Walter Matthau: movies and TV shows
Walter Matthau has 136 credits in the archive: 98 films and 38 TV series, from 1944 to 2026. Highest rated: Fail Safe (7.8/10).
Career timeline
1944 – 2026 · busiest year: 1955 (6 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Elvis: A Life in Music | Self (archive footage) | Film | — | 105 |
| 2020 | 'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War | Self (archive footage) | Film | — | 99 |
| 2015 | Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of 'Charley Varrick' | Self (archive footage) | Film | 5.0 | 94 |
| 2000 | Hanging Up | Lou Mozell | Film | 5.3 | 79 |
| 1998 | The Odd Couple II | Oscar Madison | Film | 6.3 | 77 |
| 1998 | The Marriage Fool | Frank Walsh | Film | 6.9 | 77 |
| 1998 | Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy | Narrator | Film | 6.0 | 77 |
| 1998 | Private Screenings: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau | Self | Film | — | 77 |
| 1997 | Out to Sea | Charlie Gordon | Film | 5.8 | 76 |
| 1997 | Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough | Self | Film | 6.5 | 76 |
| 1996 | I'm Not Rappaport | Nat Moyer | Film | 5.7 | 75 |
| 1996 | The Grass Harp | Judge Charlie Cool | Film | 5.9 | 75 |
| 1996 | Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman | Self | Film | 7.5 | 75 |
| 1995 | Grumpier Old Men | Max Goldman | Film | 6.5 | 74 |
| 1995 | The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies | Self | Film | 8.0 | 74 |
| 1994 | I.Q. | Albert Einstein | Film | 6.0 | 73 |
| 1994 | Incident in a Small Town | Harmon Cobb | Film | 7.1 | 73 |
| 1993 | Dennis the Menace | Mr. Wilson | Film | 5.9 | 72 |
| 1993 | Grumpy Old Men | Max Goldman | Film | 6.7 | 72 |
| 1993 | Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy | Self | Film | 5.8 | 72 |
| 1992 | Chaplin | Self (archive footage) | Film | 7.4 | 71 |
| 1992 | Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore | Harmon Cobb | Film | 6.1 | 71 |
| 1992 | Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys | Self | Film | 7.0 | 71 |
| 1992 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas! | Narrator (voice) | Film | 7.6 | 71 |
| 1991 | JFK | Senator Long | Film | 7.6 | 70 |
| 1991 | Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love | Clifford Pepperman | Film | 5.1 | 70 |
| 1990 | The Incident | Harmon Cobb | Film | 6.5 | 69 |
| 1989 | Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre | Self (voice) | Film | — | 68 |
| 1988 | The Little Devil | Padre Maurizio | Film | 6.7 | 67 |
| 1988 | The Couch Trip | Donald Becker | Film | 5.5 | 67 |
| 1987 | James Stewart: A Wonderful Life | Self | Film | 6.5 | 66 |
| 1987 | A Beverly Hills Christmas | Self | Film | 3.5 | 66 |
| 1986 | Pirates | Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red | Film | 6.3 | 65 |
| 1986 | Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special | Self | Film | 9.0 | 65 |
| 1985 | Movers & Shakers | Joe Mulholland | Film | 3.9 | 64 |
| 1984 | The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team | Self - Performer | Film | — | 63 |
| 1983 | The Survivors | Sonny Paluso | Film | 5.7 | 62 |
| 1982 | I Love Liberty | Self | Film | — | 61 |
| 1982 | I Ought to Be in Pictures | Herbert Tucker | Film | 6.8 | 61 |
| 1982 | Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder | Self | Film | 6.9 | 61 |
| 1982 | Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter | Self | Film | — | 61 |
| 1981 | First Monday in October | Dan Snow | Film | 6.2 | 60 |
| 1981 | Buddy Buddy | Trabucco | Film | 6.2 | 60 |
| 1980 | Little Miss Marker | Sorrowful Jones | Film | 6.6 | 59 |
| 1980 | Little Miss Marker | Film | 6.6 | 59 | |
| 1980 | Hopscotch | Miles Kendig | Film | 7.0 | 59 |
| 1978 | California Suite | Marvin Michaels | Film | 5.8 | 57 |
| 1978 | Actor | Boris Thomashevsky | Film | 7.0 | 57 |
| 1978 | Casey's Shadow | Lloyd Bourdelle | Film | 6.4 | 57 |
| 1978 | Funny Business | Self - Host | Film | 8.0 | 57 |
| 1978 | The Stingiest Man in Town | Ebenezer Scrooge (voice) | Film | 5.6 | 57 |
| 1978 | House Calls | Dr. Charley Nichols | Film | 6.4 | 57 |
| 1976 | The Bad News Bears | Coach Morris Buttermaker | Film | 6.9 | 55 |
| 1976 | The Gentleman Tramp | Self / Narrator | Film | 7.1 | 55 |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Host | TV | 6.9 | 54 |
| 1975 | The Sunshine Boys | Willy Clark | Film | 6.9 | 54 |
| 1975 | The Lion Roars Again | Self | Film | 6.5 | 54 |
| 1974 | Earthquake | Drunk | Film | 6.1 | 53 |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Lt. Garber | Film | 7.5 | 53 |
| 1974 | The Front Page | Walter Burns | Film | 7.3 | 53 |
| 1973 | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Self | TV | 6.3 | 52 |
| 1973 | Charley Varrick | Charley Varrick | Film | 7.4 | 52 |
| 1973 | The Laughing Policeman | Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD | Film | 6.2 | 52 |
