MovieChat Forums > Earthquake (1974) Discussion > anyone explain the Walter Matthau part

anyone explain the Walter Matthau part

posted 16 years ago by PeterBlues
14 replies | jump to latest

i checked this out a few years ago, i've been a sucker for 1970's disaster movies.
but the weirdest thing about this must be walter matthau showing up for a few minutes and a few short scenes as a slob in a bar, and he is credited as his real name. (not his "taken-actor-name")/{<
if i recall right, you can't even see clearly that it's him.

being alone,
is something i got a lifelong experience on,
i got the graduation,
i live up to every expectation,
in solitude,
that's where i got gratidue,
i'm qualified,
in living a single life,
nobody seem to want me around,
don't feel welcome being on any ground,
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when i got the lights on,
you won't find any shadow but mine in my home,
i'm alone,
something i got a lifelong experience on.

[–] John5321 16 years ago

Howdy

Yep thats ole Walter Matthau in the part pf the drunk in the bar.. I think i read somewhere that he did the part as a favor to the makers of the film..

I think it was a nice part because it brought a few laughs to the film. Bobbie Riggs, Peter Fonda.. classic lines .. I dont think that was Walter playing the character when he was dancing in the fountion in the Wilson Plaza scenes though.. you never see the face at all so i dont think it was Walter at that point but i could be wrong :)

The King of TV Comedy : John Ritter

[–] jrs-8 16 years ago

I think you can clearly tell it is Matthau. Yes he did it as a favor to Mark Robson the director but when he saw how his brief role had been cut together to be seen throughout the movie Matthau insisted on having his name removed and replacing it with another. The urban legend is that it was his real last name but Matthau's son came out and said it wasn't.

[–] Avenger69 16 years ago

Not entirely true.

The story that Matthau and producer Jennings Lang (not Mark Robson) worked out an agreement for him to appear in the bit part of the drunk (and billed under his "real name") is true.

Matthau had a very offbeat sense of humor, and as a condition of him doing the part as a favor to Lang, he asked for the long last name. Matthau knew how small the role was (writer George Fox had to expand the part for him, since it was only referred to as "drunk sits at the end of the bar" in the script), and was not expecting a larger role.

Besides, Matthau would have had no say over what appeared or didn't appear in the credits - that was the producer's call... and the producer's call alone.

"It's people..."

[–] Yankees12 15 years ago

Whatever the reason he did it i just remember my father laughing his head off during that scene when he took me to see it in the theatre.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] namaGemo 12 years ago

You can tell it's Matthau in the bar, but not at the end of the film where he's/someone dancing. It NEVER shows his face except maybe a profile from a distance that any stand in could have done. If it was Matthau, I'm guessing they would have shown a closeup.

[–] stones78 13 years ago

what does Riggs and Fonda have to do with this film?

[–] antonasmodeus 13 years ago

Actually, Walter was playing alcoholic Morris Buttermaker, who would go on to manage "The Bad News Bears" just two years later in 1976.

:D

[–] MiltonNewyork 13 years ago

That part was so weird, and why was he dress like a black guy from the 70's wearing a big hat and all, it was very comical to watch.

[–] franzkabuki 11 years ago

It would have been funnier if the camera only picked him out in one scene, or two at most. Would have left this fine effect of "did I just see... couldn`t have been him!"

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] PhineasAppleby 10 years ago

It would have been funnier not seeing him during the earthquake scene. That wasn't a the place for comic relief in the movie.

[–] htownsteve 10 years ago

Walter Matthau is a straight-up PIMP!

Son, you can't polish a turd

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] 10 years ago

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