| Tony Randall. | |
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 Randall in 2003 |
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| Born | February 26, 1920 Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA |
| Died | May 17, 2004 (aged 84) New York City, New York, USA |
Tony Randall (February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004) was an American comic and Emmy-winning actor. Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The City of New York The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works [1][2]
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Biography
Early life
Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia Finston and Mogscha Rosenberg, who was an art and antiques dealer. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ [3] Known as Leonard, he had a sister Edna.
Acting career
Randall attended Northwestern University for a year before traveling to New York City to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. The City of New York He studied under Sanford Meisner and choreographer Martha Graham around 1935. Sanford Meisner (b August 31, 1905, Brooklyn New York – February 2, 1997, Sherman Oaks California was an American See also Martha Graham ( May 11, 1894 &ndash April 1, 1991) was an American Dancer and Choreographer Under the name Anthony Randall, he worked onstage opposite stars Jane Cowl in George Bernard Shaw's Candida and Ethel Barrymore in Emlyn Williams's The Corn Is Green. Candida, a Comedy by Playwright G Bernard Shaw, was first published in 1898 as part of his Plays Pleasant. Ethel Barrymore ( August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an Academy Award -winning American actress and a member of George Emlyn Williams CBE ( 26 November 1905 &ndash 25 September 1987) known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh The Corn is Green is an Autobiographical play by Emlyn Williams. Randall then served for four years with the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II, refusing an entertainment assignment with Special Services. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Then he worked at the Olney Theatre in Montgomery County, Maryland before heading back to New York City. Located just north of Washington DC in Montgomery County Maryland, the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts offers a diverse array of professional productions year-round Montgomery County of the US state of Maryland is situated just north of Washington D The City of New York
A noted raconteur, Randall co-wrote with Mike Mindlin a collection of amusing and sometimes racy show business anecdotes called Which Reminds Me. Storytelling is the ancient art of conveying events in Words Images and Sounds often by Improvisation or embellishment
Randall began his career on the stage, appearing in minor roles on Broadway, and supporting roles on tours. What's My Line? is a weekly panel Game show which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS In the 1940's of his first breaks was playing the "Reggie" on the long-running radio series I Love a Mystery. His first major role in a Broadway hit was in Breaks Like the Wind in 1955. In 1958 he played the leading role in the musical comedy Oh, Captain!, taking on a role originated on film by Alec Guinness. Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. Oh Captain! is a Musical comedy based on the film The Captain's Paradise. Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE (2 April 1914 &ndash 5 August 2000 was an English Actor. Oh, Captain! was a critical failure, but a personal success for Randall, who received glowing notices and a Tony Award nomination for his legendary dance turn with prima ballerina Alexandra Danilova. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented Aleksandra Dionisyevna Danilova ( November 20, 1903 - July 13, 1997) was a Russian-born Prima ballerina assoluta who became an American
He is perhaps best known for his work on television. His breakthrough role was as gym teacher Harvey Weskit in Mr. Peepers (1952–1955). Mr Peepers is an American Television sitcom that aired on NBC from July 3, 1952 to June 12, He had the starring role in an NBC-TV special "The Secret of Freedom" which was filmed during the summer of 1959 in Mount Holly, New Jersey, and broadcast on the network during the fall of 1959 and again in early 1960. Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. He starred as nearly all of the leading characters in the 1963 film 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. 7 Faces of Dr Lao is a 1963 film adaptation of the 1935 fantasy novel The Circus of Dr The film received an Oscar for William Tuttle's makeup artistry, but many believe Randall never received proper acknowledgment for his versatile performances in the film, which required him to provide several different voices and portray a variety of characters. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film.
