Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman VHS
As adept with comedic roles as he is with dramatic, the two-time Academy Award-winner is saluted with this wonderful retrospective narrated by Lemmon himself. Along with clips from such films as "Mister Roberts," "The Apartment," "Days of Wine and Roses" and "The Odd Couple," there are interviews with such colleagues as Walter Matthau, Gregory Peck and Kevin Spacey. 53 min.
Walter Matthau: Diamond In The Rough VHS
Fighting the type-casting that saw him as a character actor, Walter Matthau went on to become an Oscar-winning lead of both comedies and dramas. Matthau serves as narrator for this look back on his acclaimed film work, with clips from such movies as "The Odd Couple," "The Sunshine Boys" and "Grumpier Old Men" and interviews with Jack Lemmon, Neil Simon and Ossie Davis. 55 min.
Atomic Attack(1950) VHS
The typical suburban lifestyle of the Mitchell family is rudely interrupted when New York City, 50 miles away, gets bombed out of existence. The sobering, if optimistic, look at post-nuclear survival was broadcast on "The Magnavox TV Hour" and stars Phyllis Thaxter, Patty McCormack, and a young Walter Matthau as a Geiger counter-wielding doctor. 50 min.
The Last Cruise(1952) VHS
A pre-Hollywood Walter Matthau stars in this armed forces-themed early TV drama from "Westinghouse Studio One," scripted by novelist and Navy Commander William Lederer ("The Ugly American") and dedicated to the crews of the USS Cochino and USS Tusk submarines. 56 min.
Suspense(1953) VHS
Two episodes from early TV anthology. ``F.O.B. Vienna'' stars Walter Matthau and Jayne Meadows in a tale of espionage, while a murderer is haunted by his conscience in ``All Hallow's Eve,'' with Franchot Tone. 54 min. total.
The Kentuckian(1955) VHS
Spirited adventure saga set in the 1820s, with Burt Lancaster (who also directed) as a widower who takes his young son with him on a journey from his native Kentucky to Texas. Along the way he visits his well-meaning relatives, frees and befriends a female bondslave and is confronted by a nasty saloon owner. Donald MacDonald, Diana Lynn and Walter Matthau (in his film debut) co-star. 103 min.
A Face In The Crowd(1957) VHS
Andy Griffith plays a Southern singer catapulted to fame, with dehumanizing effects, in this early look at ``television celebrity'' from director Elia Kazan. Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau and Lee Remick co-star; screenplay by Budd Schulberg. 125 min.
Onionhead(1958) VHS
Oklahoma college boy Andy Griffith gives up on school after things don't work out with his girlfriend and enlists in the Coast Guard, where he's soon preparing dishes alongside wise-cracking master cook Walter Matthau. This humorous military comedy also stars Felicia Farr, Ray Danton and Joey Bishop. 110 min.
King Creole [DVD](1958) DVD
One of Elvis Presley's finer acting roles came in this drama based on a novel by Harold Robbins. Elvis plays a singing busboy in New Orleans who gets a job from gangster Walter Matthau as a singer in a mob-owned nightclub. With Carolyn Jones, Dolores Hart, Vic Morrow; songs include "Hard-Headed Woman," "Crawfish" and the title tune. 115 min.
Gangster Story(1959) VHS
Walter Matthau's only directorial effort features the actor as a crafty mobster whose independence and style anger the area's reigning crime boss. The two crooks eventually unite, much to the chagrin of Matthau's girlfriend, who's trying to get him to change his life. Carol Grace, Bruce McFarlan also star. 65 min.
Who's Got The Action?(1962) VHS
When attorney Dean Martin keeps blowing his pay on the ponies, wife Lana Turner arranges to become his bookie in order to save their household. Comic trouble arises when Dino wins big and she can't pay off his and his friends' wagers. Fast-paced comedy also stars Eddie Albert, Walter Matthau. 93 min.
Lonely Are The Brave(1962) VHS
Kirk Douglas plays a middle-aged cowboy who is thrown in jail when trying to help a friend and an exciting chase ensues upon his escape. Classic "new style" Western stars Gena Rowlands, Walter Matthau. 107 min.
Charade(1963) VHS
Elegant Hitchcock-like thriller has Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn put through a maze of danger and suspense in Paris, as a group of men pursue Hepburn, thinking she knows the location of a cache of stolen gold. With Walter Matthau, James Coburn. 113 min.
