Tony Randall
Actor
About This Interview
Actor Tony Randall (1920-2004) was interviewed for two hours in New York, NY. Randall explained that it was his role on television's live comedy series, Mr. Peepers that launched his career. He recalled his early years in live television and his association with comedian Wally Cox and producer Fred Coe. He talked extensively about working on The Odd Couple and his enduring friendship with Jack Klugman. He also talked about his favorite, but short lived series, Love, Sidney, and The Tony Randall Show. The interview was conducted by Matt Roush on April 30, 1998.
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Highlights
Tony Randall on being cast on Mr. Peepers and working with Fred Coe and Wally Cox
Clip begins at: 20:59, Duration: 06m 59s
Tony Randall on starring in The Odd Couple
Clip begins at: 07:10
Tony Randall on his favorite episodes of The Odd Couple
Clip begins at: 00:02, Duration: 07m 58s- Tony Randall on his experiences with the series Love, Sidney
Clip begins at: 07:53, Duration: 07m 39s
Interview
- Part 1
- On breaking into radio and theater prior to World War II, the phenomenon of working in live television, and his series role as "Harvey Weskit" on Mr. Peepers, working with comedian Wally Cox and producer Fred Coe
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 2
- On his series role as "Harvey Weskit" on Mr. Peepers, working with comedian Wally Cox and producer Fred Coe, and on the Hollywood Blacklist and its effects
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 3
- On guest starrig in specials; ohis series role as "Felix Unger" on The Odd Couple and his enduring friendship with Jack Klugman.
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 4
- On his series role as "Felix Unger" on The Odd Couple; on his later series Love, Sidney and The Tony Randall Show.
Clip begins at: 0:0
Shows
People
WHAT CAN I SAY,MR ANTHONY LEONARD RANDALL WAS AND STILL IS A WONDERFUL MAN...I WILL MISS HIM SO..THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HIM...HE LOOKS, AND SOUNDS GREAT....HE WAS ALSO VERY BRIGHT AND INTELLIGENT....
Great actor, great toupee!
Why did he have to die :(
Wow, he remembered lines from a show he did 40 years earlier!
"Lend me $5 until television blows over." Well, it's about time to pay back that $5.
@ladybluluv hmmm... What exactly does the concept "homosexual" signify for you ,anyway?And just what the Hell is your problem?.... hmmm.....
There's a riotous hilarious clip on YT of his appearance as a mystery guest on What's My Line? (where he was a semi-regular panelist) where he and Buddy Hackett get into a mock verbal fight. Always so erudite and funny. Thanks for all the great entertainment, Mr. Randall.
@ladybluluv get over the shock lady
Outstanding actor and a shame the show Odd Couple didn't come out in this era.
I'm a HUGE fan of Randall's talent and his high-minded, self-critical views. But I resent him starting a new family when he was quite an old man. Men think it's "virile" to impregnate a young wife, but what about the kid who grows up without a father? Obviously Randall is not alone in this "procedure", but I think it stinks.
Mr. Randall was such an intelligent man and a great actor. The Odd Couple will always be a classic. When I was younger I didn't like the Odd Couple. I couldn't wait for it to be over so The Honeymooners can come on. Now I watch The odd Couple as much as if not more than The Honeymooners.
Fred, what we want is, I think, what everyone wants, and what you and your viewers have: civilization.
The niceties, Fred. The fine points: diplomacy, compassion, standards, manners, tradition... that's what we're reaching toward. Oh, we may stumble along the way, but civilization, yes. The Geneva Convention, chamber music, Susan Sontag. Everything your society has worked so hard to accomplish over the centuries, that's what we aspire to; we want to be civilized.
An incredibly gracious man.
Randall speaks of Wally Cox at 23:00-
He was a gifted actor/comedian. I'd always laugh my head off when he'd start honking on the odd couple. God Bless you Tony
I was impressed by a story that I read where he helped encourage Jack Klugman to go through physical therapy to get his voice back and do a comedy with him..making him so happy.
@ladybluluv
Who cares???
hmmm...he names being really good friends with Wally Cox, Rock Hudson and Brando? Weren't those three homosexuals?
Yep, that black list is a horrible thing.
Tony was so wonderful here. I love listening to him talk.
Thanks Tony! We miss you.
I like him and agree with much of the things he said. I agree with him that TV today is all crap and I watch none of it anymore. People today watch too much of it too.
It was great watching and hearing this interview. Great insight into the man.
What a joy it is to watch this and hear all that he had to say, especially about The Odd Couple show. I had been searching for something like this...to hear his take on the show and all and was glad to come across this. It's wonderful. Thanks for posting it. Thank you Tony for doing it.
"Creativity and imagination" COSTS TOO MUCH MONEY!
All TV for the last 2 decades is solely based upon PROFIT,
quality of content be damned.
Only possible "fault" in these archive interviews is there may be too much
"shop talk" about names and situations unimportant to anyone else but
the few persons involved at the moment. It would be great if Tony would
have treated us all to his brilliant comic and stage ability by regaling us
with samples of his exhaustive reportoire, as he often did when guesting
on prime time interview shows. Randall could have you on the floor lol
by reciting one of his hilarious poems, which we miss.
Its sad that these great voices such as Charlton Heston, Richard Burton,
John Huston, William Conrad, Ossie Davis, Tony Randall and others,
have been silenced forever except for archived recordings and films.
Listen sometime to Randall reciting "Have Some Madeira, M'Dear". Its
a hilarious classic and nobody does it like he did.
What a voice!
wow. what microphone do they have on his voice? Its a perfect match for his voice.
Wow, don't think I've ever heard Tony Randall cuss before! lol
I agree, also, with the fact that tv pretty much stinks nowadays. When I had cable tv, I generally only watched channels with old shows - Nick at Nite, TV Land, old game shows, stuff like that.
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