Jack Lemmons, born John Uhler Lemmon (born February 8, 1925), was a prolific American actor. He won the hearts of American viewers through his heartfelt appearances in films such as The Apartment, Mister Roberts, Days of Wine and Roses, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger, The China Syndrome, Missing, Grumpy Old Men, etc. He has starred alongside many classic beauties of Hollywood, for example, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Kim Novak, and others. In 1997, the Empire Magazine listed him as #47 in The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time.
Oddly enough, Lemmons was born in an elevator in a hospital near Boston. He was born in a respected family; his father was the president of a doughnut. He recalls that he wanted to become an actor since the age of eight. He attended Harvard University, where he attended the drama club and was the president of the Hasty Pudding Club. After serving in the Navy, he worked in radios and on television, namely the 1949 show That Wonderful Guy; however, Jack is best known for his movie performances. He married to Cynthia Stone in 1950 and they had a single child.
His debut on the big screen came in 1954 with It Should Happen to You, where he played with Judy Holliday, and had a prolific sound start on the film screen, perhaps because he got the Best Supporting Actor Oscar a mere year later. In 1956, he and his first wife had a divorce. He was highly praised for the ability to perform both in dramas and comedies, maintaining a swift balance; he was also praised for portraying an average man that has to fight against the world. Jack himself said that he particularly enjoyed acting in The Days of Wine and Roses, a 1962 film where he portrayed Joe Clay. The same year, Jack had a second marriage and married to Felicia Farr, with whom he had a single child. Joe Clay was a young alcoholic businessman, and represented Lemmons himself, as he had developed an alcohol addiction during his years in showbiz.
However, Jack Lemmon was best remembered for his performance of Felix Ungar in The Odd Couple (1968); although he wasn't even nominated for an Oscar, the public reaction to this character was huge. In the 1973, Jack finally received an Oscar for his role in Save the Tiger. He had been nominated for the Best Actor Academy Awards three times before, but the prestigious prize was out of reach.
Lemmons was a prolific person with a wide grasp on life. His interests were far broader than just acting; for example, he was an experienced pianist and wrote the soundtrack for the 1980 movie Tribute. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Save the Tiger (1973). Even during the later years of his career, Jack continued to pursue exceptional acting, and was nominated for "Best TV Actor" in 1998's Golden Globe Awards. In the end of his exciting life, a cancer was discovered in his bladder and colon; he died from bladder cancer metastases on June 27, 2001.
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