Hollywood Legend, Tony Curtis, RIP

Hecklerspray has learned that one of Hollywood’s finest, actor Tony Curtis, has died. His daughter Jamie Lee Curtis’ representative, has confirmed the sad news.

Curtis, whose real name was Bernard Schwartz, is most fondly remembered for his ace role in Billy Wilder’s ‘Some Like It Hot’ with co-stars Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon.

Of course, there was much more to Curtis’ career and he starred in countless films and was always great value when appearing on talk-shows to regale us all with glorious anecdotes and wisecracks.

Curtis was one of those rare actors able to nail a tough, dramatic role as easily as the comedic gigs. Comedies like Some Like It Hot and Sex and the Single Girl had audiences rolling in their seats while dramas like The Outsider and The Boston Strangler really showed Curtis’ chops.

Curtis was no stranger to the small screen either, co-starring with Roger Moore in the TV series The Persuaders! as well as providing the voice for “Stony Curtis” on The Flintstones (which happens to be 50 years old today).

Outside of acting, Curtis was a keen painter and his surrealist work can fetch upward of $25,000. They really don’t make ‘em like this anymore.
Away from the arts, Curtis liked the ladies and was married six times.

His first wife was the actress Janet Leigh, who together, were Hollywood’s golden couple. He then shacked up with another actress, Christine Kaufmann, Leslie Allen, b-movie actress Andria Savio, Lisa Deutsch and Jill Vandenberg Curtis who was his beau until his death. Along the way, he managed to have something of a fling with Marilyn Monroe.

He wasn’t just a cad though, as in the ’90s, Curtis founded the Emanuel Foundation for Hungarian Culture for the restoration and preservation of synagogues and 1300 Jewish cemeteries in Hungary, which he dedicated to the 600,000 Hungarian victims of the Holocaust.

However, in recent years, Curtis has not been well, nearly dying when contracting pneumonia which left the actor in a coma. He was again hospitalized this year after suffering an asthma attack during a book signing.
At the time of press, it is not known what was the cause of Curtis’ death, but in all honesty, it matters not. It seems we’ve lost one of the good ones.