Jack Lemmon: Movies, Awards & Box Office
- films
- 86
- on screen
- 1949–2017
- box office
- $370M
- award wins
- 6
- Born
- February 8, 1925
- Birthplace
- Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Full name
- John Uhler Lemmon III
- Citizenship
- United States
- Occupations
- Actor
- Years active
- 1949-2001
- Spouses
- Cynthia Stone, Felicia Farr
- Children
- 2
The Best Jack Lemmon Movies
The films of Jack Lemmon that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Grumpier Old Men (1995) leads with $71.5M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.
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Worldwide box office: $71.5M Grumpier Old Men 1995 · Comedy -
Worldwide box office: $70.2M Grumpy Old Men 1993 · Drama -
Worldwide box office: $51.7M The China Syndrome 1979 · Drama -
Worldwide box office: $44.5M The Odd Couple 1968 · Comedy -
Worldwide box office: $30.7M Out to Sea 1997 · Comedy -
Worldwide box office: $22.3M My Fellow Americans 1996 · Adventure
Jack Lemmon's Career in Numbers
Jack Lemmon's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Jack Lemmon works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from The Lady Takes a Sailor (1949) to Inherit the Wind (1999), and the 1990s were the busiest decade.
Jack Lemmon Movies by Decade
- 1940s 1
- 1950s 11
- 1960s 13
- 1970s 12
- 1980s 8
- 1990s 14
The 1990s were Jack Lemmon's busiest decade, with 14 films.
Jack Lemmon Movies by Genre
- Comedy 16
- Drama 15
- Romance 10
- Documentary 4
- Tv movie 3
- Action 3
- Adventure 2
- Music 2
- Biography 1
- War 1
Comedy is the genre Jack Lemmon has worked in most, with 16 films, ahead of drama (15).
Jack Lemmon Career Milestones
- First film
- The Lady Takes a Sailor 1949
- Biggest box office hit
- Grumpier Old Men $71.5M worldwide
- Newest film
- Inherit the Wind 1999
Jack Lemmon Filmography: Every Movie
Every film Jack Lemmon is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.
Jack Lemmon Movies as an Actor
59- 1999
Tuesdays with Morrie as Morrie Schwartz · Tv movie - 1999
Inherit the Wind as Henry Drummond · Tv movie - 1998
The Odd Couple II as Felix Ungar · Adventure Worldwide box office: $18.9M - 1997
12 Angry Men as Juror 8 · Drama - 1997
Out to Sea Comedy Worldwide box office: $30.7M - 1996
My Fellow Americans Adventure Worldwide box office: $22.3M - 1995
Grumpier Old Men Comedy Worldwide box office: $71.5M - 1995
The Grass Harp as Dr. Morris Ritz · Comedy Worldwide box office: $560K - 1993
Grumpy Old Men Drama Worldwide box office: $70.2M - 1993
A Life in the Theatre as Robert · Drama - 1992
Earth and the American Dream as Reader (voice) · Documentary - 1992
Glengarry Glen Ross Drama Worldwide box office: $10.7M - 1992
For Richer, for Poorer as Aram Katourian · Tv movie - 1990
The Earth Day Special as Coach Stewart · Documentary - 1988
The Murder of Mary Phagan as Gov. John Slaton · Drama - 1987
Long Day’s Journey Into Night as James Tyrone - 1986
That’s Life! as Harvey Fairchild · Drama - 1986
Debonair Dancers as Narrator · Documentary - 1985
Macaroni as Robert Traven · Drama - 1982
Missing Biography Worldwide box office: $14M - 1981
Buddy Buddy as Victor Clooney · Comedy Worldwide box office: $7.26M - 1980
Tribute as Scottie Templeton · Drama Worldwide box office: $9M - 1979
The China Syndrome Drama Worldwide box office: $51.7M - 1977
Airport '77 Action - 1976
The Gentleman Tramp as Narrator · Documentary - 1976
Alex & the Gypsy as Alexander Main · Comedy - 1975
Killer Cop as Narrator (voice) · Action - 1975
The Prisoner of Second Avenue as Mel Edison · Comedy - 1974
The Front Page as Hildebrand Johnson · Comedy - 1973
Save the Tiger as Harry Stoner · Drama - 1972
Avanti! as Wendell Armbruster, Jr. · Romance Worldwide box office: $22.8K - 1972
The War Between Men and Women as Peter Wilson · Comedy - 1971
