Tony Curtis didn't get no respect from Hollywood

Tony Curtis, 84, has written his autobiography, "American Prince," in which he details his impoverished childhood, a physically abusive mother and cold father, his five marriages, alienation from his children, the deaths of his younger brother and his youngest son, the decline of his acting career, and his past cocaine and sex addictions.

Wow. It's a miracle he had the time or energy to star in such classics as "Some Like It Hot," "The Outsider," "Sweet Smell of Success," "Spartacus" and "The Defiant Ones," which earned him an Oscar nomination for lead actor. 

But the veteran actor blames Hollywood for not giving him better roles. He says they gave him the lightweight roles and offered the meaty roles to actors such as Paul Newman and Marlon Brando.

He has some choice words for other actors too, calling Jerry Lewis "cruel," Shelley Winters "very obnoxious" and Danny Kaye "a vicious man."

Curtis also slams the actors union, accusing the members of not taking his acting abilities seriously.

He told USA Today: "I don't feel like I got the movies I should've gotten. I felt I deserved more than that the industry had given me. I felt I should have been considered more, with a little more respect from the Screen Actors Guild and the Academy."

Kinda sounds like he's ready to star in a remake of "Grumpy Old Men." Bitter, much, Tony?

Photos: Tony Curtis at a Turner Broadcasting party in July. WireImage

Book cover: courtesy of Random House

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Comments

[Arye Michael Bender]

Tony Curtis was always better than his press. He held his own with the likes of Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Sidney Poitier, Jack Lemmon and many others. Also had a fine flair for comedy, evidenced in 'Hot' and 'The Great Race'. His early good looks probably worked against him in later years.

Curtis was a good actor deserving of more respect than he got.

[Christabelle]

Curtis was a fine actor and I agree with the last commentor. Most memorable to me was The Boston Strangler and the Vikings which I saw both some many times. I would have liked to have seen more of him...but he was definite a very fine actor.