Tony Randall

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:06am

Farewell and thank you to Tony Randall for entertaining me as far back as I can remember. The last time I saw him perform was in The Resistable Rise of Arturo Uii that must have been only two years ago. He was known to be very quite philanthropic and a huge supporter of the arts. Tony I admired and respected you. Updated On: 5/18/04 at 10:06 AM

[The8re phan]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:22am

Rest in peace

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:24am

That was unexpected.
Had he been ill?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:30am

He had been 84.

I admired his dedication to theater and remember him as the first non-critic to say how much he hated Cats when he was a guest on the old Letterman show. I was sort of shocked because you didn't see a lot of non-critics going out on that limb when Cats first opened. Farewell, Tony, I'll give my sinuses a honk today in your honor.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:42am

Namo well said, I'll drink some orange juice and spit out the "pits, pits, pits."

[ckeaton]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:45am

84 with young children. I'm still amazed at that. Perhaps his most suprising performance. RIP.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:45am

I think Tony was the first actor to portray an openly gay character on a sitcom in Love Sydney. This was long before Ellen. I've always respected him for that move.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:48am

Welllllllll, as openly as the the character could be back then. Believe me, I watched every episode clinging to the idea that he was gay. Randall said the character was (after it was cancelled) but they never really said so on the show. The only hint was that he had a photo of a man on a shelf that Randall said in interviews was his late partner and that is why Sydney was so sad all the time.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 10:52am

(Post deleted by poster.)

Updated On: 5/18/04 at 10:52 AM

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 11:06am

While waiting to check out at the supermarket, I saw headlines on the Enquirer or Star mentioning that Tony was on his deathbed, so it wasn't a total shock Updated On: 5/18/04 at 11:06 AM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 11:46am

What a career! He was on the radio show "I Love A Mystery!" And still performing live up into his 80's. He could have danced thru the later part of his life but he chose to use his own money to fund The National Actors Rep. Co. I hope his legacy survives. My sympathys to his wife & young children. Memento Mori. "Be it on your head!" Updated On: 5/18/04 at 11:46 AM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 11:59am

He will be missed, I'm glad I got to see him when he did The Sunshine Boys with Jack Klugman.

[junglered]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 12:31pm

Loved Tony in the 1960s era Rock Hudson/Doris Day movies, The Odd Couple, The Sunshine Boys...Thanks for sharing your talent and the fond memories...Rest in Peace. Updated On: 5/18/04 at 12:31 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 1:14pm

Randall was a wonderful man. It just occurred to me that among many others, Jack Klugman must be devastated. Who'd have ever thought that Klugman, now 82, with his health issues and lifetime smoking habit, would have outlived Randall who seemed to still be in excellent shape (and looked years younger than his 84 years)?

[Mollyfair]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 2:09pm

One of my all time favourite actors. I must have seen the Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie "Send Me No Flowers" twenty times. Tony Randall is a hoot in it - makes me laugh out loud every time.

Rest in peace.

[orion59]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 2:13pm

I'm shocked. I hadn't heard taht he passed away untiljust reading this thread. When did he die and how?

Randall talked about how his character, Sydny, was meant to be gay and thatw as originally written into the scripts but the network said no. He fought to keep the charcter the way he written but in the end lost.

I grew up with The Odd Couple and loved that show.

I'm not surprised he was one of teh first non critics to spoeak negatively of Cats. He was very much opposed to bad theater for the sake of money. I haven't herad what he may have thought about some of the recent stunt casting on Broadway or some of the crappy shows designed to attract the masses but, one can only imagine what he was saying.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 2:15pm

Tony Randall was an actor who LOVED live theater.
He had a long and illustrious career. As Shakespeare said: "May flights of angels sing him to his rest".

[kec]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 4:33pm

I remember him from another Doris Day/Rock Hudson film, Pillow Talk. Also an enjoyable film.

My sympathies to his family and friends.

[DofB5]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 7:12pm

My very favorite memory of Mr. Randal will be the movie, "The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao". I LOVE that movie.

Much sorry and my sincere condolences to his friends and family.

D

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 7:59pm

Tony:
"I will do more than that! I will make you the titular head of our company!"
Jayne: "Ewwwwwww! Don't talk DIR-ty!"

(from "Will Sucess Spoil Rock Hunter?")

Updated On: 5/18/04 at 07:59 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 9:21pm

There is a special Larry King Tonight with Klugman, Joan Rivers, Barbara Eden, Stiller & Meara . It is on now .