Little did I realize that a man who was born with the supposed name of Walter Matasschanskayasky would become my movie idol during my early high school years. Fortunately for my sake, Walter changed his name to Matthau early in his career, a career that spanned five decades and over 60 films. Mr. Matthau was known for his droll comic style filled with sarcasm. His style makes me laugh at him and with him, and therefore lets me laugh at myself and the world around me. I, along with millions around the globe, was saddened by his death. But his work remains as a wonderful reminder to not take our world or ourselves too seriously.
Walter Matthau was born on October 1st, 1920 in New York City. His parents were a pair of Russian-Jewish immigrants. His father left home when Walter was only 3 years old. He lived with his older brother and his mother, a garment worker, on the Lower East Side of New York City. Performing was in his blood from the very beginning. Matthau started off by selling soft drinks and playing bit parts at a Yiddish theater at age 11. He was paid 50 cents for each of his occasional onstage appearances. After graduating from Seward Park High School during the Depression, it took him a while to get back into show business. He took government jobs as a forester in Montana, a gym instructor for the Works Progress Administration, and a boxing coach for policemen, all before World War II.
Matthau began his film career after a stint in World War II as a radio cryptographer in a heavy bomber unit of the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe. He began appearing in supporting roles on the stage and television and made his motion-picture debut in 1955 in The Kentuckian. He continued to appear in supporting roles in films, often as a villain. However, director Billy Wilder finally recognized his great talent for comedy and helped turn Matthau, an unbroken string of truly memorable comic performances in, The Odd Couple, The Fortune Cookie, and A Guide for the Married Man that appeared on Broadway.
In the beginning of the play Walter Younger and his wife, Ruth, are observed of having a fight over Walter's dream: to become a 'mover and shaker' in the business world. ... Walter doesn't realize that she isn't supporting him. ... In contrast when Ruth said " Walter leave me alone! ... Walter: Because it is life, Mama! ... Walter: No -- it was always money, Mama. ...
Barbara Walters, she is what I would call the inventor of the interview. ... Barbara Walters was born September 25 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father was Louis Edward Walters and her mother was Dena Selett Walters. ... Barbara Walters effectively gets answers by using direct questioning . ... Walters was particularly known for her interviews with world notables (Carroll). ...
There are many forces that forced Walter change his ways. ... Walter felt guilty about the whole thing. ... Walter calls up Mr. ... Walter tells Linder that he IS going to move into the neighborhood. ... Walter went from making the family fall apart to making everything "fit". ...
At the beginning of the play, Walter Lee is not a happy man. ... Walter Lee comes into the room. ... (Walter starts out). ... How much has Walter Lee changed in just a single day! ... Nobody seems to be able to persuade Walter Lee to be a proud man. ...
Walter Mitty's Secret Escape In James Thurber's short story, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," the character Walter Mitty uses his imagination as a need to escape and express his emotions of anger and self-pity. ... Mitty clearly poses problems and frustrations from her husband, but Walter never seems to complain. ... "Walter Mitty, the Undefeated, inscrutable, to the last" (Cheatham 608). ... Thurber uses these details to further explain how Walter Mitty is able to reach his dream world. ... Mitty is described this way, Walter is set up for his imaginative dreams thr...
In the story, A Raisin in the Sun, one of the main characters was Walter Lee. ... There were certain causes which led Walter Lee to have the super objective he had in the story. ... Also Walter's family was living in a tiny apartment with no bedroom for his son. ... Also Walter Lee worked as a chauffeur for a white family. ... Walter Lee also took certain steps in order to achieve his super objective. ...
Walter Mitty's Courageousness Walter Mitty in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" daydreams about being courageous, yet in real life he is a coward, and a wimp. ... She tells Walter that he needs to go see the doctor. ... Walter is once again very calm in this daydream. ... Walter's fourth daydream takes him to World War I. ... The sergeant tells Walter that "It's forty kilometers through hell" and Walter replies with "After all, what isn't?" ...
In the short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" Walter Mitty also experiences daydreams. ... Just basically Walter daydreams to escape reality. ... Many ways Willy Loman and Walter Mitty are very similar. ... Unlike Willy, Walter Mitty just daydreams. ... His next daydream, Walter has become a doctor. ...
