UK- Famed for his good looks he is the last Hollywood male icon of his generation.

But Tony Curtis shocked fans yesterday with his frail appearance when he went out confined to a wheelchair and without his trademark toupee.

The frail 82 year-old visited Harrods to launch an exhibition of his paintings but was unable to make the journey on his own two feet.

But perhaps the greatest surprise was that he posed happily without his customary quiffed hairpiece – revealing his entirely bald head.

He habitually appears in public wearing a wig to disguise his balding but yesterday, the actor’s only accessory was a grey Stetson and for the first time seemed happy to show off his smooth scalp.

He was able to stand briefly to greet Harrods boss Mohammed Al Fayed but seemed relieved to sit down again.

When asked what the secret of his enduring vigour was Mr Curtis answered: ‘The saliva of beautiful women.’

But he admitted he follows a strict diet regime in order to stay healthy.

He said:’I have no sugar in my diet. Eliminate sugar and your body will equalise its weight.

Mr Curtis blamed his use of a wheelchair on a life-threatening bout of pneumonia which he suffered in 2006.

He said: ‘I had pneumonia and I lost the use of my legs. In a week or so I will be up and about.’

He attributed his renewed health to sixth wife, Jill Vandenberg, who is 42 years his junior.

But added: ‘I keep her young too.’

The octogenarian actor is in London to launch his private collection of oil paintings at the department store.

The 35 canvases are on sale for up to £20,000.

The star proceeded to paint a picture of a vase of flowers on canvas in front of fans and Harrods staff from his wheelchair.

During a bizarre photocall Mr Curtis and Mr Al Fayed shook hands and the Harrods owner patted his friend’s bald head before giving him a banana.

Mr Curtis implied the gift was a running joke between the pair and said: ‘He’s always given me a banana.’

Nonetheless the actor’s recovery is far from complete.

Curtis’ manager Rachael Ganatta said: ‘He’s got a personal trainer and does things like weight training -a day on upper body and a day on lower body.

‘He’s also started doing pilates.’

Miss Ganatta said that Curtis was still ‘open to the idea’ of doing another film.

His latest film, David and Fatima, is due to be released this year.

His wife said: ‘He’s doing great. He was very ill. He couldn’t even move a finger when he first got ill. Look at him now.’

Her husband was unconscious for four days and hospitalised for seven weeks with pneumonia in 2006 which caused him to lose all motor skills.

The pair met in a restaurant 13 years ago and they married five years later.

Mr Curtis’ married first wife and actress Janet Leigh in 1951.

They had two daughters – the eldest of whom is actress Jamie Lee Curtis – but divorced after ten years.

The Oscar-nominated star has appeared in 171 films, including classics like Some Like It Hot, The Boston Strangler and Sweet Smell Of Success.

He also starred alongside Roger Moore in 1971 series The Persuaders in which both played international playboys.

He was born Bernie Schwartz in New York in 1925 but Universal Pictures renamed the performer Tony Curtis when he first came to Hollywood aged 23.