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19.3.24 0640
The W - Random - RIP Tony Randall
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StaggerLee
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Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

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#1 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.45
NEW YORK (AP) - Tony Randall, the comic actor best known for playing fastidious photographer Felix Unger on "The Odd Couple," has died. He was 84.

Randall died in his sleep Monday night at NYU Medical Center of complications from a long illness, according to his publicity firm, Springer Associates.

He is survived by his wife, Heather Harlan Randall, who made him a father for the first time at age 77, and their two children, 7-year-old Julia Laurette and 5-year-old Jefferson Salvini.

Randall won an Emmy for playing Unger on the sitcom based on Neil Simon's play and movie, from 1970-75. But he won after the show had been canceled, prompting him to quip at the awards ceremony: "I'm so happy I won. Now if I only had a job."

The show's charm sprang from Randall's chemistry and conflict with Jack Klugman as sloppy sportswriter Oscar Madison, with whom he's forced to share an apartment after both men get divorced.

Before that, Randall was best known as the fastidious "best friend" figure in several Rock Hudson-Doris Day movies, including 1959's "Pillow Talk" and 1961's "Lover Come Back."

The actor became a fixture on David Letterman's late-night talk shows, appearing a record 70 times on the "Late Show" alone. He made fun of his own prim image by taking part in Letterman's wacky antics, including allowing himself to be covered in mud.

And in 1993, when Conan O'Brien took over the time slot at NBC that Letterman had vacated for a new show at CBS, Randall was a guest on O'Brien's debut episode. After "The Odd Couple," Randall had two short-lived sitcoms, one of which was "The Tony Randall Show," in which he played a stuffy Philadelphia judge, from 1976-78.

From 1981-83, he played the title role in the sitcom "Love, Sidney," as a single, middle-aged commercial artist helping a female friend care for her young daughter.

The show was based on a TV movie in which Sidney was gay; in the TV show, the character's sexual orientation was implied, but never specified. This occurred more than a decade before the much-hyped coming-out on "Ellen" in 1997, which made Ellen DeGeneres' character the first openly gay central figure on a network series.

For his television work, Randall got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998.

In an effort to bring classic theater back to Broadway, Randall founded and was artistic director of the non-profit National Actors Theatre in 1991, using $1 million of his own money and $2 million from corporations and foundations. The company's first production was a revival of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," starring Martin Sheen and Michael York, which hadn't been staged on Broadway in 40 years.

The next year, Randall's production of Ibsen's "The Master Builder" didn't exactly draw raves. AP Drama Critic Michael Kuchwara called it "deadly earnest - and dull."

Subsequent performances included "Night Must Fall," "The Gin Game" and "The Sunshine Boys," in which Randall reunited with Klugman, in 1998. Randall also starred in his company's Tony Award-winning staging of "M. Butterfly."

The actor also was socially active, lobbying against smoking in public places, marching in Washington against apartheid in the '80s, and helping raise money for AIDS research in the '90s.

Born Leonard Rosenberg on Feb. 26, 1920, Randall was drawn as a teenager to roadshows that came through his hometown of Tulsa, Okla.

"One night, the entire town turned out to see the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo perform Swan Lake and Sheherezade," he wrote. "I - and most of the audience - had never seen a ballet before. We stood and cheered, thinking it was a 'once in a lifetime' event."

Randall attended Northwestern University before heading to New York at 19, where he made his stage debut in 1941 in "The Circle of Chalk."

After Army service during World War II from 1942-46, he returned to New York, where he appeared on radio and early television. He got his start in movies in 1957.

He was married to his college sweetheart, Florence Randall, for 54 years until she died of cancer in 1992.

"I saw her in a bank - I never saw another girl in my life. She was gorgeous, the most beautiful girl I ever saw," Randall said in a TV interview in 1995.

Later that year, he married Harlan, who was 50 years his junior. Randall met her through his National Actors Theatre; former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani performed the ceremony.

Harlan gave birth to their first child, Julia Laurette Randall, in April 1997. Their second child, Jefferson Salvini Randall, was born in June 1998.






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redsoxnation
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Since: 24.7.02

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#2 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.44
Always have to respect a man who can get a girl 50 years younger than him and knock her up twice. For that, I drink to Tony Randall.



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Since: 25.4.03
From: Nashville, TN

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#3 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.88

I can't help but think of that Family Guy episode where Peter was playing Password and his partner was Tony Randall ...

