Judy Holliday in two films.
    During a ceremony on the Walk of Fame, Honorary Hollywood Mayor spoke fondly of Lemmon. " Jusst being Jack Lemmon was the role I like most because he was so geniune and people friendly. So many people have all kinds of security around them, he was very accessible. Hollywood -- well, the world -- will miss Jack Lemmon."
    Lemmon's career took off in 1955 when he won an Academy Award for best supporting actor as Ensign Pulver in "Mister Roberts." The role was ideal for Lemmon -- he played a dithering, conniving ship's officer who develops a backbone thanks to an inspiring mentor -- Henry Fonda as Mister Roberts.
    It was his first Oscar. He received the best actor award for "Save the Tiger" in 1973 for his portrayal of a clothing manufacturer trying desperately to save his business.
    Lemmon, who received six other Oscar nominations, was known for two great longtime screen collaborations -- one with director Billy Wilder and another with actor Walter Matthau.
    He made the Wilder-directed screen classic "Some Like it Hot" (1959), playing one of two Chicago musicians who hide out from the mob by posing as women. In the film he winds up being courted by a confused Joe E. Brown while his partner, played by Tony Curtis, does a lot better -- Marilyn Monroe.
    It was Wilder who teamed Lemmon with Matthau in "The Fortune Cookie" in 1966. They starred again together in the 1968 film version of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple," in which Lemmon played the fastidious "neatnik" to Matthau's total slob.In 1993, they made "Grumpy Old Men." Matthau died last year.
    Lemmon made seven films with Wilder and eight with Matthau.
    Whether playing the comically conniving Pulver or the desperate businessman in "Save the Tiger," Lemmon displayed a sense of humanity that audiences could easily relate to.
    Lemmon also starred in such popular movies as "The Apartment" (1960), "Days of Wine and Roses" (1962), "The Front Page" (1974), "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" (1975) and "The China Syndrome" (1979).
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