Walter Matthau's Son Shares Actor's Surprising Stance on Cryonics

In 2025, Charlie Matthau, the son of acclaimed actor Walter Matthau, shared a fascinating insight into his late father's views on cryonics. According to Charlie, he had long been interested in the idea of having his brain and body frozen, with the hope of being revived in the future. Eager to convince his "best buddy" Walter to do the same, Charlie recounted a conversation they had about the topic.

However, Walter Matthau, who passed away in 2000 at the age of 79, was not receptive to the idea. "He just looks at me and he goes, 'I'm not doing it,'" Charlie said. When pressed for a reason, Walter's response was both surprising and humorous: "Because I'm afraid it'll work."

Walter Matthau was a renowned actor, known for his roles in iconic films such as The Odd Couple, The Bad News Bears, and the 1974 original of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Fortune Cookie in 1967 and received additional nominations in 1972 for Kotch and in 1976 for The Sunshine Boys, among his numerous accolades.

Despite his success, Walter Matthau remained grounded in his approach to life and acting. When he won the Oscar, he kept his acceptance speech short and sweet, reflecting on his good fortune: "The other day, as I was falling off my bicycle, I had the following thoughts: I was given a very juicy part. I was allowed to work with talented, exhilarating, and beautiful people. I was given a good deal of money. And a great deal of joy. And now, really, don't you think this is going a little too far?"

Walter Matthau's final on-screen appearance was in the 2000 comedy Hanging Up, which also starred Keaton, Meg Ryan, and Lisa Kudrow as his daughters.