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View Full Version : RIP Tony Randall


Ksyrup
05-18-2004, 09:36 AM
I haven't seen an article yet.

Ksyrup
05-18-2004, 09:50 AM
(CNN) -- Tony Randall, the Emmy-winning actor who made the role of fussy neatnik Felix Unger his own in TV's "The Odd Couple," has died. Randall was 84.

The actor died in his sleep Monday evening at NYU Medical Center in New York, according to a statement from his publicist. The cause of death was "complications from a prolonged illness," the statement said.

Randall starred in a number of movies -- he performed in the Rock Hudson-Doris Day films "Pillow Talk" (1959), "Lover Come Back" (1961) and "Send Me No Flowers (1964) as well as the Jayne Mansfield comedy "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" (1957) -- but he was probably best known for his television roles.

Besides "The Odd Couple," his series included "Mr. Peepers," "The Tony Randall Show" and "Love, Sidney" -- the latter the first show featuring an openly gay lead character.

Randall, an expert raconteur, was also a frequent guest on "The Tonight Show."

The actor was born Leonard Rosenberg in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on February 26, 1920.

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Ksyrup
05-18-2004, 09:55 AM
Besides "The Odd Couple," his series included "Mr. Peepers," "The Tony Randall Show" and "Love, Sidney" -- the latter the first show featuring an openly gay lead character.

I thought that was an odd comment, as I didn't remember that to be the case at all. Although, since I was about 12 years old when the show ended, I'm sure that kind of thing would have been over my head.

Then I read this from TV Tome:

This NBC comedy starred Tony Randall in another of his very funny and fussy role. Sidney, a lonely commercial artist, befriended soap opera actress Laurie Morgan, and eventually allowed Laurie and her young daughter to share his (rather luxurious) Manhattan apartment. The story derived from the 1980 TV-movie Sidney Shorr: A Girl's Best Friend, but with a crucial change: in the movie Sidney was gay, information that somehow got mislaid in the sit-com, where Sidney was just mysteriously celibate. The result was an amiable but forgettable family comedy, rather than the ground-breaking depiction of alternative life-styles it might have been.


Poor fact-checking on the part of CNN, or some sort of revisionism?

CamEdwards
05-18-2004, 10:07 AM
he also has a pretty young son for someone who was 84. I think he became a dad when he was 77 or something like that.

hukarez
05-18-2004, 10:36 AM
Wow...

Rest in Peace, Tony.

What was his last appearance in? TV / Movie wise?

Rizon
05-18-2004, 10:45 AM
he also has a pretty young son for someone who was 84. I think he became a dad when he was 77 or something like that.

And a 32 year old wife he married when she was 25.

Viagra works!!!1111122

JonInMiddleGA
05-18-2004, 10:49 AM
What was his last appearance in? TV / Movie wise?
Thanks to imdb.com

His last on-screen appearance seems to have been in Down With Love, a secondary role in the Renee' Zellweger/Ewan McGregor comedy.

His last TV appearances were in a tribute to Howard Cossell in 1999 & a guest-star role on Brother's Keeper in 1998.

Franklinnoble
05-18-2004, 11:06 AM
Thanks to imdb.com

His last on-screen appearance seems to have been in Down With Love, a secondary role in the Renee' Zellweger/Ewan McGregor comedy.

His last TV appearances were in a tribute to Howard Cossell in 1999 & a guest-star role on Brother's Keeper in 1998.
How the mighty had fallen. Or something.

chris3627
05-18-2004, 09:56 PM
he also has a pretty young son for someone who was 84. I think he became a dad when he was 77 or something like that.

That's the first thing that came to mind when I heard of his death earlier today. I don't mean to threadjack here or disrepect a man after his death. But isn't it a tad irresponsible for him to have had a child? Heck, lord knows I'll be using viagra if I marry someone 50 years younger than me. I've been all for giving a norplant to kids who are too young to have kids of their own.....Isn't he too old to have his own kids? The kids will be, or should be, finanacially set so that's not the issue. But not having your dad around for your high school graduation cause he should be like 100 is another matter entirely. I guess even some older people think with the wrong head. :)

cincyreds
05-19-2004, 07:23 AM
usually comes in 3's....

so, there will probably be 2 more to go very soon...

Ksyrup
05-19-2004, 07:37 AM
LOL!

I was waiting for that. Where's DD?!

Ksyrup
05-19-2004, 10:18 AM
Here we are:

Tony Randall
Anna Lee (General Hospital)
Elvin Ray Jones (John Coltrane's drummer)

:D