"The password is FLAMING"

Peter: You ...
Tony: uh, actor?
Peter: You ...

RIP Tony.




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Morcilla








Since: 7.4.02
From: USA

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#4 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.36
Just to show that you never know in life: Who would have predicted that Jack Klugman would out live Tony Randall?

RIP Felix.




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Since: 20.9.02
From: New York, NY

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#5 Posted on | Instant Rating: 9.01
Peace to a man with a long and distinguished career and the good sense to laugh at himself.



Bring back "Hollywood" John Tatum
The Thrill
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Since: 16.4.02
From: Green Bay, WI

Since last post: 3624 days
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#6 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.25

I still mark out for Randall's turns as the celebrity contestant against Mr. Short Attention Span (Tom Hanks) on some game show SNL skit...and as one of the mud-covered Woodstock '94 or '99 concertgoers showing up in the Ed Sullivan Theater on Late Show w/ David Letterman.

RIP, Tony.



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DrDirt
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Since: 8.10.03
From: flyover country

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#7 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.33
    Originally posted by redsoxnation
    Always have to respect a man who can get a girl 50 years younger than him and knock her up twice. For that, I drink to Tony Randall.


I really enjoyed his work and thought him to be a thoughful intelligent man. However, having children with no hope of seeing them into adulthood is a very selfish act by a man who gave alot.



Perception is reality
Downtown Bookie
Morcilla








Since: 7.4.02
From: USA

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#8 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.36
    Originally posted by DrDirt
    I really enjoyed his work and thought him to be a thoughtful intelligent man. However, having children with no hope of seeing them into adulthood is a very selfish act by a man who gave alot.
I could disagree with the above sentiment based solely on the premise that for a man to father a child with the woman he loves and has married, a woman who desires to become the mother of his children, could ever be considered a selfish act; however, I think it's more important to refute the idea that Tony Randall had "no hope" of seeing his children into adulthood. According to the article StaggerLee quoted, Mr. Randall's youngest child is five years old, meaning Mr. Randall was 79 years old at the time of his birth. Seeing that child into adulthood would mean Mr. Randall would have needed to live to be 97 years old. Unlikely? Perhaps. But "no hope"? I must disagree. Mr. Randall was known for his dedication to good heath (thus the irony I sought to convey in my prior post, where I pointed out that Mr. Randall's long-time colleague Jack Klugman managed to survive him). Also, while it is rare, it is hardly unknown for males in Mr. Randall's field of occupation to be alive at age 97 and beyond. Bob Hope lived to be one hundred, as did George Burns and Hal Roach. Charles Lane turned 99 this past January and is still alive. Bruce Bennett turned 98 today (May 19). Eddie Albert just turned 96 last month. So to claim that becoming a father while in his seventies was "a very selfish act" on Tony Randall's part because he had "no hope of seeing them [his children] into adulthood" is IMHO a very unfair and inaccurate assertion.



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Since: 8.10.03
From: flyover country

Since last post: 2337 days
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#9 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.43
    Originally posted by Downtown Bookie
      Originally posted by DrDirt
      I really enjoyed his work and thought him to be a thoughtful intelligent man. However, having children with no hope of seeing them into adulthood is a very selfish act by a man who gave alot.
    I could disagree with the above sentiment based solely on the premise that for a man to father a child with the woman he loves and has married, a woman who desires to become the mother of his children, could ever be considered a selfish act; however, I think it's more important to refute the idea that Tony Randall had "no hope" of seeing his children into adulthood. According to the article StaggerLee quoted, Mr. Randall's youngest child is five years old, meaning Mr. Randall was 79 years old at the time of his birth. Seeing that child into adulthood would mean Mr. Randall would have needed to live to be 97 years old. Unlikely? Perhaps. But "no hope"? I must disagree. Mr. Randall was known for his dedication to good heath (thus the irony I sought to convey in my prior post, where I pointed out that Mr. Randall's long-time colleague Jack Klugman managed to survive him). Also, while it is rare, it is hardly unknown for males in Mr. Randall's field of occupation to be alive at age 97 and beyond. Bob Hope lived to be one hundred, as did George Burns and Hal Roach. Charles Lane turned 99 this past January and is still alive. Bruce Bennett turned 98 today (May 19). Eddie Albert just turned 96 last month. So to claim that becoming a father while in his seventies was "a very selfish act" on Tony Randall's part because he had "no hope of seeing them [his children] into adulthood" is IMHO a very unfair and inaccurate assertion.


