1049 Park Avenue: An Odd Couple Podcast

We are honored and delighted to welcome Heather Randall to the podcast.  Heather was married to Tony Randall from 1995 until his passing in 2004 and they had two children together.  Heather shares many stories passed down by Tony and those she lived through regarding: his early life in Tulsa, Oklahoma, career beginnings on stage and radio, becoming a star on Broadway and movies, The Odd Couple of course, The Tony Randall Show, Sidney Shorr TV Movie, Love Sydney his work establishing The National Actors Theatre where he and Heather met and his appearances on David Letterman.  We also learn about Tony as a person off-camera + Heather's early life and work, both professional and philanthropic.  Please join us for this 2 hour discussion about Tony Randall from the person who knows it best .

This week we welcome a special guest – Peter K Ackerman who is the son of Elinor Donahue and legendary TV producer Harry Ackerman.  He has written a new book called Mom, Dad, Me and Classic TV about their lives and his experiences growing up as the son of two TV legends. It is available wherever books are sold including here on Amazon We discuss his father’s career helping to create I Love Lucy, producing Bewitched, and also his passion for collecting.  We also review his Mom’s extensive career on such shows as Father Knows Best, Star Trek, Get A Life and, of course, as Miriam Welby on The Odd Couple.  Peter also shares his experiences working in TV and how he transitioned into a very different vocation. Join us for this fun, two-hour discussion that covers many different aspects of TV history as Peter’s parents touched so many different programs.

We discuss S2E3 "Hospital Mates" - when Felix and Oscar have operations at the same - and also look at the differences in the famous Felix Unger "honk" from Jack Lemmon and Tony Randall.

We discuss S2E2 of The Odd Couple, "Felix's Wife Boyfriend".

An in-depth look at the 1970-75 classic TV comedy "The Odd Couple" starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman.

In this episode we discuss the differences between original production scripts for Felix The Horseplayer (known as The Stung on the script) and Two On The Aisle.  Both scripts feature known-but-never-seen characters who are referenced during the series that are supposed to make actual on-camera appearances but were written out before the episodes were filmed.  There are some other significant scene differences between script and episode which we believe are changes that made the show better.   If you would like to get PDFs of any of the scripts we have reviewed please email us at 1049pod@gmail.com and ask for the dropbox link.

In this episode we review two early drafts of these classic episodes and how different they are from the actual filmed episodes.  Among the topics covered are: 1) Whether or not the most famous line from The Odd Couple about assuming is in the script for Court. 2) The fact that the script for Court is structured as a flashback and how so many of the classic gags from the episode are missing while other scenes we have never seen before are included. 3) The set-up for Furniture is very different as it starts in the furniture store that was Felix's client.  4) How the clock was described in Furniture. 5) The very different tags in both episodes.

This week we discuss scripts for two more episodes of The Odd Couple - this time from S3 - The Odd Monks and The Ides of April - and the differences between what's on the page and what's on the air.  In a major piece of revelation we find out what was said in the missing Louis Guss scene at the IRS in the Ides of April.  We also find out how The Odd Monks could have been very different as the script contains the name of a different actor playing Brother Ralph - not Richard Stahl.  These are biggies!

In this episode we discuss the differences between  "Revised Final Scripts" for the two S2 episodes "Security Arms" and "You Saved My life" and the actual released episodes.  If you want access to PDFs of the scripts please email us at 1049Pod@Gmail.com.

We celebrate Felix Unger Day with a new podcast previewing an exciting new project that will fuel some more episodes of 1049 Park Avenue.  Take a listen to find out more details!

The second half of our discussion about Jack and Tony's series after The Odd Couple contains in-depth looks at The Tony Randall Show (1976-78), Love Sydney (1981-1983) and You Again? (1986-87).

In this episode we start looking at the four series Jack and Tony did after The Odd Couple - Quincy, The Tony Randall Show, Love, Sydney and You Again?.  This is part one where we cover only Quincy.  The next episode will cover the three sitcoms.

This episode covers Jack Klugman and Tony Randall's TV appearances as themselves - on talk shows, in ads, on Dean Martin roast, and in song.

In this episode our subjects are: 1) The 1993 reunion movie featuring Jack and Tony.  We cover the behind-the-scenes talent that was and was not involved with the project; who was and was not in front of the camera; the quality of the writing (or lack of it); and how it performed in the ratings. 2) The 2015-2017 CBS reboot starring Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon.  Topics include how this fits into the other CBS sitcoms of the era; the differences in characters vs. the original series; how Matthew Perry was the driving force behind its existence; and two episodes that made headlines - both for negative reasons. 3) The 1975 short-lived cartoon The Oddball Couple.  We discuss the few similarities to the Odd Couple concept and the acclaimed voices and animators involved with the production.  We also play the variations of the theme from each production.