After a long hiatus from the medium, he returned in 1970 as fussbudget Felix Unger in The Odd Couple, opposite Jack Klugman, a role he would keep for five years. The Odd Couple is a Television Situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 Jacob Joachim "Jack" Klugman (born April 27 1922 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is an American television and film actor known primarily for his roles in Sitcoms The names of Unger's children on The Odd Couple were Edna and Leonard, named after Randall's sister and Randall himself. The Odd Couple is a Television Situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 In 1974, Randall and Jack Klugman appeared in television spots endorsing a Yahtzee spinoff, Challenge Yahtzee. Yahtzee is a popular Dice game made by Milton Bradley (now owned by Hasbro) Although not identified as Felix and Oscar the TV spots were filmed on the same set as The Odd Couple. The Odd Couple is a Television Situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975
Subsequently, he starred in The Tony Randall Show and Love, Sidney. The Tony Randall Show was an American television sitcom that debuted on September 23 1976 and ran on two networks until 1978 Love Sidney was an NBC Comedy Television series that starred Tony Randall, originating as a two-hour movie pilot which aired on In the TV movie that served as the show's pilot, Sidney Shorr was clearly written as a gay man, but his character's sexuality was made ambiguous when the series premiered. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. Disappointed by this turn of events and the series' lack of acceptance, Randall stayed away from television thereafter.
Randall's film roles included Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), Pillow Talk (1959), Let's Make Love (1960), Boys' Night Out (1962), The King of Comedy (1983), and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? is a 1957 20th Century Fox Romantic comedy film starring Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall Pillow talk is the relaxed intimate conversation that often occurs between two Sexual partners after the act of lovemaking, usually accompanied by cuddling caresses Let's Make Love ( 1960) is a comedy musical film made by 20th Century Fox. Boys' Night Out is an American Comedy film released in 1962, starring Kim Novak, James Garner, and Tony Randall, and directed The King of Comedy is a feature film made in 1981 starring Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis. Gremlins 2 The New Batch is a 1990 American Horror / Comedy film and a Sequel to Gremlins (1984
He also played the title role(s) in the cult classic The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), co-starring Barbara Eden. 7 Faces of Dr Lao is a 1963 film adaptation of the 1935 fantasy novel The Circus of Dr Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead on August 23, 1934) is an American film and television actress and Singer who is best That same year, they co-starred in The Brass Bottle. The Brass Bottle is a 1964 Fantasy film about a modern man who accidentally acquires a djinn.
Pillow Talk was the first of three movies in which Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Randall all starred. Pillow talk is the relaxed intimate conversation that often occurs between two Sexual partners after the act of lovemaking, usually accompanied by cuddling caresses Doris Mary Anne von Kappelhoff (born April 3, 1922) is an American Singer, actress, and animal welfare advocate known as Rock Hudson (November 17 1925 &ndash October 2 1985 was an American Film and Television Actor, recognised as a romantic leading man during Randall, by all accounts, ended up with the best lines ("It takes an early bird to take a worm like me"; on the crying Doris Day: "I never knew a woman such a size had so much water in her", etc). The other two are Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1963). Lover Come Back is a 1961 Romantic comedy released by Universal Pictures. Send Me No Flowers is a 1964 American Comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. Elements from the plots of these films, particularly Pillow Talk, were parodied in the 2003 comedy Down With Love, with Renée Zellweger in the Doris Day role, Ewan McGregor in the Rock Hudson, and David Hyde Pierce as the Tony Randall character. Down with Love ( 2003) is a Romantic comedy film directed by Peyton Reed and written by Eve Ahlert, and starring Renée Zellweger Renée Kathleen Zellweger (born April 25, 1969) is an Academy Award - BAFTA - SAG Award - and Golden Globe -winning Ewan Gordon McGregor (born 31 March 1971 ˌjuːən məˈgrɛgər is a Scottish Actor, who has had significant success in mainstream indie and art David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American Actor, best known for his role as Psychiatrist Dr Randall's final role was in this film.
