Curtis starred in more than 140 major motion pictures and was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in 1958's The Defiant Ones with Sidney Poitier. His other films included Some Like It Hot, Spartacus and The Boston Strangler. He also starred alongside Roger Moore in the television series The Persuaders.

Curtis visited Hungary several times and in 1988 founded and became honorary chairman of the Emanuel Foundation which helped with the reconstruction of the Dohány utca synagogue and similar renovations nationwide. He was awarded the Hungarian Republic Order of Merit officer's cross in 1996.

Curtis starred in a Magyar Turizmus advertisement for the US market two years ago. The "Some Like It Hot" campaign focussed on the country's spa culture, and significantly increased the number of US visitors to Hungary.

His final visit was in April 2009, when he presented his biography American Prince: A Memoir at the Budapest book festival, and also exhibited his paintings. He died at his home in Las Vegas."

Source: Hungary Around the Clock.

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