That sounds good but several points.
1. The chances that he could live to see his children to adulthood and actively participate were slim (evidently).

2. You are correct in that the woman went along. She is as irresponsible as he was.

3. Whenever possible, children do better with an involved mother and father.

4. On the plus side, I am sure they are well cared for financially.

5. Can I understand wanting to do this? Yes. But iot is irresponsible no matter who you are.



Perception is reality
StaggerLee
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Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

Since last post: 928 days
Last activity: 928 days
#10 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.67
This argument baffles me. How is it irresponsible to have children, as long as you provide them with love, and thier basic needs?

If a cop, or soldier has a child, and gets killed while on the job, is he then irresponsible, since thier job is high risk?

His widow has ample means to financially care for thier kids.

Tons of kids dont have a father in thier lives, and have nowhere near the financial means to be provided for. At least his kids have that advantage.



Thank you for your irrelevant opinion.

Doe, Ray, Me, Fa, So, La, TITO SANTANA!
DrDirt
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Since: 8.10.03
From: flyover country

Since last post: 2337 days
Last activity: 2238 days
#11 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.43
    Originally posted by StaggerLee
    This argument baffles me. How is it irresponsible to have children, as long as you provide them with love, and thier basic needs?

    If a cop, or soldier has a child, and gets killed while on the job, is he then irresponsible, since thier job is high risk?

    His widow has ample means to financially care for thier kids.

    Tons of kids dont have a father in thier lives, and have nowhere near the financial means to be provided for. At least his kids have that advantage.


Stagger,

1. He was almost 80. He can't love them too well if he is dead.

2. There is a big difference between having a hazardous job and fathering children when you have alread lived longer than the average. They stand an excellent chance of seeing their children to adulthood. Randall didn't.

3. Randall's children have the advantage of money over poorer kid's with one parent. His kids still are now without a father.

4. Leaving shildren with one parent dosen't make for warped kids but it is a disadvantage and increases risks for the child.

I am not saying it's the worst thing in the world but it is still irresponsible, an ultimately selfish act.




Perception is reality
Alessandro
Lap cheong








Since: 2.1.02
From: Worcester MA

Since last post: 458 days
Last activity: 63 days
#12 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.04
What? That article doesn't even mention his start as a radio announcer ... Shameful.

Actor Tony Randall is dead at 84

Comic was once announcer in area



By Christy Lemire The Associated Press




Tony Randall, the comic actor best-known for playing fastidious photographer Felix Unger on "The Odd Couple," has died. He was 84.

Randall, who developed pneumonia after undergoing heart bypass surgery in December, died in his sleep Monday night at NYU Medical Center, according to his publicity firm, Springer Associates.

Randall was hospitalized after starring for a month in "Right You Are," a revival of Luigi Pirandellos play by the National Actors Theatre, which he founded.

In a tribute to the actor, known for his work on stage as well as television, lights at all the Broadway theaters were to be dimmed at 8 last night.

"Tony Randalls passion for live theatre was unmatched," Jed Bernstein, president of the League of American Theatres and Producers, said in a statement. "He was a vociferous advocate for the proposition that serious plays are the lifeblood of our culture."

Randall, who was a radio announcer in Worcester for a year early in his career, joked in September about how he envisioned his funeral: President Bush and Vice President Cheney would show up to pay their respects, but theyd be turned away because his family knows he didnt like them.

Randall won an Emmy for playing Unger opposite Jack Klugmans Oscar Madison on the sitcom based on Neil Simons play and movie. The show ran from 1970 to 1975, but Randall won after it had been canceled, prompting him to quip at the awards ceremony: "Im so happy I won. Now if I only had a job."

The shows charm sprang from Randalls chemistry and conflict with Oscar, the sloppy sportswriter hes forced to share an apartment with after both men get divorced.


Before that, Randall was best-known as the fussbudget pal in several Rock Hudson-Doris Day movies, including 1959s "Pillow Talk" and 1961s "Lover Come Back."

The actor became a fixture on David Lettermans late-night talk shows, appearing a record 70 times on the "Late Show" alone.

And in 1993, when Conan OBrien took over the time slot at NBC that Letterman had vacated for a new show at CBS, Randall was a guest on OBriens debut episode.

After "The Odd Couple," Randall had two short-lived sitcoms, one of which was "The Tony Randall Show," in which he played a stuffy Philadelphia judge, from 1976-78.

