Born in Newton, Mass. Began his career as a radio, theater and TV actor and first gained screen prominence with an Oscar-winning supporting role as the opportunistic Ensign Pulver in MISTER ROBERTS (1955). Maintaining a high level of nervous, indeed sometimes jittery, energy, Lemmon went on to establish himself as one of America's finest comedic talents, particularly with his roles in two of Billy Wilder's comic masterpieces: in the delirious SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) he played a nightclub musician who, together with Tony Curtis, dresses in drag in order to escape the clutches of a Chicago mob; and in THE APARTMENT (1960) he portrayed a hapless insurance clerk who, in a bid for promotion, allows his superiors to conduct their extramarital affairs in his city flat. The latter role, that of a put-upon figure fighting a continual losing battle with life's daily frustrations and humiliations, became Lemmon's trademark. Alongside other comic triumphs such as Wilder's IRMA LA DOUCE (1963) and THE ODD COUPLE (1968), one of half a dozen films co-starring Walter Matthau, Lemmon also proved a thoughtful and engaging dramatic player. His performance in Blake Edwards's study of an alcoholic marriage, DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES (1962), was one of his finest, and his work in two political thrillers -- THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979) and MISSING (1982) -- each earned him a Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. Lemmon also won a second Oscar, this time for Best Actor, as a desperate, middle-aged businessman in SAVE THE TIGER (1973). He directed one feature, KOTCH (1971), starring Matthau, and was awarded the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award in 1988. Lemmon's feature work slowed down a bit as the 80s ended, and some of his more interesting later work occurred in offbeat, less commercial films such as GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992), a fine adaptation of David Mamet's blistering play, and Robert Altman's anthology drama, SHORT CUTS (1993). Lemmon was formerly married (1950-56) to actress Cynthia Stone and wed Felicia Farr in 1962. Son Chris Lemmon (b. 1954) is also an actor.  Supporting Actor 1955: MISTER ROBERTS  Nominated for Actor 1959: SOME LIKE IT HOT  Nominated for Actor 1960: THE APARTMENT  Nominated for Actor 1962: DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES  Actor 1973: SAVE THE TIGER  Nominated for Actor 1979: THE CHINA SYNDROME  Nominated for Actor 1980: TRIBUTE  Nominated for Actor 1982: MISSING 8 nominations, 2 Awards