Randall & Klugman vs. Lemmon & Matthau

[D-Dey]

Comaprisons? Personal Exchanges between each other, Shared publicity? I'm encouraging discussions here.

[Owen]

Hi, we've had this discussion many times at the OC site, and I guess it depends on what you saw and got used to first. I can't see any other 2 people as F & O than Randall and Klugman.

Try this site message board:
http://www.voy.com/14979/

[Tiger32]

I think Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau were great, but Randall and Klugman were phenominal at those roles. When I think of Felix and all of his irritating idiosynchracies, I immediately picture Tony Randall. Those of us who grew up in the 70s were very fortunate, because we saw some of the greatest commedies of all time. The Odd Couple, Sandford and Son, Love American Style rank as my favorites of all time. Even people who grew up in the 80s and 90s find those syndicated comedies funny.

[dugferd]

I think because Matthau and Lemmon did so many other things together, that to me the OC roles were just another thing which they played together, whereas if you see Klugman and Randall together, you only can think of The Odd Couple.
hi Owen, it's doug.

[Brian Damage]

Originally posted by dugferd
I think because Matthau and Lemmon did so many other things together, that to me the OC roles were just another thing which they played together, whereas if you see Klugman and Randall together, you only can think of The Odd Couple.

I absolutely agree, Klugman and Randall were the Odd Couple!

[pontoon]

...to 'cozy up to' Randall & Klugman, after seeing the original movie a number of times before seeing the TV series.

I think Randall and Klugman did a fine job as Felix and Oscar...but
I'll always be partial to the original cast!

pontoon :cool:

[TJL]

I watched the TV version of The Odd Couple long befroe I ever saw the original film. Jack Klugman and Tony Randall will always be the Odd Couple for me.
Klugman and Randall were able to do more with the characters on a series; they enhanced them, allowed them to grow.
Lemmon and Matthau only had a two hour movie to work with.

Matthau's Oscar had more bluster and grump. Klugman was able to show a more intellectual, compassionate side of Oscar.

[treky]

Ranndall & Klugman, although I like Mathau & Lemmon. Ever see them in the movie "The Fortune Cookie"?

[rkeil]

They are all great actors, but definitely Randall and Klugman are the best to me.

[brooky]

:typing:

I saw the movie first and really enjoyed it, but not as much as the tv show. Klugman and Randall are the epitome of the Odd Couple.

[w6xrl4]

Klugman and Randall "own" these characters. They played them so well and are so convincing it's hard to separate the actors from the characters.

[ficlopri]

Can't decide the better duo. Randall beat Lemmon but Mathau beat Klugman. Back in '94 TNT ran the '68 movie The Odd Couple. They had Klugmann and Randall come on in an interview first and discuss the movie then the ran they Matthau-Lemmon film.

[Zoneboy]

Theres one thing you seem to be forgetting or probably aren't aware of, Jack Lemmon was not the original Felix Unger. That distinction, belongs to Art Carney who originiated the role in 1965 on Broadway with Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison.

[treky]

yes, I knew that. But, did you know that Jack Klugman was the understudy for Walter Mathau? And he had to step into the role at one point during the plays run. I mean it's first run, because in the 80s, Neil Simon rewrote a little of it and recast it with Sally Struthers & Rita Moreno as the 2 leads, renamed Olivia & Flo.

And it's currently playing on Broadway again, this time with John Larrucete and someone else (I forget who).

And, it was orriganaly conceevied as a movie, but they decided to try it out on stage first.

[Stuck In The '70's]

Klugman and Randall.

[Zoneboy]

Originally posted by treky
yes, I knew that. But, did you know that Jack Klugman was the understudy for Walter Mathau? And he had to step into the role at one point during the plays run. I mean it's first run, because in the 80s, Neil Simon rewrote a little of it and recast it with Sally Struthers & Rita Moreno as the 2 leads, renamed Olivia & Flo.

And it's currently playing on Broadway again, this time with John Larrucete and someone else (I forget who).

And, it was orriganaly conceevied as a movie, but they decided to try it out on stage first.

No offense Treky but you remind me of a friend of mine. It doesn't matter what the subject is, he always thinks he knows more about it than you do & does his best to make you feel like an idiot. You could mention a fact about anything and his reply is always, I already knew that.

[treky]

no, I'm not offended, I take that as a compliment! Actully, I do know a lot of trivia about old TV shows, but I don't know everything. SSo, if you want, try asking me something and I'll see if I can answer it. I'll warn you, though, some shows, I've never even heard of.

[pilotguy]

Here are differences that I've noticed between the two sets of actors:

1. Klugman plays Oscar a lot "louder" than Matthau does. While Matthau DOES get outwardly angry in the film, much of his "Oscar" consists of quiet, low-key facial expressions and one-liners...but Klugman is a real bombastic YELLER!

2. Lemmon's "Felix" is basically a "regular" guy with strange, fussy quirks that pop up every so often, while Randall's "Felix" is just an out-and-out "little old lady" who is ALWAYS fussy.