Goodbye Charlie(1964) VHS
A Hollywood writer and playboy is shot and killed by an angry film producer after being caught with his wife, but gets his chance for revenge--and a lesson in sexism--when he's reincarnated as a beautiful woman. Debbie Reynolds stars as "Charlie," with Tony Curtis as her confused best friend, in this lively filming of George Axelrod's play. With Walter Matthau, Pat Boone.
Fail-Safe(1964) VHS
Tense Cold War drama about a squad of American bombers accidentally sent to deliver a nuclear payload on the Soviet Union and unable to be called back, while president Henry Fonda and his advisors try to stop the attack from starting World War III. With Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver, Dan O'Herlihy. 111 min.
Ensign Pulver(1964) VHS
Robert Walker takes over the title role played by Jack Lemmon in this service farce sequel to "Mister Roberts," teaming with ship's doctor Walter Matthau to make life miserable for hard-nosed captain Burl Ives. The supporting cast includes several future stars, Jack Nicholson, Larry Hagman, James Coco and Nick Adams among them. 104 min.
The Fortune Cookie(1966) VHS
Jack Lemmon and Oscar-winning Walter Matthau star in Billy Wilder's hilarious, cynical fable about a TV cameraman who is injured while shooting a football game and his brother-in-law, a conniving lawyer with a plan to collect $1 million in insurance money. With Ron Rich, Cliff Osmond, Judi West. 125 min.
A Guide For The Married Man(1967) VHS
A delicious farce that finds faithful husband Walter Matthau taking lessons in infidelity from neighbor Robert Morse. The wacky cast includes Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, Jayne Mansfield, Inger Stevens, Phil Silvers and Sid Caesar; directed by Gene Kelly. 91 min.
The Secret Life Of An American Wife(1968) VHS
A neglected wife cooks up an idea to prove she is still desirable: sleep with her adman husband's celebrity client, "the most physically and sexually attractive man in the world." Walter Matthau and Anne Jackson star in a delightful comedy. 97 min.
Candy(1968) VHS
The notorious best-seller by Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg is brought to the screen in all of its satirically erotic, psychedelic glory, as naive and luscious teenager Ewa Aulin finds the road to sexual awakening is paved with kooks who want to seduce her. Among them are guru Marlon Brando, poet Richard Burton, general Walter Matthau, surgeon James Coburn, gardener Ringo Starr, hunchback Charles Aznavour, and even uncle John Astin (who also plays her father). Includes the original theatrical trailer. 124 min.
The Odd Couple [DVD](1968) DVD
Neil Simon's Broadway classic (reportedly based on his brother's life) stars Jack Lemmon as the agonizingly neat Felix Unger and Walter Matthau as the compulsively disheveled Oscar Madison, two divorced men who share a New York apartment...and a desire to wring each other's neck. Co-stars Herb Edelman, John Fiedler, and Monica Evans and Carole Shelley as the Pigeon Sisters. 105 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English 5.1 and mono, French; Subtitles: English; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Cactus Flower [DVD](1969) DVD
Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman and Oscar-winner Goldie Hawn star in this laugh-filled hit from Broadway, about a lecherous bachelor dentist who enlists the aid of his prudish nurse to pose as his wife and meet his ditzy "mistress." Co-stars Jack Weston, Rick Lenz. 103 min.
Kotch(1971) VHS
Decades before "Grumpy Old Men," Jack Lemmon directed buddy Walter Matthau in this comedy/drama about an independent septuagenarian whose presence in his son's family's house causes friction. Unwilling to go to a retirement home, Matthau sets out on his own and winds up looking after a pregnant teen runaway. Deborah Winters, Charles Aidman, Felicia Farr also star. 114 min.
Plaza Suite(1971) VHS
Walter Matthau plays three different roles in this Neil Simon comedy about a posh hotel suite and the misadventures that befall its occupants. Maureen Stapleton, Lee Grant, Barbara Harris and Louise Sorel play the various women in Walter's life in this funny trilogy of stories. 115 min.
A New Leaf(1971) VHS
A wickedly funny story of love and murder, starring Walter Matthau as a bankrupt playboy whose plans to knock off his rich new wife constantly go awry. Writer/director Elaine May is hilarious as the clumsy bride who leads a charmed life. With James Coco, Jack Weston. 102 min.
Pete 'N' Tillie(1972) VHS
The marriage of a spinsterish secretary (Carol Burnett) and an unreliable prankster (Walter Matthau) produces a son, some laughs and a few tears in Martin Ritt's offbeat love story, co-starring Geraldine Page, Barry Nelson. 100 min.