We start the episode intending to discuss both the 1982/83 New Odd Couple (“NOC”) AND the 1993 Odd Couple reunion TV-movie but end up speaking so long about New Odd Couple we decide on the fly to hold the movie for another episode.  Before we start I surprise Garrett with an item I bought on eBay – the full PDF can be seen here  Odd Couple Program Regarding NOC we 1) provide our overall opinion on the series 2) discuss the cast 3) analyze the TV ratings situation for the time 4) review why the show is made up of recycled scripts from the original series and the impact that decision had 5) discuss individual episodes 6) focus on the most annoying part of the series involving their names 7) play clips comparing and contrasting scenes from the original series that are duplicated in NOC 8) play clips of Garry Marshall, Mark Rothman and story editor Winifred Hervey who discuss various difficulties behind the scenes.

This week we delve into the world of The Odd Couple centering around the plays and the movies, some of which were made before the TV show and some of which came after.  We discuss the origins of the play and how that turned into the movie; our thoughts on the film; the updated versions of the play that Neil Simon wrote later in his career and the unnecessary film sequel. We play dialogue from the movie that was re-used in the series and the Neal Hefti theme WITH lyrics.

This week Ted and Garrett stop talking so much and let two other Odd Couple fans discuss the show with them.  First up: James Bradley discusses his love of S1 and explains why there is a group of fans who enjoy it passionately.  Second is Lee Spilberg who has helped the podcast with lots of information especially regarding all of the music cuts.  These are two separate interviews.

This week, Ted and Garrett  hand out The Murray Awards for various "best of" categories regarding The Odd Couple.  Examples include - Best Use Of Honking, Best Scene Where Felix Gets Mad at Oscar (and vice verse), Best Performance by a Male Celebrity Playing Themself, and many others. Yes, we could have just called it "The Oscars", but we have been using Murray as a metric since early on the podcast so we stuck with it.

With the episode by episode recap now over we look back and discuss our most and least favorite episodes by season and of the series overall.  We focus on S2-S5 but do have some discussion of S1.

Felix and Gloria get back together in the series finale “Felix Remarries”.  In our discussion we cover 1) some new info our listeners provided to fill in the gaps on our prior episode about Laugh Clown Laugh, 2) the return of Janis Hansen / Doney Oatman / Leif Garrett 3) the multiple classic lines in the episode – some of which came from the play/movie 4) goop mélange 5) who is and who is not at the wedding, 6) the behind the scenes planning for the finale 7) and our plans for future episodes of the podcast now that the episode-by-episode analysis is over.

Felix has a feud with Oscar’s latest TV show co-host Richard Dawson in the series’ penultimate episode Laugh Clown Laugh.  We cover 1) Dawson’s career and how he came to appear on this episode 2) the resume of guest star magician Mark Wilson, the quality of his on-air tricks and the way he comes out onto the show 3) the mystery of who wrote this episode 4) Felix’s history in WWII 5) the multiple funny bits with Murray 6) the acrobats /  teeter-totter scene, the actors involved and the connection to a prior episode, 7) the unintentional appearance of Tony Randall in an establishing shot 8) the history of the song Laugh Clown Laugh, 9) the origins of the vaudeville song at the end, 10) Garrett talks about meeting Tony Randall

Felix feels old after finding out his high school sweetheart is a grandmother, and drags Oscar into his misery, in S5E20 “Old Flames Never Die”.  We discuss 1) the production order of this episode 2) the implications of this storyline on how old Felix and Oscar are; 3) the second appearance of Oscar’s “new” secretary Tina; 4) the numerous guest stars including the return of some old favorites; 5) how one of those guest stars, Leonard Barr, breaks the fourth wall and does his stand-up act for the studio audience; 6) the dancing in the episode; and 7) the reference to the wreck of the Hesperus.

Roy Clark guest stars on an episode named after him in S5E19 “The Roy Clark Show”.  We discuss the many songs and pieces of music in this episode; Clark’s resume and his time on Hee Haw; the return of John Wheeler a Mr. Felscher; guest star Albert Paulsen; edits on the version airing on Decades TV; our observations of ad-libs and laugh tracks in the episode.

Oscar and Felix both lose their voice in “Two Men On A Hoarse” - S5E18. We discuss 1) guest star Dick Cavett 2) Jack Klugman’s real appearance on The Dick Cavett Show and discussion of his real-life throat issues, 3) guest star Phil Foster,  4) The return of guest actors Louis Guss, Filip Field, and Joshua Shelley, 5) a mention of The Odd Couple on the new Paramount+ series The Offer 6) Laurence Oliver’s Polaroid TV ads, 7) the music cut in this episode, 8) Jack Klugman singing “Together" on the cast album of Gypsy, 9) Tony Randall breaking the 4th wall and Jack Klugman visibly laughing on camera at Al Molinaro, 10) TV edits of this episode, 11) how the doctor dresses down Felix AND supports Oscar which is unusual for the series, 12) how often the apartment is robbed.

