50 Fun Facts About The Odd Couple

Who wrote the 1965 play The Odd Couple?

In 1966 he had four shows running on Broadway at once, including Sweet Charity and Barefoot in the Park.

What is the surname of the neat, uptight roommate Felix?

The play and film spell it Ungar; the 1970s television series changed it to Unger.

What is Oscar Madison's profession?

His spending, gambling and a fridge full of spoiled food are the backdrop Felix walks into.

In the original play, what does Felix do for a living?

He writes news for CBS on stage and for television in the film; the sitcom made him a commercial photographer.

Why does Oscar invite Felix to move in with him?

Felix has just been thrown out by his wife and wanders the city in a daze before turning up at poker night.

What weekly ritual with friends does Felix's fussiness eventually break up?

The regulars are Speed, Vinnie, Roy and a policeman, and they are still dealing cards as the curtain falls.

Which of Oscar's poker buddies is a New York City policeman?

Roy is Oscar's accountant, Vinnie is henpecked, and Speed spends the game needling both of them.

What surname do Cecily and Gwendolyn, the giggly English neighbors upstairs, share?

Cecily is a divorcee and Gwendolyn a widow, and their disastrous double date is the play's turning point.

Which Boston critic suggested the upstairs sisters should return in the third act?

The playwright said the note went off like a light bulb and rewrote the act during the Boston tryout.

Which real-life pairing is one claimed inspiration for the play?

Another account credits the playwright's brother Danny, who moved in with agent Roy Gerber after his divorce.

Where on Broadway did The Odd Couple premiere on March 10, 1965?

It later moved to the Eugene O'Neill and closed in 1967 after 964 performances.

Who directed the original Broadway production?

He won the Tony for direction, one of four the production collected.

Who originated the role of Oscar on Broadway and won a Tony for it?

He later played the part again on film, opposite a different Felix.

Which Honeymooners star originated Felix on Broadway?

He was replaced by Eddie Bracken in October 1965 and later by Paul Dooley.

Which future SCTV stars played Felix, Oscar and the cop in a 1970 McMaster University production?

Martin Short was Felix, Eugene Levy was Oscar and Dave Thomas played the policeman.

What are the lead characters called in the 1985 all-female version of the play?

The Female Odd Couple ran 295 performances at the Broadhurst Theatre.

Which duo starred in the 2005 Broadway revival?

Brad Garrett, who played the policeman in the same production, stepped in as Oscar for three shows when Lane fell ill.

Which game show host played Felix in a 2001 Hawaii benefit production?

His Oscar was Honolulu news anchor Joe Moore, his old roommate from Vietnam.

In which year was The Odd Couple film released?

It grossed more than $44.5 million, the third-highest total of its year in the United States.

Who directed the 1968 film?

Producer Howard W. Koch kept most of the stage script but added New York location scenes.

Who played Felix in the 1968 film?

Frank Sinatra was reportedly considered for the part at one point, with Jackie Gleason as Oscar.

In the film, what is the name of Felix's estranged wife?

The sitcom renamed her Gloria; Blanche is Oscar's ex in every version.

At which ballpark did the film shoot a scene before a real Mets-Pirates game in 1967?

Oscar misses a triple play while taking a phone call from Felix about dinner.

Which Pirates star refused to hit into the film's staged triple play?

The Hall of Famer apparently did not want to be filmed grounding into a triple play, even a staged one.

Who composed the jazz theme used in the film and later the TV series?

He also wrote the Batman TV theme, and his Odd Couple tune was reused in the 1998 sequel.

In the film, where has Felix gone when Oscar's poker group fails to find him?

The sisters had been charmed by his weeping over his family on the failed double date.

On which network did The Odd Couple sitcom air from 1970 to 1975?

It never cracked the Nielsen top 30 but kept getting renewed because its summer reruns rated so well.

Who played Felix in the 1970s sitcom?

He was hired first and lobbied for Mickey Rooney as Oscar before the producers won him over.

Who played Oscar in the 1970s sitcom?

He had already replaced the original Oscar on Broadway in November 1965.

Which producer developed the sitcom, his first of several for Paramount Television?

He went on to create Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, and cast his sister Penny as Oscar's secretary.

What is Felix's profession in the TV series?

His slogan, which he never misses a chance to plug, is 'Portraits a specialty'.

Who played Myrna Turner, Oscar's secretary, in the sitcom?

Her last episode has Myrna marry a man played by Rob Reiner, her real-life husband at the time.

Who played the policeman in the 1970s sitcom, before his long run on Happy Days?

Garry Walberg, who played Speed, later spent seven years with Oscar's actor on Quincy, M.E.

Which actress played Oscar's ex-wife Blanche, while married to the actor playing Oscar?

The real couple separated during the show's final season, while their characters traded barbs on screen.

What are the names of Felix's two children in the TV series?

They were named after the Felix actor's middle name and his sister; Leif Garrett was one of the boys who played Leonard.

What date does the sitcom's opening narration give for Felix being asked to leave his home?

The prologue was added midway through season one, reportedly so viewers would not read a gay subtext into the setup.

How did the sitcom change its production method in season two?

Both leads hated the canned laughter of season one, and the show was performed like a stage play from then on.

Which episode ranked number 5 on TV Guide's 1997 list of the 100 greatest episodes ever?

Felix's clue of 'Aristophanes' for the word 'bird' is one of the most quoted gags in sitcom history.

How does the 1970s sitcom end its five-season run?

Oscar regains the apartment to himself, and the two say a farewell that closes five seasons.

How many episodes of the 1970s sitcom were made?

The show earned three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series and Emmys for both leads.

How many Emmys did the sitcom's Oscar win for the role?

He won in 1971 and 1973; his co-star won in 1975 and joked from the stage that he wished he had a job.

Which tennis rivals appeared as themselves in one episode of the sitcom?

Howard Cosell, Dick Clark and Hugh Hefner were among the many other celebrities who played themselves.

In the 1975 cartoon The Oddball Couple, what animals are the two roommates?

Spiffy the cat and Fleabag the dog share a house that is half mansion, half shack.

Which two actors led the 1982 reboot The New Odd Couple?

A writers' strike meant eight early episodes simply recycled scripts from the original series.

In which year did the original sitcom stars reunite for the TV movie The Odd Couple: Together Again?

Three years later they also reprised the roles on the London stage to fund the Felix actor's theatre company.

In The Odd Couple II, what event brings Felix and Oscar back together after 17 years?

Oscar's son Bruce is marrying Felix's daughter Hannah, and the drive to the wedding goes predictably wrong.

In which Florida city is Oscar living at the start of The Odd Couple II?

It was the last film written and produced by the playwright and the last the two stars made together.

Who played Oscar in the 2015 CBS revival?

He also developed and executive produced the show, which made Oscar a sports talk radio host.

In the 2015 series, what part-time job does Felix have besides photography?

Thomas Lennon's Felix is kicked out by his wife Ashley after twenty years and eight of marriage counseling.

How many seasons did the 2015 CBS version run?

It was the seventh screen production of the story and ended in 2017 after 38 episodes.