Jack Lemmon was arguably one of the most famous film stars of the second half of the twentieth century. In dozens of memorable films, he created characters that millions of moviegoers cheered for and related to, and in the process became a kind of American “everyman.” The human qualities he demonstrated on-screen—with all their complexity and conflict—were part of his persona in real life as well.

Chris Lemmon’s parents divorced when he was very young. Growing up, he knew his father primarily as someone who would visit his home to play with him and who later took him on yearly fishing trips to Alaska. As Chris matured, the bond between them deepened; they shared first their mutual love of music and then their passion for golf—a game at which neither, alas, excelled.

When Jack Lemmon died in 2001, the world lost one of its favorite actors, but Chris Lemmon lost the man he had idolized above all others. In this tribute to his father—as he knew him and loved him—he shares the memories that he treasures most.