Felix organizes a rent strike against 1049 Park Avenue after its new manager fails to keep up the building in S5E17 “The Rent Strike”.  Topics covered include 1) The Library of Congress receiving Neil Simon’s archives 2) Jerry Lewis' failed talk shows 3) guest star Victor Buono 4) the potential tie-in of his character’s name and The Wild Wild West 5) guest star Rodney Allen Rippy and his Jack In The Box ads 6) the song “Buckle Down Winsocki” 7) Miriam knowing that Felix sees other women 8) the music edit on the DVD 9) the return of actors Ed Peck, Herbie Faye, and Peter Hobbs  10) the weird way Christmas is referred to twice in one small section 11) the building’s doormen 12) the way Oscar wants Felix to leave only when it won’t make Oscar feel guilty 13) the use of the word “chiffonier” 14) the tag that wraps up everything too nicely 15) the weird way extras walk away in the background of a scene 16) David Janssen

Oscar and Felix use inside source Harry Tallman, a horse exercise rider, to make a lot of money at the track in “Felix The Horse Player”, S5E16. Topics discussed include 1) guest player Jerry Maren, 2) the two entrances of the San Remo which stands in for 1049 Park Avenue, 3) the many uses of the Press Box restaurant exterior, 4) guest star Fritz Feld and his “popping” noise, 5) the return of OC guest stars Johnny Silver and Robert Ball 6) the use of NYC exteriors and obvious stand-in for Jerry Maren in those scenes, 7) Felix’s lucky sweater, 8) the very memorable lines in this episode overall.

Howard Cosell and opera singer Martina Arroyo co-star in the infamous “Your Mother Wears Army Boots”, S5E15.  We discuss and/or debate: 1) Other appearances of TV show creators on their own shows in reference to last week’s Neil Simon appearance 2) how this episode came together 3) when it was filmed 4) similarities to the prior Cosell episode 5) Arroyo’s background 6) guest star Jack Carter 7) guest star Roone Arledge, 8) an instance where Felix now refers to them living on CPW although we hold 1049 Park Avenue as canon 9) the logistics of Arroyo’s entrance into the living room after being introduced by Felix 10) the stock footage of the football game and conflicting implications of where the game is being played, Cincinnati or NYC.

Oscar uses Felix to write off-Broadway theater reviews in S5E14 “Two on the Aisle”. We dive into such details as 1) Neil Simon’s cameo 2) the appearance of real-life theater critics John Simon, Dan Sullivan and Joan Crosby, 3) appearance of real-life TV host John Barbour, 4) the theater critic George Jean Nathan, 5) the playwright Jean Anouilh 6) the apartment bathroom, 7) Felix’s dates, 8) an appearance by Myrna as Oscar’s secretary although she got married and quit months earlier 9) the continuity error regarding Felix’s large “Thanks” photo of himself, 10) and the Joe Louis and Max Schmeling fights.

Oscar wears a fat suit for a TV commercial Felix is directing in S5E13 “The Bigger They Are”.  We discuss 1) The silliness of the plot and all the holes it brings including the fraud being committed  2) whether or not the opening shot is of the Plaza hotel 3) the return of John Byner 4) the return of other guest actors Peter Hobbs and Cliff Emmich 4) the bizarre fake ads shown at the end of the episode 5) the fat suit 6) famous NYC newscasters of the 1980s

Oscar dates a widower with two kids in S5E12 “Oscar In Love”.  The many topics we discuss include 1) episode writer Carl Gottlieb 2) guest star Dina Merrill, 3) I Love Lucy on Paramount+, 4) the child actors who play the kids 5) words we learned from TV shows 6) the current state of RKO pictures, 7) the magic tricks depicted and how Tony Randall “milks” a joke using an illogical gesture, 8) How long Felix and Oscar have lived together 9) the return of Richard Stahl and Garry Walberg 9 ) how Anita goes the way of Yawbus.

Felix meddles in Oscar’s radio show in S5E11 “The Big Broadcast”.  Topics discussed include:  1) Tony Randall and writer Frank Buxton’s enthusiasm for old-time radio, 2) Dick Butkus’ wedding 3) How audiences of the 1970s remember entertainment from the 1920s-1930s. 4) Angry radio in the 1970s and host Bob Grant 5) How S5 of The Odd Couple was aired out of production order and how that impacts the character of Tina, Oscar’s new/temporary secretary, 6) the lackluster “Adventuring Ranger” scene 7) the fantastic Babe Ruth / penicillin scene and 8) and how this episode has some of the best lines in the whole series.

Felix tells the story of how Oscar’s father tried to kill Felix’s father via a flashback to the 1920s in S5E10 “Our Fathers”.  We cover 1) the exact year of the episode 2) the character timelines and inconsistencies that occur and the ones that don’t 3) the way the 1920s/1930s setting is established 3) the connections to The Untouchables 4) the career of guest star Elijah Cook Jr. 5) Garrett’s impression of Morris Unger, 6) the removal of Tony and Jack’s toupees to play their fathers, 7) and the return of many guest players from other episodes.

Edna runs away from home to follow Paul Williams and Felix and Oscar go after her in S5E9 “The Paul Williams Story”.  Topic covered include 1) the career of guest star Paul Williams, 2) the fact that this episode was originally written for John Denver, 3) an Odd Couple reference in the current season of Billions, 4) the illogic in the episode’s plot, 5) the very funny bit when Felix reads Edna’s note after Oscar hands it to him, 6) the first meaty role for perennial bit actor Eddie Garrett, 7) and how quickly Paul Williams wrote an original song in the episode.

