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Randall
Tony Randall (February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004) was an American comic actor. more...
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Early life
He was born as Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer, and his wife, Julia Finston. Known as Leonard, he had a sister Edna.
Show business
He was first attracted to show business when a ballet company played in Tulsa. He attended Northwestern University for a year before traveling to New York City to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He studied under Sanford Meisner and choreographer Martha Graham around 1935. Under the name Anthony Randall, he acted in radio soap operas and worked onstage opposite stars Jane Cowl in George Bernard Shaw's Candida and Ethel Barrymore in Emlyn Williams's The Corn Is Green. Randall then served for four years with the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II, refusing an entertainment assignment with Special Services. Then he worked at the Olney Theatre in Montgomery County, Maryland before heading back to New York City.
A noted raconteur, Randall co-wrote (with Mike Mindlin) a collection of amusing and sometimes racy show business anecdotes called Which Reminds Me.
Acting career
Randall began his career on the stage, appearing in minor roles on Broadway, and supporting roles on tours. His first major role in a Broadway hit was in Inherit the Wind in 1955. In 1958 he played the leading role in the musical comedy Oh, Captain!, taking on a role originated on film by Alec Guinness. Oh, Captain! was a critical failure, but a personal success for Randall, who received glowing notices for his legendary dance turn with prima ballerina Alexandra Danilova.
He is perhaps best known for his work on television. His breakthrough role was as gym teacher Harvey Weskit in Mr. Peepers from 1952-1955. After a long hiatus from the medium, he returned in 1970 as fussbudget Felix Unger in The Odd Couple, opposite Jack Klugman, a role he would keep for five years. The names of Unger's children on The Odd Couple were Edna and Leonard, named after Randall's sister and Randall himself.
Subsequently, he starred in The Tony Randall Show and Love, Sidney. In the TV movie that served as the latter show's pilot, Sidney Shorr was written as a gay man, but his character was neutered in the show. Disappointed by this turn of events and the series' lack of acceptance, Randall stayed away from television thereafter.
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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