Tony Curtis dies

**tankie** · 30 Sep 10, 10:53

RIP Tony , i enjoyed a lot of his films , the vikings being one . Also my mate and naybor died last night as well , they both liked a drink so they will be in good company

**gunnut** · 30 Sep 10, 19:28

Whoa! I didn't even see this in the news.

RIP

**Parihaka** · 30 Sep 10, 20:31

RIP to Tony Curtis, I liked his style. Tankie, sorry for your loss mate

**tankie** · 30 Sep 10, 21:17

Cheers Iian , he will be missed .

S2 · 01 Oct 10, 08:19

Loved The Vikings, Spartacus, Forty Pounds Of Trouble and The Boston Strangler. Actually could be a great actor around a strong script. He WILL be missed. I mourn too, Eric.

**tankie** · 01 Oct 10, 12:19

Originally Posted by S-2

Loved The Vikings, Spartacus, Forty Pounds Of Trouble and The Boston Strangler. Actually could be a great actor around a strong script. He WILL be missed. I mourn too, Eric.

Sorry to hear that Steve , but yes , the Boston Strangler was probably his most serious role , i also enjoyed some like it hot , IM SPARTACUS

S2 · 01 Oct 10, 18:08

"some like it hot..."

Brilliant movie. Jack Lemmon and him were awesome together. Can't believe I forgot it. Houdini was excellent. Probably others too. Advancing years and all that rot...

**Aryajet** · 01 Oct 10, 18:41

R.I.P Tony Curtis. Good name, good memories left behind, he'll be missed.

**tankie** · 01 Oct 10, 21:34

Some like it hot is being screened tonight , RESPECT .

**RustyBattleship** · 02 Oct 10, 05:30

Tony Curtiss (birth name Bernard Swartz) seemed happiest playing Houdini with Janet Leigh (his wife then) playing Houdini's wife who was alos a beautiful blond. Tony's pride in the role was both he and Houdini were Hungarians.

Some years ago, my step father-in-law picked up a small book titled "Famous Hungarians in America". I thumbed through it quickly but my eye caught an American sounding name. Thumbing back I found that Tony Curtis was listed as a famous Hungarian.

Research time. Tony's parents were immigrants from Hungary. In an interview on one of the late night talk shows he confessed to the fact that he could speak Hungarian before he could speak English, and then his English was with a Bronx accent. Tony visited Hungary a number of times and was very well appreciated.

As for Houdini, he was actually a trapeze artist from Budapest but his family settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. And Houdini was not his birth name either but a variation of another illusionist by the name of Robert Houdin.

The role I think Tony Curtis was the wrong person to cast was that of Ezra Hayes, one of the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. Tony did not look right for the part and it seemed he did not like acting the part.

Though people laud his role in Spartacus, I think he did much better in "The Vikings". As for period movies that is. He also did very well on a TV series with Roger Moore.

He will be sorely missed, but very well remembered.