Jack Lemmon

One of the most consistently acclaimed actors in motion picture and television history, Jack Lemmon became the first man to win Academy Awards as both Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Mister Roberts” (1955) and Best Actor for “Save the Tiger” (1973). In between and after, Lemmon amassed an envious résumé of credits that included a wide range of comedic and dramatic roles. But most importantly, he enjoyed long-running collaborations with director Billy Wilder and actor Walter Matthau, both of whom helped Lemmon produce some of his finest work. Lemmon first worked with Wilder on the iconic comedy “Some Like it Hot” (1959) before again turning in a high-quality performance in “The Apartment” (1960. He went on to establish his dramatic bona fides with “Days of Wine and Rose” (1962) before starring opposite Matthau in their first partnership “The Fortune Cookie” (1966). But it was their iconic clashing of personalities in Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” (1968) that cemented their place as comedy partners in the public’s mind. Lemmon went on to a string of critical hits that garnered a number of awards and nominations, including “The China Syndrome” (1979), “Tribute” (1980) and “Missing” (1982). He delivered fine turns in “JFK” (1991) and “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992) before finding surprising commercial success alongside Matthau with “Grumpy Old Men” (1993) and “Grumpier Old Men” (1995). Though the pair faltered with “Out to Sea” (1997) and the ill-advised sequel “The Odd Couple II” (1998), Lemmon gave searing performances on the small screen in “12 Angry Men” (Showtime, 1997) and “Tuesdays with Morrie” (ABC, 1999), proving that his considerable gifts became more refined with age.