While both sets of actors did GREAT jobs with their roles, and put different (but equally effective) slants on the characters, for some reason I've always found it easier to believe that Lemmon & Matthau's "Oscar and Felix" could be good friends as compared to Randall & Klugman's versions. The film "Odd Couple" guys just seem to have more in common than the TV "Odd Couple" guys...but that's just my take on it.

[JAldridge86]

Barbara Eden is in the current women's version of the show.

[JAldridge86]

And by the way....No offense, but to me Randall's version of Felix acted sort of gay.

[treky]

Originally posted by Justin S. Aldridge
And by the way....No offense, but to me Randall's version of Felix acted sort of gay. you should read that fan fic. about "The Odd Couple" on www.fanfic.net if you think that.

And, no, I'm not offended. Everyone's entitled to an opinion. Besides, they're just fictional sitcom characters!

[JAldridge86]

I know, I LOVE the show TV Land should get it back so America can see it!!

MY IDEAL TV LAND LINE-UP:

I Love Lucy
The Addams Family
The Andy Griffith Show
Bewitched
I Dream Of Jeannie
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Beverly Hillbillies
Petticoat Juction
Green Acres
Carol Burnett & Friends
Flip Wilson
That Girl
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Odd Couple
All In The Family
Maude
Good Times
The Jeffersons
Sanford & Son
Three's Company
The Ropers
Three's A Crowd
Happy Days
Laverne & Shirley
Mama's Family
The Love Boat
Fantasy Island
Charlie's Angels

[Dr. Thong]

No actor truly "owns" a role - they merely inhabit it for a period of time. Look at how many versions of Shakespeare that have been done over the years.

That having been said, ask a group of fans who their favorite James Bond was, or who was the better Darrin on Bewitched or who the best Batman was, etc and you'll get very spirited debates about who "owned" those roles.

I guess it's all a matter of how we see things. Personally, I tend to see Randall & Klugman as Felix & Oscar, but I liked Lemmon & Matthau as well.

And getting back to that debate thing, they're making a new Pink Panther movie with Steve Martin. As far I'm concerned, only one actor "owns" that role...the late Peter Sellers.

But that's just me.

[Jack1000]

I prefer Randall and Klugman's Felix and Oscar over Lemmon and Matthau's version. While Walter did a perfect Oscar, Jack's Felix to me seemed to be more gloomy, and irritating than comical. There just wasn't enough comedy in the way Jack Lemmon played Felix. Perhaps he played him TOO LIFELIKE! LOL!

Tony Randall brought the warmth and sensitivity for Felix Unger that was needed for the TV series.

I STILL LOVE THE MOVIE! But Tony Randall IS THE Felix Unger!

Jack

[Tweety]

I, too, grew up watching the Odd Couple on TV, long before I ever saw the original movie


Randall and Klugman will always be Felix and Oscar in my mind...no one else could play those roles...

I've seen the movie, but I really don't like Walter Matthau as an actor... In Hello Dolly, he played a grumpy man...In The Bad News Bears, he played a grumpy man...In Grumpy Old Men, he played a grumpy man...In Grumpier Old Men, he played a grumpy man...in Dennis the Menace, he played...care to take a guess?...yup, a grumpy man...

Walter Matthau played only one role in his whole career, except it had a few different names...that's why I never liked him...

To me, Klugman was much more likable as Oscar...you could relate to his being exasperated in his dealings with Felix... and again, since I saw him in the role first, he's what I was used to...

Although it's been tried at least twice since the 70s, the Odd Couple is one of those shows that can never be re-created...

[Dr. Thong]

Originally posted by Tweety
Although it's been tried at least twice since the 70s, the Odd Couple is one of those shows that can never be re-created...

True. Anybody remember The New Odd Couple from 1982, featuring Ron Glass (Barney Miller) and Demond Wilson (Sanford And Son)?

The problem with that show is that they were literally using old scripts from the Klugman and Randall show because of a writers strike. Not a good way to re-launch a classic with a new twist.

[Tweety]

Originally posted by Dr. Thong
True. Anybody remember The New Odd Couple from 1982, featuring Ron Glass (Barney Miller) and Demond Wilson (Sanford And Son)?

The problem with that show is that they were literally using old scripts from the Klugman and Randall show because of a writers strike. Not a good way to re-launch a classic with a new twist.

Yes, I remember when that came on, although I never watched it... and you're right, DEFINITELY not a good way to re-do a classic show!

[Dr. Thong]

Originally posted by Tweety
Yes, I remember when that came on, although I never watched it... and you're right, DEFINITELY not a good way to re-do a classic show!

If you're going to do a remake of a classic, you should put a new angle on it. Doing an old script is fine if you're doing a Broadway revival, but not if you're putting the show on TV for millions to watch.

By contrast, I liked The Brady Bunch Movie because it really wasn't a remake - it was a parody. It was also fun.