Felix and Oscar get trapped on a stuck subway car in S5E8 “The Subway Story”.  We go off on multiple tangents such as 1) catching up on the homework we had regarding some scenes from the prior episode ‘The Odd Candidate’, 2) Jack Klugman’s pre Odd Couple sitcom Harris Against The World, 3) New York crime in the 1960s and 1970s and a brief history of the NYC subway system, 4) the guest stars including Scatman Crothers, Barney Martin, Billy Sands and Garry Marshall himself, 5) the impressive subway set and the Marine recruiting poster that is shown, 6) The nature of Felix and Miriam’s relationship, 7) the cut music scene from the DVD, 8) and the introduction of a pet for Felix and Oscar that we never see or hear about again.

Oscar runs for NYC Council in “The Odd Candidate.”   We dive into such minutiae as 1) The many street scenes filmed in NYC, 2) the unusual angle of the kitchen that is shown which brings up issues of weirdly-placed shelving units, absence of 4th walls and a mysterious set of keys 3) 1970s local TV horror hosts 4) what footage is being used for The Mysterious Planet Debbie, 5) smoking cigarette billboards in Times Square, 6) Oscar’s campaign posters, 7) and Miriam as pollster.

Oscar owes $500 and tricks Felix into using his band into playing at a charity barn dance as payment in S5E6 “Strike Up The Band Or Else”. Topics covered include: 1) the horrendous musical cuts on the DVD featuring Cocktails For Two, while the Hulu version preserves the scenes with this song 2) the career of guest star Pernell Roberts, 3) the return of Felix’s band now called the Sophisticados 4) the connection between a poker player in this episode and The Honeymooners, 4) how “stuff you sorries in a sack mister” went from The Odd Couple to Seinfeld, 5) Ma Gump, 6) and the references to Gabby Hayes and Ish Kabibble.

Felix kidnaps a famous acting dog after witnessing poor treatment during a photo shoot in S5E5 The Dog Story.  We discuss among other topics: 1) the return of guest star John Fiedler 2) Odd Couple writer Bill Idelson who plays the judge, replacing Curt Conway, 3) the many Sanford and Son spin-offs which ties into the episode’s writers 4) how much the studio audience loves the episode, 5) the appearance of Rona Barrett, 6) the multiple returning bit players in the courtroom scene, 7) the 70s being the era of the animal-as-hero in family movies, 8) the use of a flashback in the episode, 9) and the odd Central Park scenes set in the dark and the light which were cut for TV.

Felix and Oscar go to Hollywood for Oscar’s cameo in a sports movie but Felix poses as his agent to help get him more screen time and money in S5E4 "The Hollywood Story”.  Topics covered include 1) the many plot similarities to I Love Lucy 2) the career and scandals of guest star George Montgomery 3) Bob Hope’s appearance 4) the return of Leonard Barr and Allan Arbus 5) the authentic location shooting, 6) the multiple times when TV’s 4th wall is kind of broken.

Felix and Oscar must deal with Leonard’s missing/hurt frog in S5E3 “The Frog.” Topics covered include: 1) The career of guest star Leif Garett who plays Leonard for the first time 2) the career of Sabu who is referenced in the episode 3) the return of the great Richard Stahl, 4) the dangerous stunt with the frog and the blender 5) when the frog is real and when it is fake, 6) the music cut in the DVD version of the episode.

Felix, the star bowler of Oscar’s bowling team, refuses to play in the championship out of principle but Oscar think Felix has a fear of losing in S5E2 “To Bowl Or Not To Bowl.” Topics covered include: Murray mentioning he has a son we have never heard about before; the careers of guest stars Noam Pitlik and Leonard Barr; the origins of the scene where Oscar sprays cleaner into Felix’s food; the phrase “Sorry doesn’t feed the admiral’s cat.”; the misattribution of one of the bowling players on IMDb; the return of Vinnie; and the unusual scenes with the back-stretching contraption, the discussion of additional bowlers and Felix’s conscience.

We are back for our first episode of 2022 with the first episode of season five, “The Rain In Spain”.  We discuss guest star Rob Reiner, All In The Family, other guest star Garo Yepremian, the chopped liver football, the reason Penny Marshall left the series and her wonderful performance here, and Jerry Vale + Corbett Monica.

In a flashback we see Oscar get Felix a job at Playboy, where Oscar works, but trouble arises when then-fiancée Gloria wants to pose nude in the S4 Finale “One For The Bunny”. Topics discussed include 1) the career of Melvin Belli, 2) the casting of Asian-American actor Lloyd Kino as Al Fischer 3) the Playboy magazine edition used in the episode 4) the third and final appearance of Curt Conway as a judge, 5) and the dubbed-in applause for Hugh Hefner.

Felix decides to get involved in his community and join the NYPD civilian patrol, and drags Oscar along, in S4E21 “New York’s Oddest”.  Topics covered include 1) the set design when we are looking into the apartment from the outside hallway 2) the silent film history of guest star Lassie Lou Ahern 3) the credits of guest Michael Lerner, and 4) the multiple returning guest performers.

