Editing Michael Curtiz (section)

=== Personal habits ===
[[File:Curtiz and Will Rogers Jr.jpg|thumb|left|Curtiz with Will Rogers, Jr., in 1952]]
Curtiz was always extremely active: he worked very long days, took part in several sports in his spare time, and was often found to sleep under a cold shower.<ref name=Harmetz />{{rp|188}} He skipped lunches since they interfered with his work and he felt they often made him tired. He was therefore dismissive of actors who ate lunch, believing that "lunch bums" had no energy for work in the afternoons.<ref name=Harmetz />{{rp|188}}

Wallis said he was "a demon for work."<ref name=Wallis /> He arose each morning at 5 am and typically remained at the studio until 8 or 9 pm. He hated to go home at the end of the day, said Wallis. With his high energy level, he also attended to every minute detail on the set.

To broaden his life experiences in the U.S., since he seldom traveled outside of Hollywood, when he did go on location shoots 
he tended to be restless and curious about everything in the area. Producer Wallis, who was often with him, observed that he explored everything:
{{blockquote|He had a thirst for knowledge; he wanted to see the poolrooms, the flophouses, the Chinese sections, the slums{{mdash}}everything strange and exotic and seedy so that he could add to the knowledge that gave his pictures their amazing degree of realism.<ref name=Wallis />}}

He earned the nickname "Iron Mike" from his friends, since he tried to keep physically fit by playing polo when he had time, and owned a stable of horses for his recreation at home. He attributed his fitness and level of energy solely to sober living.<ref name=Pitts /> Even with his vast success and wealth over the years, he did not allow himself "to be fondled in the lap of luxury."<ref name=Pitts />