Awake And Sing! [DVD](1972) DVD
Clifford Odets' 1935 play is revised for this powerful television production, a look at the Bergers, a Jewish family living in the Bronx during the Depression. The family faces financial problems and takes in boarder Walter Matthau, a World War I veteran who lost a leg in battle. While the Bergers struggle to survive, Marxist-leaning grandfather Leo Fuchs attempts to get the family out of their funk. Ruth Storey, Felicia Farr, Martin Ritt, Robert Lipton and Ron Rifkin also star. 120 min.
The Laughing Policeman(1973) VHS
A madman guns down a busload of people, including a police officer, in San Francisco, and as reluctantly partnered detectives Walter Matthau and Bruce Dern investigate the shooting, a bizarre sex scandal is uncovered. Violent thriller, based on a Per Wahloo/Maj Sjowall novel, also stars Lou Gossett, Albert Paulsen, Cathy Lee Crosby. 111 min.
The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three(1974) VHS
First-rate crime thriller about a quartet of criminals who commandeer a New York City subway car and hold its occupants hostage for a million-dollar ransom. Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam and Hector Elizondo star. 104 min.
The Sunshine Boys(1975) VHS
Two aging and feuding former vaudevillians, played by Walter Matthau and Oscar-winner George Burns (in his first starring role since 1939), reluctantly agree to reteam for a TV special in this witty adaptation of Neil Simon's hit play. Co-stars Richard Benjamin, Lee Meredith, Howard Hesseman; directed by Herbert Ross. 111 min.
The Bad News Bears [DVD](1976) DVD
Hilarious horsehide hoot about a bottom-of-the-barrel Little League team that's raised from dead last with the arrival of a female pitcher (Tatum O'Neal) and a beer-swilling coach (Walter Matthau). Co-stars Vic Morrow, Joyce Van Patten, Jackie Earle Haley; scripted by Bill Lancaster (Burt's son). 102 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby 5.1, French mono; Subtitles: English; scene access.
California Suite [DVD](1978) DVD
A wild array of characters make Neil Simon's comic look at a posh L.A. hotel a place you'll want to visit again and again. Alan Alda, Jane Fonda, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Walter Matthau, Michael Caine and Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winner Maggie Smith star. 103 min. Widescreen and Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Surround, French; Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai.
Little Miss Marker(1980) VHS
Bookmaker Walter Matthau is beside himself when a customer's 6-year-old daughter is left as a down payment on a bet and he must care for the child in this fun-filled remake of the Damon Runyon story. With Julie Andrews, Tony Curtis, Bob Newhart and Sara Stimson. 103 min.
First Monday In October(1981) VHS
The appointment of the first woman to the U.S. Supreme Court is the basis for this comedy, released just before Sandra O'Connor earned the job in real life. Walter Matthau is a veteran liberal justice; Jill Clayburgh, the conservative nominated for the job. 99 min.
Buddy Buddy(1981) VHS
Master funnymen Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon reteam with "Fortune Cookie" director Billy Wilder in this blackly funny farce, based on the French film "A Pain in the A--," about a hit man whose latest job goes awry when he gets involved with a cuckolded husband out to kill himself. With Paula Prentiss, Klaus Kinski. 96 min. This tape is previously viewed. Manufacturer: MGM/UA Home Video. Box condition: B. Tape appearance: B.
I Ought To Be In Pictures(1982) VHS
Neil Simon's affectionate look at the relationship between father and daughter. Dinah Manoff hitchhikes from Brooklyn to Hollywood to meet up with her long-lost father (Walter Matthau). Ann-Margret co-stars. 107 min.
The Survivors [DVD](1983) DVD
After suffering the indignity of being fired by a parrot(!), business executive Robin Williams strikes up an unlikely friendship with former gas station owner Walter Matthau. And when the pair witness a robbery by a mob hit man, only a stint in a survivalist training program can save their keisters. Co-stars Jerry Reed, Kristen Vigard. 102 min.
The Couch Trip(1988) VHS
Escaped mental patient Dan Aykroyd winds up impersonating a radio psychiatrist and hobnobbing with the Beverly Hills rich and famous in this barbed look at pop celebrity. Crazy comedy with Walter Matthau, Charles Grodin, Donna Dixon. 98 min.
Dennis The Menace (Spanish Subtitled Version)(1993) VHS
In English with Spanish subtitles.
