The Odd Couple is a Paramount comedy film and TV franchise based upon the Broadway play made and created by Neil Simon. Later in 1967, Neil Simon sold film and TV rights to Paramount Pictures in time being. Paramount produced two theatrical films, three live-action TV series and an animated series based upon the play.
Play[]
Main article: The Odd Couple (play)
Plot[]
The origin's of the franchise is mostly on Broadway. The franchise's plot starts when Felix Ungar, a neurotic, neat freak news writer (a photographer in the television series), is thrown out by his wife, and moves in with his friend Oscar Madison, a slovenly sportswriter. Despite Oscar's problems – careless spending, excessive gambling, a poorly kept house filled with spoiled food – he seems to enjoy life. Felix, however, seems utterly incapable of enjoying anything and only finds purpose in pointing out his own and other people's mistakes and foibles. Even when he tries to do so in a gentle and constructive way, his corrections and suggestions prove extremely annoying to those around him. Oscar, his closest friend, feels compelled to throw him out after only a brief time together, though he quickly realizes that Felix has had a positive effect on him.
The play and the film both spell Felix's name Ungar, while the television series spells it Unger.
History[]
Sources vary as to the origins of the play. In The Washington Post's obituary of Simon's brother Danny, a television writer, Adam Bernstein wrote that the idea for the play came from his divorce. "Mr. Simon had moved in with a newly single theatrical agent named Roy Gerber in Hollywood, and they invited friends over one night. Mr. Simon botched the pot roast. The next day, Gerber told him: "Sweetheart, that was a lovely dinner last night. What are we going to have tonight?" Mr. Simon replied: "What do you mean, cook you dinner? You never take me out to dinner. You never bring me flowers." Danny Simon wrote a partial first draft of the play, but then handed over the idea to Neil.
However, in the Mel Brooks biography It's Good to Be the King, author James Robert Parish claims that the play came about after Simon observed Brooks, in a separation from his first wife, living with writer Speed Vogel for three months. Vogel later wrote that Brooks had insomnia, "a brushstroke of paranoia", and "a blood-sugar problem that kept us a scintilla away from insanity".
Boston tryout[]
Simon credited Boston critic Elliot Norton with helping him develop the final act of the play. Norton practiced drama criticism when the relationship between the regional critic and playwrights whose shows were undergoing tryouts in their towns were not as adversarial as they were to become.
Appearing on the public television show Elliot Norton Reviews, during Simon's conversation with the critic, Norton said that the play went "flat" in its final act. As it appeared originally at Boston's Colonial Theatre, the characters the Pigeon Sisters did not appear in the final act.
Simon told The Boston Globe:
He invited one of the stars and the writer. He loved the play and gave it a wonderful review but he said the third act was lacking something. On the show he said, 'You know who I missed in the third act was the Pigeon Sisters,' and it was like a light bulb went off in my head. It made an enormous difference in the play. I rewrote it and it worked very well. I was so grateful to Elliot ... Elliot had such a keen eye. I don't know if he saved the play or not, but he made it a bigger success.
Films[]
The Odd Couple[]
- Main article: The Odd Couple (film)
In 1968, The Odd Couple was made into a highly successful film starring Jack Lemmon as Felix and Walter Matthau reprising the role of Oscar. Much of the script from the play is the same, although the setting is expanded: instead of taking place entirely in Oscar's apartment, some scenes take place at various locations in New York. The film was also written by Simon (who was nominated for an Academy Award) and was directed by Gene Saks.
The Odd Couple II[]
- Main article: The Odd Couple II
In 1998, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau reprised their roles for the film sequel The Odd Couple II, produced by Neil Simon.
Television film[]
- Main article: The Odd Couple: Together Again
The television film plot starts While Oscar recovers from throat surgery, Felix and Oscar are temporarily roommates again while Felix's daughter prepares for her wedding.
Television media[]
1970 television show[]
- Main article: The Odd Couple (1970 television series)
The success of the film was the basis for the 1970–75 ABC television sitcom, starring Tony Randall as Felix and Jack Klugman as Oscar. Klugman was familiar with the role as he had replaced Walter Matthau in the original Broadway run. Neil Simon originally disapproved of this adaptation, but by the series' final season, he reassessed the show positively to the point of appearing in a cameo role.
Randall and Klugman also reunited in 1993 for a made-for-TV reunion film based upon the series. The movie was initially broadcast on CBS on September 24, 1993. Robert Klane was the writer and director, with a cast that included Barbara Barrie as Felix's wife, Penny Marshall as Myrna and Dick Van Patten. Jack Klugman's real-life throat-cancer surgery was written into the script, when Felix (Tony Randall) stays with Oscar and helps with his rehabilitation.
Animated spinoff[]
- Main article: The Oddball Couple
An ABC cartoon version of The Odd Couple premiered on September 6, 1975 titled The Oddball Couple during the network's Saturday morning kids' programming block, Funshine Saturday. Although authorized by Neil Simon (who received a "based on" credit) completely different characters were created: "Spiffy" (a fussy cat voiced by Frank Nelson) and "Fleabag" (a sloppy dog voiced by Paul Winchell) who live together in a house that is half rundown and messy and half pristine and tidy along with a matching car. It was directed and produced by David DePatie and Friz Freleng, along with Gerry Chiniquy, and Robert McKimson among others, who directed several episodes. The characters' professions in this version were reversed from the original series, with the fastidious Spiffy working as a reporter and the rumpled Fleabag a photographer, often working together. The cartoon was canceled in 1977.
1980's tv show update[]
- Main article: The New Odd Couple
In 1982, as a hedge against the 1981 Writers Guild of America strike, ABC aired an African-American version of The Odd Couple, starring Ron Glass as Felix and Demond Wilson as Oscar. It was called The New Odd Couple, and initially used eight previously-filmed scripts from the original series; when the strike ended during the series' production, union writers returned, and original episodes were written from then on. It was canceled after only half a season.
2015 tv show[]
- Main article: The Odd Couple (2015 television series)
Another American remake, also called The Odd Couple, aired on CBS for three seasons from 2015 to 2017. This version, a multi-camera sitcom, was co-created and co-produced by Matthew Perry, who played Oscar, while Thomas Lennon played Felix.
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