Jack Lemmon: fatos rápidos

Ele nasceu no elevador de um hospital em Massachussets, em 1925, e faleceu em 2001, vítima de câncer de cólon e câncer metástico de bexiga.

He was born in the elevator of a hospital in Massachussets in 1925 and died in 2001, due to colon cancer and methastic bladder cancer. 

Aos oito anos já sabia que queria ser ator e, durante a faculdade em Harvard, participou de diversos clubes de teatro. Depois de formado, serviu na Marinha.

When he was eight he already wanted to be an actor. During college in Harvard, he was part of several theater clubs. He was even president of the Harvard Hasty Pudding Club! After graduation, he served in the Marine. 

Em 1954 fez sua estreia oficial no cinema ao lado de Judy Holliday na comédia “Demônio de Mulher”. Antes disso, ele havia sido um extra em “Até Parece Mentira”, de 1949.

In 1949 he made his official film debut alongside Judy Holliday in the comedy “It Should Happen to You”. Before that, he was an extra in “The Lady Takes a Sailor”, from 1949.

Trabalhou como o diretor Billy Wilder em sete filmes. Wilder dizia que ele era como um “presunto fino, que apenas precisava ter a fina camada de gordura retirada”, referindo-se à necessidade de burilar o talento de Jack, que tendia a exagerar em algumas atuações.

He worked with director Billy Wilder in seven films. Wilder said that Lemmon was like “fine ham, only needing a little of his fat chopped off”. In this quote Wilder is mentioned Jack’s tendency of overacting, so he had to control and downplay every now and then.

Fez quatro filmes com Blake Edwards, dois com Tony Curtis e onze com seu amigo Walter Matthau. O único filme dirigido por Lemmon, Kotch (1971), rendeu a Matthau uma indicação ao Oscar como Melhor Ator Coadjuvante.

He made four films with Blake Edwards, two with Tony Curtis and eleven with his good friend Walter Matthau. The only film ever directed by Jack Lemmon, Kotch (1971), gave Matthau a Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars.

Sua produtora JML esteve por trás de “Rebeldia Indomável” (1967). Como prova de sua gratidão pelo apoio, Paul Newman, o astro do filme, convidou Lemmon para interpretar Sundance Kid em “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), mas o ator recusou pois não gostava de andar a cavalo e também acreditava que vários de seus personagens anteriores tinham traços de Sundance.

His producer JML was behind “Cool Hand Luke” (1967). To thank him for the support, Paul Newman asked if Jack wanted to play Sundance Kid in “Buth Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969). Lemmon refused the offer because he didn’t like to ride horses and also because he thought several of his former characters were similar to the Sundance Kid.

Ele chegou a gravar um disco enquanto filmava “Quanto mais quente melhor / Some like it hot” (1959).

He recorded an album while filming “Some Like It Hot” (1959)

Ele aprendeu a tocar piano sozinho, e também era capaz de tocar órgão, gaita e contrabaixo. 

He taught himself to play the piano and was also able to play the organ, the harmonica and the double-bass.

Ganhou um Oscar de Melhor Ator Coadjuvante em 1956 por “Mister Roberts” e outro de Melhor Ator em 1974 por “Sonhos do Passado”, sendo o primeiro a conseguir este feito. Também é um dos três felizardos a ganhar duas vezes o prêmio de Melhor Ator em Cannes (os outros dois são Marcello Mastroianni e Dean Stockwell).

He won the Best Supporting actor Oscar in 1956 for “Mister Roberts” and the Best Actor one in 1974 for “Save the Tiger”, being the first actor to do so (Kevin Spacey did the same in 1996 and 2000, and thanked Lemmon in his later speech). He is also one of the three men who won the Best Actor award at Cannes twice (the other two are Marcello Mastroianni and Dean Stockwell).

Foi casado duas vezes e teve um casal de filhos, um de cada casamento.

He was married twice and had two children: Chris, from hsi first wife, and Courtney, from his second wife, actress Felicia Farr.

Em 1998 foi indicado ao Globo de Ouro de Melhor Ator num filme feito para a TV e perdeu para Ving Rhames. Durante seu discurso, Rhames chamou-o ao palco e lhe deu o prêmio.

In 1998 he was nominated for a Best Actor in a TV-Movie Golden Globe and lost to Ving Rhames. During his speech, Rhames asked Lemmon to go on the stage and handled him the award.