Dennis The Menace(1993) VHS
The irascible comic-strip tike who can't stop getting into everyone's hair makes it to the big screen in this slapstick-happy farce from producer John Hughes. While staying with Mr. Wilson (Walter Matthau), Dennis (Mason Gamble) is kidnapped by a sinister thief named Switchblade Sam (Christopher Lloyd). With Lea Thompson, Joan Plowright. 96 min.
Grumpy Old Men [DVD](1993) DVD
The long-running feud between small-town Minnesota neighbors Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau takes on new proportions when sexy redhead Ann-Margret moves onto the block and is pursued by both of them. A fun-filled reteaming of the classic comedy pair offers hilariously salty dialogue and poignant moments. With Kevin Pollak, Daryl Hannah and Burgess Meredith. 104 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English, French; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; filmographies; production notes; scene access; theatrical trailer.
I.Q.(1994) VHS
Fanciful farce in which Princeton car mechanic Tim Robbins is helped in his romantic pursuit of academic-minded Meg Ryan by her uncle--Albert Einstein (Walter Matthau). A witty script and engaging performances by the leads and supporting players (Gene Saks, Lou Jacobi) help make this a comic winner. 92 min.
Grumpier Old Men [DVD](1995) DVD
Riotous hit sequel finds Jack Lemmon happily married to Ann-Margret, while romance enters Walter Matthau's life when Sophia Loren takes over the local bait shop. But when wedding plans of Lemmon's and Matthau's children go awry, the rivalry begins again between the crusty adversaries. With Burgess Meredith, Kevin Pollak and Daryl Hannah. 101 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English, French, Spanish; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; filmographies; production notes; scene access; theatrical trailers.
The Grass Harp(1996) VHS
Truman Capote's autobiographical story is turned into a sweet-natured coming-of-age film centered on a young boy who is sent by his widower father to live with his two aunts in a small Southern town in the 1940s. The boy learns a series of important lessons from the women, one of whom is stern and greedy, the other simple and good-natured. The superb cast includes Edward Furlong, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Piper Laurie, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. 107 min.
I'm Not Rappaport(1996) VHS
In Herb Gardener's adaptation of his hit play, Walter Matthau plays Nat Moyer, an elderly man who spends much of his time telling stories and complaining to pal Midge Carter (Ossie Davis) in Central Park. The men's future is put in jeopardy when Moyer's daughter tries to get him declared legally incompetent and Carter is slated to be fired from his job. Amy Irving also stars. 137 min.
Out To Sea(1997) VHS
Wheeler-dealer Walter Matthau arranges a free luxury Caribbean vacation for himself and widowed brother-in-law Jack Lemmon, but neglects to tell Lemmon that they'll be earning their keep on the "golden agers" cruise by serving as the ship's dance hosts, in this riotous nautical romp. Dyan Cannon, Gloria De Haven and Brent Spiner also star. 105 min.
The Odd Couple II [DVD](1998) DVD
Thirty years after they made the world laugh hysterically as Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar, Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon return in a riotous sequel penned by Neil Simon. Can the feuding former roommates tolerate each other long enough to survive a wacky road trip to see Oscar's son marry Felix's daughter? Christine Baranski, Barnard Hughes and Jonathan Silverman also star. 97 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English 5.1 and Dolby Surround, French; Subtitles: English, Spanish; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Hanging Up(2000) VHS
A trio of sisters--high-powered magazine editor Diane Keaton, housewife and would-be party planner Meg Ryan, and flighty soap actress Lisa Kudrow--have to learn to put their cell phones down and function as a family when aging father Walter Matthau suffers a stroke in this funny and touching seriocomedy. Scripted by Nora and Delia Ephron and directed by Keaton. 95 min.
The Life And Times Of Hank Greenberg(2000) VHS
A decade before Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line, Detroit Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg waged a similar campaign against anti-Semitism, becoming a hero to Jews and non-Jews across America and homering his way into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Aviva Kempner's wonderful documentary mixes vintage game clips, interviews with Greenberg and his family and teammates, and reminiscences from such fans as Walter Matthau, Alan Dershowitz and others. 95 min.
King Creole(1958) VHS
The Odd Couple(1968) VHS
Cactus Flower(1969) VHS
California Suite(1978) VHS
The Survivors(1983) VHS
Grumpy Old Men(1993) VHS
Grumpier Old Men(1995) VHS
The Odd Couple II(1998) VHS