From 1981 to 1983, he played the title role in the sitcom "Love, Sidney," as a single, middle-aged commercial artist helping a female friend care for her young daughter.

The show was based on a TV movie in which Sidney was gay; in the TV show, the characters sexual orientation was implied, but never specified.

For his television work, Randall got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998.

In an effort to bring classic theater back to Broadway, Randall founded and was artistic director of the nonprofit National Actors Theatre in 1991, using $1 million of his own money and $2 million from corporations and foundations. The companys first production was a revival of Arthur Millers "The Crucible." .

Subsequent performances included "Night Must Fall," "The Gin Game" and "The Sunshine Boys," in which Randall reunited with Klugman, in 1998. Randall also starred in his companys Tony Award-winning staging of "M. Butterfly."


The actor also was socially active, lobbying against smoking in public places, marching in Washington against apartheid in the 80s, and helping raise money for AIDS research in the 90s.

Born Leonard Rosenberg on Feb. 26, 1920, Randall was drawn as a teenager to roadshows that came through his hometown of Tulsa, Okla.

Randall attended Northwestern University before heading to New York at 19, where he made his stage debut in 1941 in "The Circle of Chalk."

When the show closed, Randalls next job took him to Worcester, where he became a radio newscaster and announcer for WTAG from June 1941 to June 1942. Randall did the news and commercials and played records. He also wrote and hosted his own weekly show, "The Old Maestro," and gave dramatic readings. In a 1979 Sunday Telegram story, former co-workers recalled that Randall had "a prankish sense of humor" and would "walk through the corridors singing at the top of his voice." He and his wife lived in an apartment at 48 William St.

In 1957, Tyra Fuller, who wrote for the Worcester Telegram from Hollywood, interviewed Randall about his Worcester stint.

"I'm afraid my newscasts were not always as good and clearcut as they should have been," Randall said. "My ambition was always acting. Much as I appreciated that permanent job in Worcester, thoughts of the stage probably interfered with complete devotion to the radio, and I'm still grateful for the help and tolerance I met."

Randall returned to Worcester in 1974 to help Opera Worcester encourage local opera. An avid collector of art, he also toured the Worcester Art Museum, exclaiming over painting by Picasso, Matisse and Monte.

After Army service during World War II from 1942 to 1946, Randall returned to New York, where he appeared on radio and early television. He got his start in movies in 1957.

He was married to his college sweetheart, Florence Randall, for 54 years until she passed in 1992.

Later that year, he married Heather Harlan, who was 50 years his junior. Randall met her through his National Actors Theatre.

Randall is survived by his second wife - who made him a father for the first time at age 77 - and their two children, 7-year-old Julia Laurette and 5-year-old Jefferson Salvini.

Telegram & Gazette reporter Pamela H. Sacks contributed to this article.



Copyright

Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.





Alessandro "Hercules" Boondy

Just so you guys know: 75% of this crap [you read on the internet] is made up, either by the writer, or the wrestler the writer is getting the dirt from. Just so you know. -- Statement by "Tammy Sytch", from Hyatte's Dec. 29th column ... Lest we forget.





StaggerLee
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Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

Since last post: 928 days
Last activity: 928 days
#13 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.67
Dr Dirt, isnt wanting kids, in and of itself a selfish act?

His motivations for having them were no different than a 20 year old's or a 30 year olds. He waited longer in life to have them, and if you saw any of the interviews they were replaying of him this week, he seemed to love his kids more that a lot of parents seem to love thiers.

I just dont understand how wanting a child, and being able to provide a comfortable lifestyle for the child, and a safe, healthy nurturing enviornment, no matter what time in life, is considered a bad thing.

To me, its more irresponsible to have a child, live with its mother (married or not) and not be able to provide for it, or live in a house with a bad relationship.



Thank you for your irrelevant opinion.

Doe, Ray, Me, Fa, So, La, TITO SANTANA!
CRZ
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Since: 9.12.01
From: ミネアポリス

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#14 Posted on | Instant Rating: 9.07
Is it better to be alive without a father or have never existed? Wrap your mind around that, MAN



CRZ
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Since: 9.1.02
From: Wichita, Ks

Since last post: 7183 days
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#15 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.81
I have to wonder if there were any particular reasons why he never had children with his first wife. Perhaps there were other issues that kept them from having any, and they didn't want to adopt? Maybe this second wife was his first real chance to have children.



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The last living La Parka Marka

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