Matthau: A Life [Hardcover]

Rob Edelman (Author), Audrey Kupferberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2002

Funny yet down-to-earth, honest yet full of exaggeration, actor Walter Matthau (1920-2000) will always occupy a place in America's heart as one of the great comic talents of his generation. Born Walter Matuschanskayasky into Jewish tenements on New York's Lower East Side, he was a child actor in New York Yiddish theater, and later a World War II Air Force radioman-gunner. He paid dues for ten years on Broadway, in summer stock, and on television before landing his film debut The Kentuckian in 1955. By the time of his 1968 casting as cantankerous but lovable slob Oscar Madison in the film version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, Matthau had won major Hollywood stardom. Based on dozens of interviews and extensive research, this book covers the breadth of his often-complicated personal life and multi-faceted career, including his unforgettable performances in such films as The Fortune Cookie, A Guide for the Married Man, Plaza Suite, Charley Varrick, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Sunshine Boys, The Bad News Bears, California Suite, and Grumpy Old Men.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

During the 1965 filming of Mirage, director Edward Dmytryk told Walter Matthau (1920-2000), "you're going to become the greatest character actor in the business." The actor rejected that assessment, insisting he would become a leading man. Film professors Edelman and Kupferberg (coauthors of Angela Lansbury) offer an engaging chronicle of an actor who lacked leading man looks, whose own mother wanted him to have his nose fixed and who achieved stardom through sheer individuality and talent. Matthau grew up on Manhattan's Lower East Side and recalled his childhood as "a dreadful, horrible, stinking nightmare." His father deserted the family and his mother couldn't show affection, yet young Walter discovered a love of acting that led him to Broadway. The authors meticulously relate the story of his acting career, but more absorbing is their retelling of Matthau's obsessive gambling, which he describes as "worse than alcoholism... worse than cancer." Matthau never overcame his addiction, frequently working just to pay off debts. The enduring partnership between Matthau and Jack Lemmon supplies an opportunity for an in-depth portrait of both men, and Matthau's hatred of Hello, Dolly co-star Barbra Streisand, though familiar, gives the book an emotional bite. All the major points of Matthau's life are covered: winning an Oscar for The Fortune Cookie; his happy second marriage and intense adoration for his son, Charlie; his heavy smoking, multiple heart attacks and final bout with liver cancer. Although the writing style is undramatic and is often a low-key recitation of names, dates and events, there's enough fascinating new material to attract Matthau's many fans. Photos.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Matthau: A Life by Rob Edelman and Audrey Kupferberg is a telling book at the man behind this well-loved personality and luminary in America's television and film history. From the slums of New York's Lower East Side to the glamour of stardom, Walter Matthau's life story is as rag-to-riches as they come. (Turner Classic Movies.Com )

Matthau: a Life provides a comperhensive and entertaining tribute to the most unlikely movie star ever to grace the big screen. (Phil Hall New York Resident )

Matthau: a Life provides a comperhensive and entertaining tribute to the most unlikely movie star ever to grace the big screen. (Phil Hall New York Resident )

The authors meticulously relate the story of his acting career, but more absorbing is their retelling of Matthau's obsessive gambling, which he describes as "worse than alcoholism... worse than cancer." (Publishers Weekly )

The new book also rips the lid off Matthau's darkest secret- his lifelong obsession with gambling. Pals told the authors he would bet on anything- from horses to cockroaches. (Globe )

Rob Edelman and Audrey Kupferburg's Matthau: A Life is the authorized biography, and it's like sitting around the Hillcrest Country Club listening ro people tell hilarious stories about a very dear human being. (Scott Eyman Iowa Tribune )

Rob Edelman and Audrey Kupferburg's Matthau: A Life is the authorized biography, and it's like sitting around the Hillcrest Country Club listening ro people tell hilarious stories about a very dear human being. (Scott Eyman Iowa Tribune )

Matthau: A Life is a telling look at the man behind this well-loved personality and luminary in America's television and film histroy. (Big Reel )

Matthau: A Life is a telling look at the man behind this well-loved personality and luminary in America's television and film histroy. (Big Reel )

Walter Matthau was one of the greatest comic talents of our generation. In a new book, Rob Edelman and Audrey Kupferberg tell a compelling and comprehensive biography of Matthau. (Jewsweek.Com )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing; 1 edition (September 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087833274X
• ISBN-13: 978-0878332748
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book!!!!!!!, March 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Matthau: A Life (Hardcover)

I've always been a fan of Walter Matthau, and was looking forward to reading this book. I found that it was loaded with information about him. I didn't know that he appeared in so many 1950s television shows, for example, and that he acted in so many dramas before playing Oscar Madison. I also enjoyed reading about his childhood, his military service in World War II, and his friendship with Jack Lemmon. A first-class read!!!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book about an all time great star, January 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Matthau: A Life (Hardcover)

Walter Matthau is one of my favorite movie stars. He was a great comic actor, and (as noted in this book) he also played drama as well as just about anyone. Plus, off-camera, he was such a memorable personality. This book is loaded with facts and insight about Matthau's life, and interviews with people who knew him. I particularly loved reading about his childhood on the Lower East Side, his time spent during World War II, how he broke into the entertainment industry, and his lifelong gambling problem. Great book!!!!