When the legendary writer, producer, and occasional actor Garry Marshall passed away in 2016, it felt like a part of classic television history had been lost. Fans of classic TV everywhere mourned the loss of a man who had such a profound impact on the medium. Garry Marshall didn’t just write for TV—he helped shape it. His career began as a writer for Tonight Starring Jack Parr, but he quickly transitioned into writing sitcoms, including iconic shows like Make Room for Daddy, Gomer Pyle: USMC, The Lucy Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Love, American Style. Along the way, he also created or co-created his own shows, some of which didn’t quite hit the mark—like Hey, Landlord, Me and the Chimp, Blansky’s Beauties, and Joanie Loves Chachi—but many that absolutely did. Among these hits were Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, and, of course, The Odd Couple.
Back in the day, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Mork & Mindy were absolute blockbusters. Meanwhile, The Odd Couple, based on Neil Simon’s play of the same name, struggled to stay on the air for its five-season run. Yet, ironically, it has stood the test of time better than any of those shows. Over the years, the show has been updated with new actors, but Garry Marshall's original version, starring Jack Klugman as sportswriter Oscar Madison and Tony Randall as photographer Felix Unger, remains the most celebrated. For me, it was the version that brought me into Garry's world.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Read also:Angelina Jolies Emotional Journey Sending Maddox Off To College
Back in 1989, I was working on a book that would eventually be titled Still Odd After All These Years: The 25th Anniversary Odd Couple Companion. For the book, I had already interviewed actors, writers, directors, producers, and others, but I still needed to speak to Garry. His Odd Couple co-creator, Jerry Belson, promised to help me get in touch with him, and he did. I called Garry’s office, and his secretary put me on hold for a moment before connecting me to Garry himself. If you’ve ever heard Garry speak—or you can check out a video on YouTube—it added a whole new layer to the experience.
“So, Ed,” Garry greeted me with his unmistakable Bronx accent, “what do you want from me?”
I stammered out my response: “Well, Mr. Marshall, I’m writing a book about The Odd Couple, and I was hoping to speak to you about it.” He hesitated for a moment before replying, “Here’s my problem, Ed. I’m writing a book of my own, and I don’t want to reveal too much…” He paused before adding (in the best way I can capture it in words), “But I’ll talk to you a little.” And he did—for about 30 minutes.
The Odd Couple: The Journey From Broadway to TV
The Odd Couple, with its tagline “Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?” made its Broadway debut in 1965, featuring Walter Matthau as Oscar and Art Carney (famous for playing Norton on The Honeymooners) as Felix. Three years later, a movie version was released by Paramount, which had purchased all rights to the play. Matthau reprised his role as Oscar, and Jack Lemmon stepped in as Felix. When the studio wanted to create a TV version two years later, they turned to Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson.
