Humour and Charm in Serious Actor

Tony Curtis, American actor

Died aged 85

Tony Curtis Developed from a 1950s movie heart-throb into a respected actor, showing a streak of Determined That served him well in his films.

The Actor Died of cardiac arrest at home in Las Vegas. His sixth wife, Jill Curtis said: "All Tony ever wanted was To Be a movie star. They Did not Want to be the most dramatic actor. They Wanted To Be a movie star ever since they was a little kid."

Curtis Began acting in frivolous Movies exploiting his handsome physique and appealing personality, then more substantial Moved Thurs Roles. In 1958, The Defiant Ones Brought him an Academy Award nomination as best actor for his portrayal of a White Racist WHO escaped from prison handcuffed to a black man Played by Sidney Poitier.

The Following year, Curtis donned women's clothing and sparred with Marilyn Monroe in one of the most acclaimed film come ever dies, Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot.

British actor Roger Moore, WHO Alongside Curtis starred in TV's The Persuaders said "He was great fun to work" with, a great sense of humor and wonderful ad-libs. " Curtis' first wife was actress Janet Leigh, of Psycho fame, actress Jamie Lee Curtis is Their daughter. They struggled against Drug and Alcohol abuse as starring Roles dwindled, then bounced back in film and television as a character actor.

His brash optimism "when Returned But Those Opportunities Began Thurs Wane, they reinvented Himself as a writer and painter whose canvases fetched as much as $ 20,000.

Curtis (real name Bernie Schwartz) first attracted critical notice as Sidney Falco, a press agent seeking Favour with a sadistic columnist, Played by Burt Lancaster in the 1957 classic Sweet Smell of Success.

In 2000, an American Film Institute survey of the funniest films in history ranked Some Like It Hot No1. Curtis and Jack Lemmon play musicians WHO dress up as women Thurs escape retribution after witnessing a massacre Gangland.