Randall was the host during the breaks for the October 30 - November 2, 1987 free preview of HBO's short lived premium channel Festival. In the late 1980s HBO launched a short lived channel Festival. In 1991, he founded the National Actors Theatre (ultimately housed at Pace University in New York City) where he gave his final stage performance in Luigi Pirandello's Right You Are (If You Think You Are). National Actors Theatre (NAT was a theater company founded in 1991 by the late actor Tony Randall, who was the chairman until his death in 2004. Pace University is a private, Co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus University in the New York metropolitan area with campuses Luigi Pirandello ( June 28, 1867 — December 10, 1936) was an Italian Dramatist Novelist, and short Periodically, he performed in stage revivals of The Odd Couple with Jack Klugman including a stint in London in 1996. The Odd Couple was a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series as well as other derivative works and spin offs Jacob Joachim "Jack" Klugman (born April 27 1922 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is an American television and film actor known primarily for his roles in Sitcoms The following year, Randall and Klugman reunited to appear on Broadway in a revival of The Sunshine Boys. The Sunshine Boys is a play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972 and later adapted for film and television
He was a frequent and popular guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and often spoke of his love of opera, claiming it was due in no small part to the salaciousness of many of the plotlines. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962 Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto He also admitted to (actually bragged about) sneaking tape recorders into operas to make his own private bootleg recordings. He would often chide Johnny Carson for his chain-smoking, and was generally fastidious and fussy, much like his Felix Unger characterization. John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and He seemed to have a wealth of facts and trivia at his disposal, and he told Carson that the secret was simply "to retain everything you were supposed to have learned in elementary school. " At the time of his death, Randall had appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show more often (105 times) than any other celebrity.
Randall, along with John Goodman and Drew Barrymore was one of the first guests on the debut episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien on September 13, 1993. John Stephen Goodman (born June 20 1952 is a Golden Globe - and Emmy -winning American Actor. Drew Blyth Barrymore (born February 22 1975 is an American actress and Film producer. Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien on NBC Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) He would also appear in Conan's 5th Anniversary Special with the character PimpBot 5000. Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an Emmy Award -winning American Television host and Comedian, best known Randall was also a frequent guest on both of David Letterman's late-night shows Late Night with David Letterman and The Late Show with David Letterman, making 70 appearances, according to his obituary in the Washington Post; Letterman said that Randall was one of his favorite guests, along with Regis Philbin. David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American late-night Talk show host and Comedian and the host since 1993 Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy Talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (born August 25, 1931) is an Emmy Award -winning American Television personality and occasional Actor
Randall appeared frequently on What's My Line?, Password, The Hollywood Squares, and The $10,000 Pyramid. What's My Line? is a weekly panel Game show which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS In computing a password is a Word or string of characters that is entered often along with a user name, in modern times usually into a computer system The Hollywood Squares was an American Television comedy and Game show in which two contestants play Tic-tac-toe to win money Pyramid is the collective name of a series of American television Game shows where contestants tried to guess a series of words or phrases based on descriptions He also sent up his somewhat pompous image with a single appearance as a "contestant" on The Gong Show in 1977. This article is about the show which aired in the 1970s and 1980s
In keeping with his penchant for both championing and mocking the culture that he loved, during the Big Band era revival in the mid-1960s he produced a record album of 1930s songs, Vo Vo De Oh Doe, inspired by (and covering) The New Vaudeville Band's one-hit wonder, "Winchester Cathedral. A big band is a type of Musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late The New Vaudeville Band was a group created by Songwriter Geoff Stephens (born 1 October 1934 in New Southgate, North London " Winchester Cathedral " is a song released in late 1966 by Fontana Records, whereupon it shot to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart " He mimicked (and somewhat exaggerated) the vibrato style of Carmen Lombardo, and the two of them once sang a duet of Lombardo's signature song "Boo Hoo (You've Got Me Crying for You)" on the Carson show. Vibrato is a musical effect produced in singing and on musical instruments by a regular pulsating change of pitch, and is used to add expression and vocal-like qualities to Carmen Lombardo ( July 16, 1903 - April 17, 1971) was the younger brother of bandleader Guy Lombardo.
