Tony Curtis: Best - and worst - of his big-screen work

THE Sweet Smell of Success - Curtis had to fight for his breakthrough 1957 role as an ambitious publicist. His studio, Universal, was worried it would ruin his career.

The Defiant Ones - Curtis earned his only Oscar nomination for his 1958 performance as a racist escaped convict chained to Sidney Poitier.

The Vikings - Curtis and Kirk Douglas starred as two battling Viking half-brothers.

Some Like It Hot - His most famous role saw Curtis play a cross-dressing musician on the run from the Mob in Billy Wilder's 1959 classic. Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe also starred.

The Boston Strangler - Curtis always insisted that his portrayal of serial killer Albert DeSalvo had been the finest of his career.

The Bad News Bears Go To Japan - In one of the low points of his career, Curtis stars as a small-time promoter who takes a youth baseball team on tour to Japan.