Felix has insomnia and it’s driving Oscar crazy in The Insomniacs – S4E20.  Topics covered include 1) The old time actors mentioned by Felix on the “late, late, late show”, 2) the cut song “Dream” by Johnny Mercer, 3) the popularity of waterbeds, 4) the many visual gags in this episode, 5) how TV stations used to sign off the air overnight, and 6) Tony Randall showing off his poker chip tricks.

Monty Hall returns and Felix tries to get his band on Monty’s new TV show but needs Oscar’s help to make it happen in S4E19 “A Different Drummer”.  Topics covered include: 1) the many songs from the 1920s that are sung in the show and the multiple music cuts 2) the firing of Julius LaRosa 3) another debate about whether is Oscar is 40 or 50 given that Monty, who is 53, and Oscar were in college together, 4) and the fact a clip from a prior episode is shown.

Felix moves to Buffalo to work with his brother at his bubble gum company in S4E18 “Shuffling Off To Buffalo.” Discussion includes the following topics: 1) Oscar’s wearing 74 on his jersey and our assumed reference to Merlin Olsen 2) The career of the main guest star William Redfield 3) the resume of some of the other guest stars 4) the early deaths of some of those guest stars 5) the use of telegrams in 1974 6) the fact that William Daniels was originally sought to play Floyd 7) and the impressive sets in the episode.

A shy but talented woman whom Oscars works with has a crush on him while Felix wants her to sing Carmen in his opera in S4E17 “Vocal Girl Makes Good”.  Topics discussed:  The career of Marilyn Horne; the gullible and moronic nature of her character; the amount of singing in the episode; the timeline problems caused by an unnecessary prop that is very visible; and several oddly or incorrectly said lines.

Oscar helps Felix get over his fear of flying in S4E16 “The Flying Felix.”  We discuss the numerous guest actors in the show including Teri Garr in one of her earliest roles; the state of air travel and air travel advertising in the early 1970s; the episode’s reference to the movie Patton; the higher budget of the episode given multiple sets and large number of guest actors and extras; the classic “I much fear there is serious trouble in the fuselage Frederick” line; two pronunciations of the word “annex”; and the Broadway writing background of guest actor George Furth.

Oscar is hypnotized in order to become neat for his new girlfriend in S4E15 Cleanliness Is Next To Impossible.  We discuss: 1) whether Felix said “specialty” or “special” when discussing Oscar’s crane operator date 2) the wonderful psychiatrist scene with Richard Stahl and the connection of the actress who plays the secretary to I Love Lucy 3) the famous Shakespeare quote used in the episode 4) the two mistakes that Jack Klugman makes 5) guest star Allan Arbus 6t) the period setting of the flashback to Young Oscar here vs. the one in Our Fathers and the appearance of Adam Klugman.

Oscar moonlights at a greasy spoon in order to pay back money Felix gave him for Yankees tickets that Oscar lost gambling.  Among the many details we discuss are: 1) The tricky list of guest cast especially Sam Nudell 2) the return of Bella Bruck and Phil Leeds 3) the implausibility of having a cow, alone, in a NYC building zoned for commercial use, 4) non-dairy creamer 5) and how Tony Randall breaks the 4th wall which leads to one of Garrett’s all-time favorite lines.

Oscar want Felix to invest in a new invention created by his dentist – barnacle glue in S4 E13, “A Barnacle Adventure”.  Topic covered include the careers of the multiple guest stars including Val Avery who plays Dr. Elmo Most; Ted’s naïve wonderment at how they did the bowling ball / pencil gag; how Oscar wants to invest in the glue without using any of his own money; how Felix becomes President of the company when Elmo has the most money invested; the great presentation scene; and how barnacles are inspiring use of adhesives in the medical field in 2021.

We discuss S4E12 “The Exorcists” in which Felix thinks the air conditioner is haunted.  Ted really doesn’t like the episode and makes that clear early, Garrett is much more generous. Topics:  1) how Herbie Faye played the super in multiple episodes and seemed to always have a different name 2)   guest star Victor Buono, 3) the jingle for Italian Swiss Colony wines 4) the similarities of the tag scene to other episodes.

Felix hires a Nanny for Oscar in S4E11 “Maid For Each Other”.  Topics discussed: 1) The mystery of  writer Marlene Barr who has no other major credits 2) The IMDB error crediting “Crony 1” as the noted acting teacher Robert Lewis instead of the character actor Buddy Lewis and how Garret determines this is a mistake 3) how much the audience enjoys the episode 4) the great casting of Reta Shaw as Clare Frost 5) the multiple connections to the Honeymooners.

Oscar loses “everything”, including Felix, to hustler Bobby Riggs in “The Pig Who Came To Dinner.” We discuss the historical significance of this episode because of its timing just weeks after the “Battle Of The Sexes” Primetime tennis match, the fact Ted thinks Billie Jean King is a horrible actress while both Ted and Garrett agree Bobby Riggs is good, Ted being confused by the exact nature of the temperature bet, Riggs’ prowess at all the events show in the episode, and the lack of clues to the passage of time in the ping pong scene.   Here is the ad we refer to at the end of the episode.