| 1972 | Awake and Sing! | Moe Axelrod | Film | 10.0 | 51 |
| 1972 | Pete 'n' Tillie | Pete Seltzer | Film | 5.8 | 51 |
| 1971 | Great Performances | Self | TV | 6.1 | 50 |
| 1971 | Film '72 | Self | TV | 4.7 | 50 |
| 1971 | A New Leaf | Henry Graham | Film | 7.3 | 50 |
| 1971 | Kotch | Joseph P. Kotcher | Film | 6.6 | 50 |
| 1971 | Plaza Suite | Sam Nash / Jesse Kiplinger / Roy Hubley | Film | 6.2 | 50 |
| 1969 | Hello, Dolly! | Horace Vandergelder | Film | 7.0 | 48 |
| 1969 | Cactus Flower | Dr. Julian Winston | Film | 7.2 | 48 |
| 1968 | The Dick Cavett Show | Self - Guest | TV | 6.8 | 47 |
| 1968 | Candy | Gen. R.A. Smight | Film | 5.1 | 47 |
| 1968 | The Odd Couple | Oscar Madison | Film | 7.4 | 47 |
| 1968 | Carol Channing and 101 Men | Self | Film | — | 47 |
| 1968 | Jack Benny's Bag | Self | Film | — | 47 |
| 1968 | The Secret Life of an American Wife | The Movie Star | Film | 6.0 | 47 |
| 1967 | A Guide for the Married Man | Paul Manning | Film | 5.9 | 46 |
| 1966 | The Fortune Cookie | Willie Gingrich | Film | 7.2 | 45 |
| 1965 | Mirage | Ted Caselle | Film | 7.1 | 44 |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage | Gov. John Slaton | TV | 7.5 | 43 |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage | Andrew Johnson | TV | 7.5 | 43 |
| 1964 | Fail Safe | Prof. Groeteschele | Film | 7.8 | 43 |
| 1964 | Goodbye Charlie | Leo Sartori | Film | 5.9 | 43 |
| 1964 | Ensign Pulver | Doc | Film | 6.6 | 43 |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Tom Gregory | TV | 5.9 | 42 |
| 1963 | Charade | Hamilton Bartholemew | Film | 7.7 | 42 |
| 1963 | Island of Love | Tony Dallas | Film | 5.8 | 42 |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV | 7.5 | 41 |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | TV | 6.6 | 41 |
| 1962 | Who's Got the Action? | Tony Gagouts | Film | 5.2 | 41 |
| 1962 | Lonely are the Brave | Sheriff Morey Johnson | Film | 7.4 | 41 |
| 1962 | Big Deal in Laredo | Meredith | Film | — | 41 |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | TV | 5.8 | 40 |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare | Franklin Gaer | TV | 5.7 | 40 |
| 1961 | Target: The Corruptors! | TV | 5.7 | 40 | |
| 1961 | Tallahassee 7000 | Lex Rogers | TV | 8.5 | 40 |
| 1960 | Route 66 | TV | 6.7 | 39 | |
| 1960 | Strangers When We Meet | Felix Anders | Film | 6.4 | 39 |
| 1960 | Two by Saroyan: 'Once Around the Block' and 'My Heart's in the Highlands' | Ben Alexander / Philip Judah | Film | — | 39 |
| 1959 | Gangster Story | Jack Martin | Film | 5.2 | 38 |
| 1959 | Gangster Story | Film | 5.2 | 38 | |
| 1958 | Naked City | Peter Kanopolis | TV | 5.7 | 37 |
| 1958 | Naked City | Dr. Max Lewine | TV | 5.7 | 37 |
| 1958 | Onionhead | 'Red' Wildoe | Film | 5.5 | 37 |
| 1958 | King Creole | Maxie Fields | Film | 6.4 | 37 |
| 1958 | Voice in the Mirror | Dr. Karnes | Film | 6.4 | 37 |
| 1958 | Ride a Crooked Trail | Judge Kyle | Film | 6.4 | 37 |
| 1957 | Slaughter on 10th Avenue | Al Dahlke | Film | 5.8 | 36 |
| 1957 | A Face in the Crowd | Mel Miller | Film | 7.6 | 36 |
| 1956 | Tony Awards | Self - Host | TV | — | 35 |
| 1956 | Bigger Than Life | Wally Gibbs | Film | 7.2 | 35 |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Off. Pete Chandler | TV | 7.8 | 34 |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Moran | TV | 7.8 | 34 |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Harry Wade | TV | 7.8 | 34 |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Phil | TV | 7.8 | 34 |
| 1955 | The Indian Fighter | Wes Todd | Film | 6.4 | 34 |
| 1955 | The Kentuckian | Stan Bodine | Film | 5.8 | 34 |
| 1954 | Climax! | Charlie Mapes | TV | 3.8 | 33 |
| 1954 | Atomic Attack | Dr. Spinelli | Film | 7.5 | 33 |
| 1953 | The Oscars | Self | TV | 7.0 | 32 |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater | TV | 6.8 | 32 | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater | Tom Dutton | TV | 6.8 | 32 |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | TV | 6.0 | 29 | |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | The Bartender | TV | 6.0 | 29 |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatre | Coastguardsman | TV | 6.7 | 29 |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatre | Inspector | TV | 6.7 | 29 |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatre | Craig | TV | 6.7 | 29 |
| 1949 | Suspense | Lawrence Stevens | TV | 5.1 | 28 |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse | TV | 6.6 | 27 | |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Iago | TV | 6.6 | 27 |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Stuart Benson | TV | 6.6 | 27 |
| 1948 | Studio One | Jacobs | TV | 5.4 | 27 |
| 1948 | Studio One | Olsen | TV | 5.4 | 27 |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards | Self - Nominee / Presenter | TV | 7.1 | 23 |