Kotch as Sleeping Bus Passenger (uncredited) · Drama - 1970
The Out of Towners Comedy - 1969
The April Fools Drama - 1968
The Odd Couple Comedy Worldwide box office: $44.5M - 1967
Luv as Harry Berlin · Romance - 1966
The Fortune Cookie Comedy - 1965
The Great Race Action - 1965
How to Murder Your Wife as Stanley Ford · Comedy - 1964
Good Neighbor Sam as Sam Bissel · Comedy - 1963
Under the Yum-Yum Tree as Hogan · Romance - 1963
Irma la Douce Comedy Worldwide box office: $52 - 1962
Days of Wine and Roses Drama Worldwide box office: $2.03K - 1960
The Wackiest Ship in the Army as Rip Crandall · War Worldwide box office: $1.24K - 1960
Pepe as Jack Lemmon · Music - 1960
The Apartment Drama Worldwide box office: $18.8M - 1959
It Happened to Jane as George Denham · Romance - 1959
Some Like It Hot Comedy Worldwide box office: $209K - 1958
Bell, Book and Candle as Nicky Holroyd · Romance Worldwide box office: $2.49K - 1958
Cowboy as Frank Harris · Western - 1957
Fire Down Below as Tony · Romance - 1956
You Can’t Run Away from It as Peter Warne · Romance - 1955
My Sister Eileen as Bob Baker · Comedy - 1955
Mister Roberts Drama - 1955
Three for the Show as Martin 'Marty' Stewart · Music - 1954
Phffft as Robert Tracey · Romance - 1954
It Should Happen to You as Pete Sheppard · Romance - 1949
The Lady Takes a Sailor as Plasterer (uncredited) · Romance
Jack Lemmon in Documentaries & Specials
27- 2017
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs as Self (voice) (archive footage) · Documentary - 2014
And the Oscar Goes To… as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2009
Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s on Me as Self · Documentary - 2008
Starz Inside: Ladies or Gentlemen as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2008
Inside ‘The Apartment’ as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2007
Magic Time: The Art of Jack Lemmon as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2004
The China Syndrome: Creating a Controversy as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2004
Uta Hagen’s Acting Class as Self - 2003
Christmas in Hollywood as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2001
Nobody’s Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot as Self · Documentary - 2000
Klaus Kinski: I’m not an actor as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 1999
Forever Hollywood as Self · Documentary - 1998
Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen’s as Self · Documentary Worldwide box office: $19.3K - 1998
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy as Self · Documentary - 1997
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough as Self · Documentary - 1996
Jack Lemmon: America’s Everyman as Self · Documentary - 1996
Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels as Self · Documentary - 1993
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy as Self · Documentary - 1992
James Cagney: Top of the World as Self · Tv movie - 1991
The One, the Only… Groucho as Self · Documentary - 1989
Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius as Self · Documentary - 1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC as Self (archive footage) · Comedy - 1988
Gregory Peck: His Own Man as Self · Documentary - 1986
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend as Self (from Some Like It Hot [1959]) (archive footage) · Documentary - 1982
Portrait of a ‘60% Perfect Man’: Billy Wilder as Self · Tv movie - 1982
Night of 100 Stars as Self · Comedy - 1981
All-Star Party for Burt Reynolds as Self · Documentary
Jack Lemmon: Awards & Nominations
6 wins from 23 nominations across 3 award bodies, from 1956 to 1990. That includes an Oscar: Best Supporting Actor for Mister Roberts. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.