Felix sets out to make a documentary about Oscar and ends up almost directing a porno film in “Felix Directs”.   Items of discussion include: the use of prunes for breakfast, the multiple NYC location shots, the career of guest actors David White and how he and character actor Louis Guss have a unique scene in the episode, how PBS’s American Family and the movie Mondo Cane are referenced, the differences in Super 8 & 16MM film, and what exactly is a XX rating.

Jaye P. Morgan and Wolfman Jack guest star on “The Songwriters” as Felix writes the classic song “Happy and Peppy and Bursting With Love” for Morgan. Topics covered include 1) the biographies of Jaye P. Morgan and Wolfman Jack 2) the clever way the song come together 3) where the piano comes from and 4) is Tony Randall playing the piano?

We flashback to Oscar and Blanche’s wedding night at an army base in This Is The Army Mrs. Madison.  Topics examined include 1) the dizzying amount of continuity issues in this episode 2) the attempts and non-attempts to make the actors look younger 3)  the odd names in this episode and the fact Blanche’s maiden name in this episode is the same as the actress that plays her 4) and Richard Stahl’s guest appearance.

It’s our one year anniversary and 50th recorded episode! Oscar and Felix win a new car which ends up causing more problems than benefits in “The New Car”.  We discuss 1) the geographic inconsistencies this episode causes regarding where Felix and Oscar live 2) the many external street scenes 3) John Byner and 4) Bella Bruck who plays Pushover Page

In “The Odd Holiday”, a flashback episode, Felix and Oscar go to the Caribbean with their wives and Felix tries to help Oscar’s marriage while not realizing his in jeopardy.

Felix falls for a football player’s wife but doesn’t know she is married in S4E4 “That Was No Lady”. Topics covered include: 1) Listener feedback to our question about the line “Every body loves pizza and beer” in our last episode 2) The biography of guest stars Alex Karras and Patricia Harty 3) phrases we are not familiar with such as “good offices”, “honky tonk”, “red dog”.  4) the way this episode celebrates romance in NYC 5) how the episode tells an emotional story in a short period of time 6) the significance of a “Chicano” musical named Lettuce 6) how this episode proves Miriam means nothing to Felix

Felix and Oscar compete in athletic events to prove who is the better insurance risk in S4E3 “The Odd Decathlon”.  Topics discussed include 1) Our confusion as to why the studio audience applauds at the line “Every body needs Pizza and beer”, 2) Murray's terrible refereeing skills and 3) The state of employment insurance in the 1970s

World-renowned ballet dancer Edward Villella guest stars in S4E2.  We discuss 1) the selling of orange and orange beverages at theaters 2) the potential skittishness of ABC regarding the assumption that ballet implies lack of manliness 3) the resume of Dan Dailey and 4) the physical humor of Jack Klugman in this episode.

Gloria stays at Felix and Oscar’s apartment while her house is being painted in the 4th season premiere “Gloria Moves In”.  Topics covered include 1) When this episode was filmed vs aired and how that impacts the living room furniture which had just been changed in the prior aired episode 2) The directing flourishes of Garry Marshall 3) Tony Randall’s great performance of Felix playing cards while drunk 4) the glimpses we get as to why Gloria divorced Felix 5) how sex is discussed in this episode 6) another cut musical scene 7) 1970’s mores regarding a single man being alone in a hotel 8) the inside references to the play 9) and a major continuity error involving luggage

Murray has a fight with his wife and moves in with Felix and Oscar in the season three finale The Murray Who Came For Dinner.  We discuss the fact this episode was the third filmed for the season but the last to air and speculate about why this was.  We also cover in-depth that the actress who plays Murray’s wife also played Oscar’s mother this season.  Other topics include: McGuffins vs red herrings; how good Al Molinaro is in the episode; rollerderbys; and the unnecessary use of recycled outdoor footage and establishing shots.

Felix buys new furniture for the apartment but his tastes and Oscar's are very different in S3E22.  We discuss the fantastic set design in this episode; the legendary character Charles Lane who makes an appearance; the terrible doormen in 1049 Park Avenue who let anyone up at anytime; the fact Miriam and Felix show mild affection here and the episode's great sight gags.

Felix finds Oscar a date who isn’t what she seems in order to make Oscar’s mother happy in S3E21 The Odyssey Couple.  We talk about: 1) how people used to call a phone number to get the exact time, speculate about why there is a new actress play Oscar’s mother, 2) the 70s references to Dom DeLuise, Liz & Dick, John and Yoko and Raquel Welch, 3) the endless dancing in this episode, 4) the connection between this episode and the classic Saturday morning show Shazam! 5) the history of Lynne Miller who plays Helena 6) the significance of Boys In The Band, 7) the inappropriate age difference between Oscar and Helena. Email comments to 1049pod@gmail.com

Monty Hall guest stars as Oscar burns Felix's custom mattress and tries to win a new one on Let's Make A Deal in S3E20.  We make a few corrections/additions from the prior week's episode about My Strife in Court, play a short clip from Gilmore Girls referencing The Odd Couple, discuss Monty Hall's bio and why he was on the show, and cover the origins of a quote misattributed to Abraham Lincoln.

