Jack Lemmon Jack Lemmon John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor and musician. Lemmon was an eight-time Academy Award nominee, with two wins. He starred in over 60 films, such as "Some Like It Hot", "The Apartment", "Mister Roberts" (for which he won the 1955 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), "Days of Wine and Roses", "The Great Race", "Irma la Douce", "The Odd Couple" and its sequel "The Odd Couple II" (and other frequent collaborations with "Odd Couple" co-star Walter Matthau), "Save the Tiger" (for which he won the 1973 Academy Award
Jack Lemmon War II before returning to Harvard after completing his military service. After graduation with a degree in War Service Sciences in 1947, Lemmon took up acting professionally, working on radio, television and Broadway. He studied acting under coach Uta Hagen. He was enamored of the piano and learned to play it on his own. He could also play the harmonica, guitar, organ, and the double bass. Lemmon's film debut was a bit part as a plasterer/painter in the 1949 film "The Lady Takes a Sailor", but he went unnoticed until his debut, opposite Judy Holliday, in the 1954 comedy "It