TONY CURTIS: Now a local legend

Actor and artist to enter UNLV's Hall of Fame on Tuesday

At 69, Tony Curtis could be receiving plenty of lifetime achievement awards for his acting career alone. But the 106 film credits are only one facet of a life dedicated to enrichment in all areas.

The entertainer will be honored as the second Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame inductee at a ceremony slated for Tuesday.

Jeff Koep, dean of the College of Fine Arts at UNLV and Hall of Fame board member, said part of the reason Curtis will receive the award is his versatility, both on and off the screen.

"Tony is and was a giant in the film industry," Koep said. "When he is somewhere you see a whole group of people who saw those movies and know exactly who he is. This is an actor who was not just a singular star, he could do everything."

Besides achieving icon status in the realm of American film, Curtis is an accomplished painter. He has shown his work at galleries all over the world and hosted a one-man London debut exhibit that sold out before it opened. His work has graced walls at the Butler Institute of American Art, the naval base at Pearl Harbor and locally at the Mirage.

But don't call him a celebrity artist.

"When I started painting they called me a celebrity artist, and that's not for me," he said. "I refused to accept that. That cheapens my work. I don't want that other connection to it."

Since moving to the Henderson area with his wife, Jill, six years ago, Curtis also has been a regular visitor of the UNLV campus, giving talks and sharing experiences with students and faculty. His wife has begun a wild horse rescue program called Shiloh Horse Rescue & Sanctuary.

The Hall of Fame award is not given exclusively to patrons of the arts or supporters of UNLV. Its only requirement is that the inductee be a resident of Southern Nevada who has made an impact in the industry.

Koep said the campus has certainly benefited from Curtis' presence.

"For someone of superstar stature to say, 'I'm here to assist you,' is great," Koep said. "He lectures about 10 times a semester. And he gives you an honest opinion.

"This is a man whose career spans four decades, in the richest times of American film. And he's done every kind of film imaginable. He talks about starting out as a young person and he's not afraid to talk about the mistakes he's made."

"All that means is that I shall be alive," Curtis joked. "The university is going to bestow upon me some kind of experience, for which I am grateful. I have painted ever since I was a kid, it was my first way of expressing my feelings. Acting is my profession and what I dedicated my life to. But I've felt there are a lot of other (artistic outlets) I could find myself connected to. I make assemblages, collages, watercolors, oils. I do lithographs and acrylic. I'm able to express myself in all these different manners. They're honoring me for being a lover of life."

The induction ceremony is slated for 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the Artemus Ham Concert Hall on the UNLV campus. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $10 for students and can be purchased by calling 895-2787.

The Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery also will host an exhibition of work by Curtis that will open at 7:30 p.m., following the awards ceremony. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will run through Sept. 24. The gallery is located inside the Alta Ham Fine Arts building. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


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