R.I.P. Tony Curtis (1925-2010)

In the latest sadness in what's already been fairly miserable week in film, with the deaths of Sally Menke and Arthur Penn, this morning brought the news that the great Tony Curtis passed away overnight. A rep for the actor's daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, confirmed the news to Entertainment Tonight early this morning.

Born Bernard Schwartz in New York in 1925, the child of Hungarian Jewish immigrants, Curtis served in the Navy in the Second World War, before heading to Hollywood and making his name as a contract player for Universal. He appeared in supporting roles in the likes of "Winchester '73," alongside Jimmy Stewart, before taking up leading roles as something of a heartthrob leading man in films like 1953's "Houdini," and Carol Reed's "Trapeze." He went on to show new depths when he reteamed with his co-star in the latter, Burt Lancaster, in Alexander Mackendrick's stone-cold classic "Sweet Smell Of Success," as a publicist who clashes with a powerful gossip columnist.

This kicked off a hugely successful few years for the star, with roles alongside Kirk Douglas in "The Vikings," an Oscar-nominated turn in Stanley Kramer's "The Defiant Ones," Blake Edwards' submarine comedy "Operation Petticoat" and a supporting role in Stanley Kubrick's "Spartacus" all following in quick succession. But of course, the role, or indeed roles, that ensure he'll never be forgotten, is his incredible performance in Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot," alongside Jack Lemmon as jazz musicians who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and have to pose as women to escape, Curtis' character falling in love with Marilyn Monroe along the way.

It's easily one of the greatest comedies of all time, and Curtis is extraordinarily funny in it, particularly when he riffs on his "Operation Petticoat" co-star Cary Grant as the wealthy Shell Oil Jr. (you can check it out below). He gave another excellent, albeit very different, performance, as the serial killer Albert DeSalvo in Richard Fleischer's 1968 drama "The Boston Strangler," one that Curtis always picked out as a personal favorite from his career.

He moved into TV in the 1970s, starring for several seasons on "Vega$," and alongside Roger Moore in the cult adventure show "The Persuaders." He was also a keen painter, and, although he continued acting into his ninth decade, dialed it back in favor of his art -- one of his surrealist paintings was displayed in the Met in New York.

He was married six times, including to "Psycho" star Janet Leigh,with whom he fathered actress Jamie Lee Curtis. When asked in an on-stage interview at the BFI in London in 2008 what he'd like on his tombstone, Curtis answered, "Nobody's perfect." We can't think of a better tip of the hat to his greatest performance, and to the man who gave it.