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BAFTA 3 wins from 6 nominations -
Golden Globes 2 wins from 11 nominations -
Oscars 1 win from 6 nominations
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47th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Drama Dad
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44th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Comedy or Musical My Life as a Dog
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The 55th Academy Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor Missing
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36th British Academy Film Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor Missing
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40th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Drama Chan Is Missing
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The 52nd Academy Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor The China Syndrome
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37th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Drama The China Syndrome
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33rd British Academy Film Awards- Jack Lemmon: Win Best Actor The China Syndrome
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28th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Comedy or Musical The Out of Towners
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26th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Comedy or Musical The Odd Couple
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23rd Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Comedy or Musical The Great Race
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21st Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Comedy or Musical Irma la Douce
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17th British Academy Film Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Foreign Actor Days of Wine and Roses
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20th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor – Drama Days of Wine and Roses
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35th Academy Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor Days of Wine and Roses
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14th British Academy Film Awards- Jack Lemmon: Win Best Foreign Actor The Apartment
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18th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Win Best Actor – Comedy or Musical The Apartment
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33rd Academy Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor The Apartment
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17th Golden Globe Awards- Jack Lemmon: Win Best Actor – Musical or Comedy Some Like It Hot
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13th British Academy Film Awards- Jack Lemmon: Win Best Foreign Actor Some Like It Hot
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32nd Academy Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Actor Some Like It Hot
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9th British Academy Film Awards- Jack Lemmon: Nominated Best Foreign Actor Mister Roberts
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The 28th Academy Awards- Jack Lemmon: Win Best Supporting Actor Mister Roberts
Who Is Jack Lemmon?
Jack Lemmon was born in Newton, Massachusetts, U.S. in 1925. Credited on films since 1949, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.
John Uhler Lemmon III, known to the world as Jack Lemmon, was an exceptional American actor known for both his comic and dramatic roles. Born on February 8, 1925, Lemmon possessed an ability to portray anxious, middle-class everyman characters, making him a unique and relatable presence in dramedy films. In his prolific career, Lemmon's accomplishments included two Academy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards along with several other accolades. His acting prowess earned him distinctions like the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1988, the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1991, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1996. Lemmon was a remarkable actor who displayed proficiency in roles ranging from a warlock to a salesman, with notable performances in films like 'Some Like It Hot' (1959), 'The Apartment' (1960), 'Irma la Douce' (1963), and 'Glengarry Glen Ross' (1992). Forever remembered for his enduring collaboration with fellow actor Walter Matthau, it was an association celebrated by The New York Times as 'one of Hollywood's most successful pairings.' The actor also had a military background, serving as an ensign with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946.
Who Jack Lemmon Makes Movies With
The actors and directors Jack Lemmon shares the most films with. Walter Matthau comes first, with 17 films together, followed by Billy Wilder (14).
Jack Lemmon: Questions & Answers
How many movies Jack Lemmon has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.
How many movies has Jack Lemmon been in?
Jack Lemmon is credited on 86 films, from 1949 to 2017. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.
What is Jack Lemmon's highest-grossing movie?
Grumpier Old Men (1995) is Jack Lemmon's biggest box office hit, with $71.5M worldwide, ahead of Grumpy Old Men (1993) ($70.2M). Across every film with box office figures, Jack Lemmon's movies have made $370M.
Jack Lemmon's biggest hits Has Jack Lemmon won an Oscar?
Jack Lemmon has won an Oscar: Best Supporting Actor for Mister Roberts at the 1956 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Jack Lemmon has 6 wins from 23 nominations.
What is Jack Lemmon's newest movie?
The most recent film on Jack Lemmon's filmography is John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs (2017), in the role of Self (voice) (archive footage).
Who does Jack Lemmon work with most often?
Jack Lemmon shares the most films with Walter Matthau (17 films), Billy Wilder (14 films) and Jane Fonda (6 films).
The Best Jack Lemmon Movies, Ranked
Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 86 credits.
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