Tony Curtis Was 'Completely Devastated' After His Son's Tragic Death From Drug Overdose: 'He Felt Incapacitated'
Tony Curtis had six children.
Sept. 28 2026, Published 4:26 p.m. ET
Legendary actor Tony Curtis was known for working alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood throughout his iconic career, but his fame-filled life was struck by tragedy when his son died in 1994.
Ahead of the 16th anniversary of the Some Like It Hot actor's death, RadarOnline.com revisits Tony's marriages, children, and their family's battle with addiction issues.
Tony Curtis Was Married 6 Times
Tony Curtis was married six times.
Tony was married six times and fathered six children throughout his life.
He said "I do" to Psycho actress Janet Leigh in 1951, and they were married until 1962. They shared daughters Kelly and actress Jamie Lee.
Next came Christine Kaufmann, whom he wed in 1963. Together, they welcomed Alexandra and Allegra, bringing his daughter count to four. They divorced in 1968.
That same year, he tied the knot with Leslie Allen. They shared two sons, Nicholas and Benjamin, together.
His other wives included Andrew Savio, Lisa Deutsch, and Jill Vandenberg.
"I think my dad’s biggest accomplishment is that he became a big star and was able to take care of his family," Allegra said in a resurfaced interview after his 2010 death. "He had a wonderful way of bringing us all together."
Tony Curtis 'Completely Devastated' by Loss of His Son
Tony Curtis' son Nicholas died at 23.
Allegra joked she was her father's fourth daughter, "So, I think when I was born he was like, ‘Oh my God, another one.'"
He finally had his first son, Nicholas, in 1970. Tragically, he only lived just over two decades before he died of a heroin overdose at 23.
"It’s a terrible thing when a father loses his son," Tony's 1993 autobiographer, Barry Paris, wrote. "He was completely devastated and immobilized by it."
"He felt incapacitated — what parent wouldn’t be?" Paris continued. "He adored the boy."
Jamie Lee Curtis Reflects on Her Brother's Death
Jamie Lee Curtis did not know her father, Tony, well throughout his life.
Jamie Lee, who has also gone on to be an accomplished actress throughout her decades-long career, reflected on how substance abuse wounded their family.
"It kills people. It killed my brother," she said in 2002, according to Tulsa World. "It kills young people, old people, it ruins families. It's ruinous."
'He Is One of Millions and Millions of People'
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Jamie Lee Curtis was once addicted to opiates.
Back in 2023, Jamie Lee got candid about her brother's addiction again during an appearance on Morning Joe.
"He was clean and sober, and he went out and used one time and died from an overdose," she said at the time. "He is one of millions and millions of people whose lives have been extinguished because of addiction."
Tony fought his own addiction demons throughout his life. He not only battled alcoholism, but also abused heroin and cocaine
Jamie Lee herself overcame a secret opioid addiction.
"I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic," she shared with People in 2018. "I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one."
