Jack Lemmon (1925–2001)

Jack Lemmon, February 8, 1925 - June 27, 2001 John Uhler Lemmon III was born on February 8, 1925 in an elevator in a Newton, Massachusettes hospital. His father was a baker and Jack led a comfortable life. He had his first acting job at the age of 4 in an amateur play and taught himself to play the show more piano since he loved music so much. Lemmon attended Harvard where he accomplished mediocre grades in all his classes except drama, which he excelled in. After college, Lemmon joined the Navy during World War II and on his arrival home from the war, announced his intentions to become an actor. Lemmon then moved to New York and earned money from some acting jobs as well as playing the piano in a saloon. He got his first break when he got a role on a radio soap opera called, "The Brighter Day." By the 40's, television was fast becomg the nation's entertainment and Lemmon was there, in shows such as, "Studio One." His first Broadway play was a revival called "Room Service," which only lasted two weeks but allowed an acting scout from Columbia Pictures to see his work and then reccomend him for a lead part opposite Judy Holliday in "It Should Happen to You." The Studio boss at Columbia tried to get Jack to change his name, but he stood his ground and was allowed to keep both is name and the role. Lemmon did another movie with Holliday, called "Phffft" and a musical with Betty Grable and was then loaned to Warner Brothers in 1955, to perform in the film "Mr. Rogers," for which he received his first Oscar for a supporting actor. Lemmon was often portayed as a well meaning fellow who was taken advantage of by his sidkick or cohorts. In "The Odd Couple," one of the productions that Lemmon is best known for, he played the fastidious Felix Unger who was tormented by the slovenly ways of his roommate played by Walter Matthau. From that televisio show on, the two played in countless movies together, the perfect complements to one another. In 1962, Lemmon switched from comedies to in depth dramas. In "Days of Wine and Roses," he played an alchoholic who draws his wife into his disease, this performance earns him his first academy award nomination for lead actor in a movie. Over the course of his career, lemmon was nominated seven times for lead actor, two for comedies and five for dramas. In 1973, Lemmon won the Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of a dress manufacturer involved in some less than ethical business transactions in "Save the Tiger." show less