Felix and Oscar go to court to defend themselves against a charge of ticket scalping with Felix serving as counsel in S3E19 My Strife In Court.  Topics covered include the great performance by Curt Conway who plays another judge, the resume of Oscar Homolka, the inconsistencies cited regarding when Murray met Oscar & Felix and of Felix serving in occupied France, and of course the origins of "you make an ass of u and me."

In this episode we discuss S3E18 “The Hustler” in which Felix’s opera club needs money and Oscar helps via gambling and pool.  Among the topics covered are: the signature credits of the multiple guest stars, the reasons this episode was likely inspired by the favorite real-life activities of its stars, the audience laughing too hard in some spots, the similarities to the movie The Hustler, and Garrett does some heavy sleuthing to figure out the origin of the song at the end.

Felix the impresario tries to jumpstart Mryna's lapsed/burgeoning tap dancing career in S3E17 "Myrna's Debut."  Before we get into the episode itself we mention an enjoyable interview with Odd Couple writer Lowell Ganz on the I Love The Odd Couple Facebook page and relate some new info to our prior episode about The Ides Of April.  We then discuss the rationale for this episode due to Penny Marshall's family history, the great use of guest characters, the wide use of music compared to other episodes on DVD / streaming where songs are cut, and the clever finale scene / tag.

This week our subject is S3E16 The Ides of April in which Felix is summoned to the IRS to resolve a discrepancy.  We talk about the similarities to a Honeymooners episode; Ted’s view that the character of the tax examiner is inconsistent; how other 70’s shows put women in places of power in the workplace as part of their storylines; and the inclusion of a recognizable character actor in the credits (Louis Guss) who has no dialogue in the actual episode on DVD or streaming.

This week we discuss S3E15  “I Gotta Be Me” in which Felix and Oscar go to therapy and try role reversal. Topics include; pop psychology, some confusing dialogue that sets up the group therapy; the Hobo news; a music edit in the DVD and streaming version that ruins the tag; the fact that this is Ted’s favorite episode of the entire series and Garrett’s pet peeve.

Felix takes Oscar on a cruise for senior citizens to help his ulcer in S3E14.  Topics include 1) the credits of the veterans who play their fellow cruise passengers 2) the sloppy prop work in this episode 3) the 2nd appearance of Monroe, the super's son 4) and some favorite lines of ours.

Felix and Oscar fall for the same girl - with a mysterious past - in S3E13 "Don't Believe Roomers."  We discuss the history of the song "Buckle Down Winsocki, the impressive set design of the diner scene, the 2nd appearance of guest Star Marlyn Mason, and the more adult themes of this episode.

Felix tries to get Edna to like him by taking her to work and attending her baseball umpire debut in S3 E12 "The Odd Father".  We discuss the cringey-but-funny little people scene, the big problem with an address Felix gives Oscar, the change of actress who plays Edna, the similarities to other episodes and the many visual gags in this episode.

ARISTOPHANES!

Felix’s attempts to throw Oscar a surprise party is the plot of “Oscar’s Birthday” (S3E10) which is the topic of this week’s episode.  We get into such details as: 1) Why the production started to use a building other than the real 1049 Park Avenue for exterior shots 2) the first of two appearances of Monroe - the super’s son and the actor who played him 3) speculation that Felix and Miriam seemed to have a platonic relationship instead of a romantic one 4) Oscar has a brother?!?!

The birth of Felix’s daughter Edna is the topic of S3E9 "The First Baby”. Enjoy as we get a bit lost trying to connect all the consistencies, inconsistencies and references in this episode to other episodes - but we eventually figure it all out.  These include: which other episodes featured Oscar’s stuffed gorilla? when else was Lolita mentioned?; the fact Gloria was originally Oscars’ date; and who met Murray first.  We also discuss 1) the fact Oscar says he has three bathrooms in this episode - Ted believes this is not true while Garrett isn’t so sure 2) bug bombs and their potential dangers to pregnant women 3) Oscar eating pickles during the entire episode 4) and Felix's weird reference to Myrna not wearing a bra.  Please pardon a bit of static towards the end of the episode.

Deacon Jones guest stars in S3E8 as Felix gets to direct a shaving commercial.  We discuss Jones' NFL career, the appearances of Herbie Faye as the 1049 super, the real-life Press Box Steakhouse and the fact Felix should have had a career directing TV ads after this episode.

Oscar's mother comes to visit but she doesn't know Oscar is divorced in S3E7 "The Odd Couples".  We cover such topics as: Eddie and Debbie (and Tammy); the fact that the actress who played Oscar's mother later played Murray's wife along with some of her odd performance choices; and the inconsistencies in how long Oscar has been divorced and where exactly Blanche lives.

Felix and Oscar go to Murray's cabin so Oscar can work on his book in our analysis of S3E6 "I'm Dying of Unger".  We discuss Dorothy Parker and her quotes, Garry Marshall's notes on this episode from his memoir, and another instance where Tony Randall singing was edited out of the DVD for rights purposes.

