The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple is a 1970s sitcom that aired on ABC about opposite roommates Felix Unger (Tony Randall) and Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman), based on the 1965 Broadway play of the same name written by Neil Simon. Felix and Oscar are both divorced men, but that’s where their personal similarities end. Feliz is very neat and organized, while Oscar is casual and often sloppy. Their contrasting styles and different lifestyles lead to as much disparity as it does laughter. Additional characters went in and out of their lives but two consistently featured were their ex-wives. Felix’s ex Gloria (Janis Hansen) was someone he often felt he made a mistake by divorcing and tried to win her back, but Oscar’s only problem with his separation from his ex-wife Blanche (Brett Somers) was the alimony he had to pay her. Also featured were Murray the Cop (Al Molinaro) and Oscar’s secretary Myrna Turner (Penny Marshall), as well as Oscar’s poker buddies Homer “Speed” Deegan (Garry Walberg), Roy (Ryan McDonald), and Vinny Barella (Larry Gelman). The tv series was inspired by the success of the 1968 movie version of the play, which starred Jack Lemmon as Felix and Walter Matthau as Oscar. MORE