John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered equally proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, Lemmon was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in dramedy pictures, leading The Guardian to coin him "the most successful tragi-comedian of his age."
He starred in over sixty films and was nominated for an Academy Award eight times, winning twice, and received many other accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards (counting the honorary Cecil B. DeMille Award), two Cannes Film Festival Awards, two Volpi Cups, one Silver Bear, three BAFTA Awards, and two Emmy Awards. In 1988, he was awarded the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the American cinema.
His best known films include Mister Roberts (1955, for which he won the year's Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), Irma la Douce (1963), The Great Race (1965), Save the Tiger (1973, for which he won Best Actor), The China Syndrome (1979), Missing (1982), and Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). He also acted in several Broadway plays, earning Tony Award nominations for Tribute and the 1986 revival of Long Day's Journey into Night.
Lemmon had a long-running collaboration with actor and real-life friend Walter Matthau, which The New York Times called "one of Hollywood's most successful pairings," that spanned ten films between 1966 and 1998; The Fortune Cookie (1966), The Odd Couple (1968) and its sequel The Odd Couple II (1998), The Front Page (1974), Buddy Buddy (1981), JFK (1991), Grumpy Old Men (1993) and its sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995), The Grass Harp (1995), and Out to Sea (1997).
Early life and education
Lemmon was born on February 8, 1925, in an elevator at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts. He was the only child of Mildred Burgess (née LaRue; 1896–1967) and John Uhler Lemmon II (1893–1962), who rose to Vice-President of Sales of the Doughnut Corporation of America. John Uhler Lemmon II was of Irish heritage, and Jack Lemmon was raised Catholic. His parents had a difficult marriage, and separated permanently when Lemmon was 18, but never divorced. He attended John Ward Elementary School in Newton and the Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts. Often unwell as a child, Lemmon had three significant operations on his ears before he turned 10. He had spent two years in hospital by the time he turned 12.
During his acceptance of his lifetime achievement award, he stated that he knew he wanted to be an actor from the age of eight. He began to act in school productions. Lemmon attended Rivers Country Day School and Phillips Andover Academy (Class of 1943), where he pursued track sports with success, and Harvard College (Class of 1947), where he lived in Eliot House. At Harvard, he was president of the Hasty Pudding Club and vice president of Dramatic and Delphic Clubs. Except for drama and music, however, he was an unexceptional student.
Forbidden to act onstage due to academic probation, Lemmon broke Harvard rules to appear in roles using pseudonyms such as Timothy Orange.
A member of the V-12 Navy College Training Program, Lemmon was commissioned by the United States Navy, serving briefly as an ensign on the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain during World War II before returning to Harvard after completing his military service. After graduation with a degree in War Service Sciences in 1947, he studied acting under coach Uta Hagen at HB Studio in New York City.[9] He was also a pianist, who became devoted to the instrument at age 14 and learned to play by ear. For about a year in New York City, he worked unpaid as a waiter and master of ceremonies at the Old Knick bar on Second Avenue. He also played the piano at the venue.
Personal life
Lemmon was married twice. He and first wife actress Cynthia Stone, with whom he had a son, Chris Lemmon (born 1954), divorced. Lemmon married actress Felicia Farr on August 17, 1962, while shooting Irma La Douce in Paris. The couple's daughter, Courtney, was born in 1966. Lemmon was the stepfather to Denise, from Farr's previous marriage to Lee Farr. He was close friends with actors Tony Curtis and Kevin Spacey, among others.
Death
Lemmon died of bladder cancer on June 27, 2001. He had suffered from the disease privately for two years before his death. His body was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, California. (The graves of Marilyn Monroe, Walter Matthau, George C. Scott, Rodney Dangerfield, and film director Billy Wilder lie in the same cemetery.) Lemmon's gravestone reads like a title screen from a film: "JACK LEMMON in". Guests who attended the private ceremony included Billy Wilder, Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Spacey, Gregory Peck, Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Frank Sinatra's widow Barbara and Walter Matthau's son Charlie.
If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lemmon
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimiento, undrained
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups chopped cooked rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions; drain.
- Preheat oven to 350º. Stir together pasta, cheese, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 7- x 11-inch baking dish.
- Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden.
1921 – John Glenn, American astronaut and politician (d. 2016)
1939 – Dion DiMucci, American singer-songwriter (Dion and the Belmonts)
1950 – Richard Branson, English businessman, founded Virgin Group
Today is July 18 on the National Day Calendar and we are celebrating the delicious food holiday National Tropical Fruit Day. This fruity National Day celebrates the variety of exotic tropical fruit from around the world and gives us the opportunity to get a taste of some sweet facts, too.
Tropical fruits grow in regions where the weather his hot and humid in regions we call the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Asia, Africa, Central and South Americas, and the Caribbean produce some of the most delicious tropical fruits in the world.
National Tropical Fruit Day presents an opportunity to snack, cook, and sample tropical fruit all day long!
7 Familiar Tropical Fruits in the U.S.
- Bananas
- Coconuts
- Mangoes
- Pineapples
- Avocados
- Kiwi
- Papayas
What makes tropical fruit so unique?Throughout the world tropical fruit has grown naturally for centuries. However, the ability to grow true tropical fruit depends on specific environmental conditions. For example, the right combination of heat, humidity, and rainfall sets the stage for the plants of tropical fruit to grow. Because the weather conditions are specific, plants have adapted to the climate over a period of time. This adaption produces tropical fruit. Interestingly, pollination does not occur with tropical fruit. Instead, the seeds of tropical fruit tend to be replanted by animals of the region.
Though many Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn regions now produce tropical fruit for export, there was a time when these delicacies were a simple addition to the diets of people in these regions. For the people who live in these areas, access to tropical fruit is plentiful. However, for people who live in countries like the U.S., tropical fruit gives a sense of an exotic delicacy during specific times of the year. When tropical fruit is found in stores, consumers are drawn to the unique sweet flavor these juicy fruits provide.
Health Benefits of Tropical Fruit
Many people refer to tropical fruit as a superfood because they are full of vitamins and minerals. They contain protein-digesting enzymes that reduce inflammation, including kidney inflammation. Because they are also rich in potassium, eating tropical fruit helps regulate blood pressure and helps in maintaining a healthy heart. In addition, tropical fruit contains Vitamin C, which removes impurities from the body. Vitamin C also provides a natural defense mechanism to help fight off infection.
Did you know eating tropical fruit promotes happiness? It’s true! Your mind automatically feels as sense of happiness when seeing tropical fruit because the bright beautiful colors trigger excitement.
WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL TROPICAL FRUIT DAY
- Sample a variety of tropical fruit with your family during mealtime.
- Create or try a new recipe using tropical fruit and an ingredient.
- Try cooking tropical fruit on the grill to add additional flair to your cookout.
- Make a Tropical Fruit Bucket List and see how many different types you can try in a year.
- Share your recipes and photos of your favorite tropical fruit on social media using the tag #NationalTropicalFruitDay.
HISTORY BEHIND NATIONAL TROPICAL FRUIT DAY
National Tropical Fruit Day was recommended by National Day Calendar staff member Amy Monette. She thought this delicious food day would be perfect to add to the calendar. Amy loves tropical fruit, especially mango and papaya. She also knew celebrating National Tropical Fruit Day during the summer months would add another refreshing reason to Celebrate Every Day!
Beginning in 2023, National Tropical Fruit Day will be celebrated each year on July 18!
