First
Episode: Thursday 24 September 1970 / 9.30pm
Last Episode: July 1975 / 8.30pm
Producers: Garry
Marshall, Jerry Belson, Harvey Miller, Sheldon
Keller, Tony Marshall, Phil Mishkin
Sitcom
based on the highly successful Neil Simon play
of the same name. The plot had two mismatched
men being forced to live together, slobbish
sportswriter Oscar Madison moves in with his
friend the highly pedantic and fussy
photographer Felix Unger after Oscar's wife
leaves him.
Much of the comedy came from the conflict from
living together the two got into. Other regulars
were their poker pals Murray, Speed and Vinnie.
The duo lived in an apartment block and upstairs
from them were the "kooky" English
Pigeon sisters. The series came to a natural
conclusion when Felix ended up re-marrying his
ex-wife and moving out. Seven
years after this show ended there was a black
cast revival under the title The New Odd Couple
(featuring many of the original plots) and also
between 1975 and 1977 there was a clever
animated version featuring a dog and a cat and
called The Oddball Couple. There was also a two
hour re-union special September 24, 1993.
Neil Simon is supposed to have based the story
on the real life experiences of his brother
Danny. Both leading men won emmy's for their
roles.
Cast
TONY RANDALL as Felix Unger /
JACK KLUGMAN as Oscar Madison / AL MOLINARO as
Murray Greshner / GARRY WALBERG as Speed
(1970-74) / LARRY GELMAN as Vinnie / ARCHIE HAHN
as Roger (1973-74) / RYAN McDONALD as Roy
(1970-71) / MONICA EVANS as Cecily Pigeon
(1970-71) / CAROL SHELLEY as Gwendolyn Pigeon
(1970-71) / JOAN HOTCHKIS as Dr Nancy Cunningham
(1970-72) / JANIS HANSEN as Gloria Unger
(1971-75) / BRETT SOMERS as Blanche Madison /
PENNY MARSHALL as Myrne Turner (1971-75) /
ELINOR DONAHHUE as Miriam Welby (1972-74)
Seven
years after this show ended there was a black
cast revival under the title The New Odd Couple
(featuring many of the original plots) and also
between 1975 and 1977 there was a clever
animated version featuring a dog and a cat and
called The Oddball Couple. There was also a two
hour re-union special September 24, 1993.
