Tony Curtis was one of the best-looking guys in Hollywood. He was often described as beautiful, but he was also a fine actor. Look at the diversity of the roles he played — from a saxophone player disguised in drag in Some Like It Hot to an escaped convict shackled to Sidney Poitier in The Defiant Ones.
Most people didn't know that in addition to his acting skills — he received an Oscar nomination for The Defiant Ones — Tony had other talents. He was a fine artist and sold many of his works. Years ago, he gave me one of his paintings of flowers, which hangs in my house. Of course, Tony had good genes too, which he passed on to his daughter Jamie Lee.
I worked with Tony in The Vikings and in Spartacus, and we were friends for a long time. What I will miss most about him is his sense of humor. It was always fun to be with him.
—Kirk Douglas
Douglas is an award-winning stage, television and film actor