Why Walter Matthau is my kind of leading man

Walter Matthau was a one-of-a-kind kind of movie star. Modern audiences, if they're familiar with him at all, probably know him best for his late career Grumpy Old Men comedies, but he had a long and fruitful, acclaimed career before that as both a character actor but also, most curiously as an orthodox leading man.

Matthau was by no means traditionally handsome, he was preternaturally elderly-looking with a unique, goofy-sounding voice. He would almost certainly never get the lead role in any movie today, but there was a time when he was bankable, and even more important -- he was cool.

In the 1970s in particular, he had a great run of badass, but lovable roles as the hero of some quirky genre films.

And while Matthau was never going to seduce the leading lady or take center stage in a stunt-heavy action sequence, he brought an authentic, and wonderfully world-weary presence and gravitas to nearly ever role he played.

For instance there's 1973's Charley Varrick, where he plays an aging thief who must improvise to survive after his latest heist goes tragically wrong. His performance as Varrick is sly and sardonic, but never silly, And by the end of the film (where he has to square off against a very scary Joe Don Baker) he comes across as a totally credible tough guy in an action film.

In the classic 1974 thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, (which was remade into a subpar film starring Denzel Washington) Matthau is a politically incorrect, blue collar New York City transit cop. He would at first appear to be no match for Robert Shaw's ruthless villain, but he relies on his wits and his instincts to get to the bottom of a high stakes hostage situation on an underground subway train.

And then there's the beloved hit comedy film The Bad News Bears, not an action picture obviously, but a lot more sophisticated than the usual family fare, too. Matthau's iconic hero -- the appropriately named Morris Buttermaker -- is a truly grizzled drunk, a deeply flawed character who has no business watching children, but becomes unexpectedly good at it, when they inspire his natural competitive instincts (he played an ex-pro who's fallen from grace).

Matthau's great run culminated with 1980's Hopscotch, not a masterpiece, but a charming little movie which derives most of his pleasures for the fact that it casts the jowly actor as a CIA smoothie even though he looks and sounds the way he does.

Like I said earlier, modern Hollywood would have no patience for someone as unconventional as Matthau. And that's a real shame. The character in his face, voice, even gait -- make him stand out in any movie, and with so many bland leading men trying to seize the movie star mantle and failing, perhaps because they have no distinct style or equality.

Meanwhile a special brand of movie star in Matthau mold is dying a slow death. With the notable of exception of Jeff Goldbum -- who is uniquely himself -- that he brings a smile to my face whenever he pops up on screen. He too is no typical movie star -- but boy, is he one.

More, please.