“The Odd Monks”, S3E5, is our topic for this episode of 1049 Park Avenue.  Felix and Oscar go to a monastery to escape work pressures but end up in trouble with the monks.  We quote from Garry Marshall and Jack Klugman who both discuss this episode in their memoirs – in fact Gary Marshall says it is his favorite.  We also discuss the terrible hair of Brother Lou, reading before bed, the speed at which dough can rise, the song that was cut from the DVD and the bizarre tag scene.

While “The Pen Is Mightier Than The Pencil” is the next episode that we would cover sequentially on 1049 Park Avenue, it was the one we covered in our first podcast because we wanted to start with a mutual favorite.  We are reposting our first episode here for you fellow obsessive compulsives who need things in order with a special bonus segment in which we discuss an interview with Elinor Donahue regarding her role as Miriam since this is her first prominent appearance, even if it is her 2nd episode.

This week we analyze S3E3 "The Princess" in which Oscar falls in love with royalty.  We discuss the resume of guest star Jean Simmons (who is not Gene Simmons), the lushness of this episode, the drama of this episode and the fact another TV series based on a Neil Simon play was on the ABC Fall schedule during The Odd Couple's first season.

Howard Cosell joins the boys for S2E2 "Big Mouth".  Cosell plays himself of course and he is a pitchman for an ad campaign Felix is working on but Oscar insults him and then Felix insults him.  They have to apologize so Felix can keep his job.  We discuss Cosell's rise to fame, the odd addition of a boy scout character, the random little lines that dot this episode and the hilarious "play-by-play" coverage Felix gives as Oscar.

We start a new year with a new season of The Odd Couple - S3E1 “Gloria Hallelujah”.  Among the topics we cover are the history of computer dating, Elinor Donahue’s resume, the odd dynamic of the Felix / Miriam relationship and the perfectly-crafted scene when Oscar is filling out his dating form.

In this extra long episode we analyze the 19 out of 24 S1 episodes that we can watch on streaming and address the 5 we could not watch (we don't own the DVD of S1 because we don't like S1).  Each episode gets 2-7 minutes of our attention as some are too painful to discuss while others have some noteworthy moments.

We have come to the end of S2 with our coverage of "Psychic, Shmychic", the second season finale.  Our topics include the careers of The Amazing Criswelll and Bernie Kopell, and the popularity of ESP in 1972.

S2E22 - "Oscar's Promotion" - Oscar is assigned to be the editor of a new sports supplement at his newspaper and his first assigned is a Chinese v USA exhibition wrestling match.  And he needs a photographer! We discuss guest star Jack Soo, the state of Chinese-US relations & the time and the specific event that triggered this episode, and the fact that China's best wrestler is aged 55 according to this episode.

We divert from our normal format this week and cover four episodes of the show from S2 that we think are not very good.  We call then "Oddballs" and we give each one about 20 minutes of time to discuss why we don't like them but also the funny moments that do exist (plus a clip).  The episodes are "Natural Childbirth", "A Grave For Felix, "Does Your Mother Know You're Out Rigoletto" and "Where's Grandpa".

This week we cover S2E21 "A Night To Dismember" -- a Rashomon-style episode depicting the New Year's Eve episode that led to Oscar and Blanche's divorce.   Among the details we discuss are 1) the timeline inconsistencies this episode create 2) the origin and use of Rashomon in pop culture 3) Ted's search for the restaurant depicted in the opening scene and 4)guest star Joan Van Ark

S2E20 "Good, Bad Boy" is our topic this week.  Oscar and Felix help out a reform-school teen ager who asks Edna to the school dance.  We discuss the KLM building in NYC, the career of guest actor Johnny Silver and the careers of Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Walt Frazier and Earl The Pearl Monroe.

In our Podcast this week we analyze S2E19 "Partner's Investment".  In this episode Felix invests his money, and money he has stolen/secured from Oscar, in a Japanese restaurant.  The topics we address include 1) the biography of guest star Pat Morita 2) the racist undertones of this episode 3) the absurd moments of this episode 4) and the history of Japanese food popularity in the U.S. in the 1970s.  Enjoy!

In this installment we discuss S2E17 "You Saved My Life" in which Felix becomes a pest by constantly thanking Oscar who saves him from falling out a window. Oscar tries to get Felix to save HIS life so they can be even.  We discuss the introduction of Penny Marshall as Myrna Turner, the location of Oscar's office building and the bizarre Japanese grenade scene. Here is the picture of Felix we discuss in the episode: https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5db718_bdcc28fc357444e29e9462e6855c347a~mv2.png

Our topic is S2E16 "Speak For Yourself" when Oscar proposes to Gloria for Felix in the 1950s.

This week our topic is S2E15 "Security Arms" - Felix and Oscar move into a high-security apartment building.

We discuss S2E14 in which Oscar wins a racing greyhound in a poker match.

We discuss S2 E13 "Felix The Calypso Singer" in which Oscar takes Felix on his Caribbean vacation when Nancy has to stay behind for work, but when Nancy eventually shows up Felix is kicked to the curb.

This week we dive into S2E12 "Surprise, Surprise".  Felix throws his daughter Edna a party for her 10th birthday.