46. Some Didn't Believe Him
Another awkward claim that Curtis made? The above story about Marilyn Monroe carrying his baby. When Curtis's book about Monroe came out, not everyone was so sure they believed the dramatic tale. After all, Curtis had given so many different versions of his relationship with Monroe over the years (they were feuding co-stars, young lovers, and now players in a torrid affair) that at least one outlet claimed the tale was "unlikely."
47. He Made Cinema History
To this day, Tony Curtis is an iconic heartthrob—not just for women but men too. Remember that Spartacus scene where Curtis's character gives Laurence Olivier a bath? Well, after four long decades of bugging the studio to put the scene in a cut of the movie, Curtis finally prevailed. Curtis rerecorded audio for his character while Anthony Hopkins filled in for Olivier, who'd sadly passed by this point. The scene is now a landmark part of LGBTQ+ cinema history.
48. He Wasn’t Always Upfront About His Private Life
Many people have wondered if Curtis ever pursued romances with men. After all, he dressed as a woman in Some Like It Hot and took a bath with a guy in Spartacus. But Curtis repeatedly confirmed that he was straight. He loved his “brothers and sisters” who were gay, but he just wasn’t one of them. However, Curtis also said that when he came to Hollywood, he “had more action than Mount Vesuvius: men, women, animals.” Gross.
Some like it hot, 1959, Paramount Pictures
49. He Wasn’t Like Other Leading Men
Women lost their minds for Tony Curtis—probably because he was so refreshingly different from other heartthrobs. He had full lips, soft blue eyes and he even plucked his eyebrows. It was a new feminized male beauty—and then there was his iconic ducktail hairstyle. The hairdo actually inspired a cinema usher to get the haircut for himself.
That usher was Elvis Presley and when he got famous, he made Curtis’s do part of his signature style. But not all of Curtis's legacy is so positive...
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
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50. There Was A Scandalous Posthumous Accusation
Many years after Curtis’s passing, a startling accusation came to light. Kim Novak, star of the films Picnic and Vertigo, alleged that Curtis had spiked her drink back in 1958. She was at a party and swears she had only one drink: provided by Curtis. The next morning she woke up wearing nothing and lying in her own bed. She alleges she doesn’t remember anything about what happened.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
