Tony Randall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Randall
Randall in 1976
Born	Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg (1920-02-26)February 26, 1920 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	May 17, 2004(2004-05-17) (aged 84) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Burial place	Westchester Hills Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Education	Northwestern University
Occupation	Actor comedian singer film director
Years active	1940s–2003
Spouse(s)	Florence Gibbs ​ ​ (m. 1938; her death 1992)​ Heather Harlan ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	2

Tony Randall (born Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg; February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004) was a famous American actor. He was best known for playing Felix Unger in the TV show The Odd Couple. This show was based on a play by Neil Simon. Tony Randall worked for over sixty years. He was nominated for six Golden Globe Awards and six Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one Emmy.

Tony Randall: A Famous Actor

Early Life and Start in Acting

Tony Randall was born into a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, Moescha Rosenberg, sold art and antiques. Tony went to Tulsa Central High School.

He studied at Northwestern University for a year. Then, he moved to New York City to learn acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He learned from famous teachers like Sanford Meisner. Randall also worked as a radio announcer in Worcester, Massachusetts. He acted in plays like Candida and The Corn Is Green.

During World War II, Randall served in the United States Army Signal Corps for four years. He helped with code-breaking. After the war, he returned to New York City to act. One of his first acting jobs was on the radio show I Love a Mystery.

Becoming a TV Star

In 1946, Tony Randall started touring in a play called The Barretts of Wimpole Street. He also appeared on Broadway in plays like Antony and Cleopatra and Caesar and Cleopatra.

His first big TV role was as Harvey Weskit, a history teacher, in Mister Peepers (1952–1955). He also appeared as a guest on many other TV shows. These included Kraft Theatre and Studio One in Hollywood.

Randall's first major Broadway hit was Inherit the Wind (1955–1957). He played a newspaper writer named E. K. Hornbeck.

Movies and More Success

Because of his success in Inherit the Wind, Tony Randall started getting movie roles. His first important film was Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (1957). He then starred in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) with Jayne Mansfield. He also had a main role in No Down Payment (1957).

In 1958, Randall starred in the Broadway musical Oh, Captain!. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his dancing in the show.

He continued to appear on TV shows like Playhouse 90. Randall also starred with Debbie Reynolds in The Mating Game (1959). He was in the popular movie Pillow Talk (1959) with Doris Day and Rock Hudson. He made two more films with them later.

In 1960, Randall was the main star in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He also guest-starred on shows like General Electric Theater. He played the lead in the movie 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964). In this film, he played and voiced eight different characters!

Randall also starred in The Brass Bottle (1964). He made his last film with Hudson and Day, Send Me No Flowers (1965). He took lead roles in comedies like Fluffy (1965) and The Alphabet Murders (1965).

The Odd Couple: A Big Hit

Randall with Jack Klugman in a photo for The Odd Couple, 1972

In 1970, Tony Randall returned to TV in his most famous role: Felix Unger in The Odd Couple. He starred alongside Jack Klugman. This show ran for five years. Felix's children on the show were named Edna and Leonard, after Randall's sister and himself.

In 1974, Randall and Klugman appeared in TV ads for a game called Challenge Yahtzee. They played their characters, Felix and Oscar, in the ads.

In 1973, Randall was supposed to voice Templeton the rat in the movie Charlotte's Web. However, his voice was thought to be too fancy, so Paul Lynde took the role instead.

Beyond The Odd Couple

From 1976 to 1978, Randall starred in The Tony Randall Show. He played a judge named Walter Franklin. He also appeared in movies like Scavenger Hunt (1979).

From 1981 to 1983, Randall starred in the NBC series Love, Sidney. After this show ended, he decided he preferred acting on Broadway. He continued to appear in TV movies like Sunday Drive (1986). In 1989, he returned to Broadway in the play M. Butterfly.

Creating the National Actors Theatre

Randall in 2001

In 1991, Tony Randall started the National Actors Theatre in New York City. This theater put on many classic plays. Some of their productions included The Crucible (1991) and The Seagull (1992). In 1997, he performed in The Sunshine Boys with Jack Klugman, and it was a big success.

In 1993, Randall and Klugman reunited for a TV movie called The Odd Couple: Together Again. They played Felix and Oscar again.

Randall's later stage roles included Night Must Fall (1999). He also performed in revivals of The Odd Couple with Klugman. His last film roles were in Fatal Instinct (1994) and Down with Love (2003).

Guest Appearances and Other Talents

Tony Randall was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He appeared on the show 105 times, more than any other celebrity. He often talked about his love for opera.

Randall was also a popular guest on game shows. He was a panelist on What’s My Line? from 1958 to 1967. He also appeared on Password and The Hollywood Squares. He even appeared as a "contestant" on The Gong Show in 1977.

In 1980, Randall was a guest star on the 100th episode of The Muppet Show. He was also one of the first guests on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993. He was a frequent guest on David Letterman's late-night shows too.

In 1994, Randall played on Jeopardy! for charity. He played for the National Actors Theatre.

In 1973, Randall and Klugman recorded an album together called The Odd Couple Sings. Randall also wrote a book of stories called Which Reminds Me in 1989. He even recorded an album of 1930s songs called Vo, Vo, De, Oh, Doe.

For the movie Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Randall voiced the Brain Gremlin.

His Family Life

Randall's headstone in Westchester Hills Cemetery

Tony Randall was married to his high school sweetheart, Florence Gibbs, from 1938 until she passed away in 1992. In 1995, when he was 75, he married Heather Harlan, who was 25. They had two children, Julia (born 1997) and Jefferson (born 1998). They stayed married until Randall's death in 2004.

Tony Randall believed that actors should be known for their work, not their personal lives. He often joked, "The public knows only one thing about me: I don't smoke."

Supporting the Arts and Causes

Tony Randall was a strong supporter of the arts. In 1980, he hosted concerts for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Central Park.

He was also involved in politics. He supported Eugene McCarthy in the 1968 presidential election. He also supported George McGovern in 1972. Because of his political views, his name was on a list of Richard Nixon's political opponents.

Later Years and Legacy

Tony Randall passed away in his sleep on May 17, 2004, at NYU Medical Center. He died from pneumonia after having heart surgery. He is buried at the Westchester Hills Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Honors

• In 1993, he received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award. This was for his great contributions to New York City.
• In 1999, the City College of New York gave Randall the John H. Finley Award. This was also for his outstanding service to New York City.
• In 2003, Pace University gave him an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

See also

In Spanish: Tony Randall para niños