Friday, November 4, 2011

Jack Lemmon

Jack Lemmon (1925-2001)
 

Jack Lemmon made a very sucessful career of acting. His first film role was a very small part in 1949's 'The Lady Takes a Sailor'. His last role was in 2000's 'The Legend of Bagger Vance'. In between was a great career. He is pretty well known for his role in Billy Wilder's 'Some Like it Hot' with Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis. Which I recently watched for the first time and really enjoyed.

Personally the movie's I most new Lemmon in growing up were the 'Grumpy Old Men' movies, and 'My Fellow Americans' with James Garner and Dan Akroyd. My interest in Presidents had no small part in my liking 'My Fellow Americans' I'm sure. But the role that really sticks out for me was Lemmon's role in 'Glengarry Glen Ross'.


'My Fellow Americans' movie poster



Jack Lemmon with Kevin Spacey in 'Glengarry Glen Ross'.

'Glengarry Glen Ross' was a good movie with very compelling dialogue. It had a great cast including Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, and Alec Baldwin. Jack Lemmon did a great performance as an aging, somewhat desperate salesman. He had great versatility playing in both serious movies like 'Glengarry Glen Ross' and comedies like 'Grumpy Old Men.

After I originally posted this page a friend of mine suggested the 1962 Jack Lemmon movie, 'Days of Wine and Roses'. Lemmon was nominated for an Acedemy Award for his role in the film. It really is a great performance. It is a dark movie about a drunk couple.




Jack Lemmon's gravesite is on the right. Caroll O' Connor is on the left. Lemmon is buried in Pierce Bros. Westwood Memorial Park in downtown Los Angeles. Same cemetery as Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin. Most of the celebrities buried here in the last 10 - 15 years are buried in plots identicle to these.



Me at the grave of Jack Lemmon. Westwood Memorial Park Los Angeles, California

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