Personal life
Randall was married to Florence Gibbs from 1942 until her death from cancer in 1992, and then, from November 17, 1995, until his death in 2004, to Heather Harlan. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Ms Harlan had been an intern in one of Randall's theatrical programs. At the time, Tony was 75, Heather 25. The couple subsequently had two children, Julia Laurette Randall (b. 1997) and Jefferson Salvini Randall (b. 1998).
In Randall's 1989 autobiographical collection of anecdotes, Which Reminds Me, he proclaimed that any publicity an actor generates should be about his work, not himself. "The public knows only one thing about me: I don't smoke," he proclaimed. But by 1995, he revised his opinion, and made his engagement and marriage to Harlan, and subsequent fatherhood, quite public. For the most part, the media treated the marriage in a light-hearted spirit, but when children entered the picture, not everyone was convinced the couple was completely forthright. [4] Randall was a doting and loving father, Heather would later recount, who faced death bravely, and felt great sorrow to leave his children behind.
In September 2003, Randall joked that if President George W. Bush or Vice President Dick Cheney should come to his funeral, they were to be turned away. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney (born January 30 1941 is the forty-sixth and current Vice President of the United States. Also on September 22, 2003, Randall and Jack Klugman reunited once again in the CBS-TV Movie The Odd Couple: Together Again reprising their roles as Felix Unger and Oscar Madison. The story began when, after Felix ruins plans for his daughter Edna's Wedding, his wife Gloria throws him out the house for 11 days which left him no choice but to move back with Oscar and to help him recover, getting him back in shape after having throat cancer surgery having his vocal cord removed leaving his voice very raspy.
In 2005, Jack Klugman published Tony And Me: A Story of Friendship, a book about his long friendship with Randall, of their long working relationship and how good Randall had been to Klugman after his cancer operation. Jacob Joachim "Jack" Klugman (born April 27 1922 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is an American television and film actor known primarily for his roles in Sitcoms
On May 17, 2004, at the age of 84, Randall died in his sleep of complications from pneumonia, which he contracted following bypass surgery in December 2003. The Westchester Hills Cemetery, approximately 20 miles north of New York City, was established at 400 Saw Mill River Road in Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the Lung. Frequently it is described as lung Parenchyma / alveolar inflammation and abnormal He is interred at the Westchester Hills Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The Westchester Hills Cemetery, approximately 20 miles north of New York City, was established at 400 Saw Mill River Road in Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County New York, United States. [1][2]
Awards and nominations
Randall was nominated for five Golden Globe awards and two Emmy Awards, winning one Emmy in 1975 for his work on the sitcom The Odd Couple. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner The Odd Couple is a Television Situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 In 1993, he received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York. The Hundred Year Association of New York, founded in 1927 is a Non-profit organization in New York City aimed at recognizing and rewarding dedication and service " Pace University granted him an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in 2003. Pace University is a private, Co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus University in the New York metropolitan area with campuses
References
- ^ a b Severo, Richard. "Tony Randall, Half of the 'Odd Couple,' Dies at 84", The New York Times, 18 May 2004. Retrieved on 2008-05-14. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the
- ^ a b Shales, Tom. "Tony Randall, Bright, Zestful And Always Endearing.", The Washington Post, 10 May 2004. Retrieved on 2008-04-26. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy.
- ^ Tony Randall Biography (1920-2004)
- ^ Tony Randall and Heather Randall - May December Romance - Marie Claire
External links
- Tony Randall at Find A Grave
- Tony Randall at the Internet Broadway Database
- Tony Randall at the Internet Movie Database
- Tony Randall at TV.com
- Archive of American Television Interview with Tony Randall April 28, 1998 on Google Video
- Pace University's tribute to Tony Randall
- Tony Randall interview: Performance Working in the Theatre CUNY-TV video by the American Theatre Wing, September 1989
- Jack Klugman & Tony Randall-Infopage
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