This is a tough one...Tony Randall gone at 84

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/18/obit.randall/index.html

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-05-18 09:52 ]

[ Edited by: donhonyc 2016-02-20 22:18 ]

drag.
it was great to see him in "down with love."

will toast the memory of the fine fellow tonite...

Yeah, this one really got to me. A quality actor who also had a great sense of humor. Seeing him on "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour" raised him to godlike status in my eyes. I'll miss him.

He'll be missed. He was a fixture for me growing up too. I've always liked the opening of the Odd Couple too, that part: "...weeks before, his wife threw him out, requesting that heeeee-neverrrrrr-returrrrrn..."

I also appreciate the cigar-chomping, horse-betting, poker-playing generation who looked forward to bowling league night and shooting pool in the neighbor's basement. Everytime I pass an old blue collar neighborhood bar or cafe on a sidestreet, it brings a boredom for franchise places like Ruby Tuesdays and TGI Fridays.

That Sucks! I met him while working on a Project at his National Actors Theater. He was a great guy (much nicer than the Young Ethan H.)

Hey, He did live to 84! And he knocked up his wife when he was 77 ( and she was 27.)

MY HERO!!!!!

Yes....truly a great man, and unfortunately part of a dying breed of folks who lived life on a deeper level than as you point out Sam, the TGI Friday's and Ruby Tuesday's generations that dominate the planet now.

And as far as Ethan Hawke...ohmigod...he's got NUTHIN' on Tony Randall, and I'm not surprised Atomic, that he was an A-hole when you met him. Ethan Hawke can barely act his way out of wet paper bag. Let's see him star in a TV sitcom that survives for all eternity. Uh...don't think so.

Long live Felix!

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-05-18 11:59 ]

I loved him in the Doris Day - Rock Hudson romantic comedies in the late 50's - my wife and I have always been super fans of Pillow Talk in particular! I think that's why we were so psyched to see him in Down With Love! It's a shame he's gone!

3 things:

1. I was hoping to be the first to post this obit (better luck next death!).

2. no generation in the history of mankind or after will be as fine an example as Tony Randall's; who could forget such examples of 'separate but equal', drinking fountains 'for whites only', women in the kitchen (damnit), and small pox; I think the entire of mankind should kill themselves because will never amount to anything.

and 3) I guess it's just the 'Odd Single' now.

I had a high school administrator that sounded just like Tony Randall. I'd hear him talking in the hallway and always look to see if it was Tony Randall or our administrator Neil Anstead. Actually, Mr. Anstead kinda reminded me of Felix a bit too.

I also keep thinking that David Hyde Pierce's character on Frasier is highy influenced by Tony Randall's work. I guess that's why they had him play the Tony Randall-ish part in Down With Love.

I'm bummed. Really wished I coulda met him.

One of my all time fav films is "The 7 Faces of Dr Lao", and did you ever notice whenever he was on a late night talk show he acted just like Felix Unger? The only thing missing was his trademark "honks".

The Waikikian Tiki Garden Walkiing Tour
http://members.tripod.com/gregg-n/waikikian_tiki_gardens.htm

Sad loss- he had such a great sense of comic timing.

I had the pleasure of seeing him on stage in London in 1996. In kind off a strange twist, he and Klugman were doing Simon's original Odd Couple. It was great. Klugman had to be mic'd and could barely speak (throat cancer I think?) but he and Randall still had it.

"2) no generation in the history of mankind or after will be as fine an example as Tony Randall's; who could forget such examples of 'separate but equal', drinking fountains 'for whites only', women in the kitchen (damnit), and small pox; I think the entire of mankind should kill themselves because will never amount to anything."

Oh I see what you're saying. Of course, the current generation that's obsessed with Britney/Madonna lesbo action, 'wardrobe malfunctions', and puking on "Fear Factor" is far more advanced. Oh sure...I see your point.

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-05-18 15:55 ]

On 2004-05-18 15:37, donhonyc wrote:
"2) no generation in the history of mankind or after will be as fine an example as Tony Randall's; who could forget such examples of 'separate but equal', drinking fountains 'for whites only', women in the kitchen (damnit), and small pox; I think the entire of mankind should kill themselves because will never amount to anything."

Oh I see what you're saying. Of course, the current generation that's obsessed with Britney/Madonna lesbo action, 'wardrobe malfunctions', and puking on "Fear Factor" is far more advanced. Oh sure...I see your point.

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-05-18 15:55 ]

I don't know if you noticed, but you just made my point. All generations are equally fantastic and fucked up - all at once!

On 2004-05-18 16:06, Tiki_Bong wrote:

I don't know if you noticed, but you just made my point. All generations are equally fantastic and fucked up - all at once!

Well then I'd have to say that this current generation is more fucked up than fantastic...

cheers :drink:

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-05-18 21:09 ]

On 2004-05-18 21:08, donhonyc wrote:

On 2004-05-18 16:06, Tiki_Bong wrote:

I don't know if you noticed, but you just made my point. All generations are equally fantastic and fucked up - all at once!

Well then I'd have to say that this current generation is more fucked up than fantastic...

How exactly would you know if you were never a part of a past generation?

Reminds me of a co-worker that always says something to the effect of "I'm glad I don't have kids"; I always tell her "How would you know?".

The answer is simple: I would know, because I am part of a previous generation.

On 2004-05-19 11:22, donhonyc wrote:
The answer is simple: I would know, because I am part of a previous generation.

Then conversely, how can you criticize the current generation (whatever that is (?)) if you're not a part (or don't consider yourself) of it?

An analogy is in order once again, at 44 I remember my 20th High School reunion. All the old jocks were lamenting the 'good old days' when they were playing some sport or other.

To listen to them, you'd think their life was over. That nothing else could come close to the glory days of high school football. Actually, they were just too lazy to get off their butts and accomplish something else.

Now I'm not trying to bait you Mr Donho, all I'm saying is the 'good old days' are always going to 'appear' like that. In the year 2075 I guarantee you someone will be glorifying the life during the ancient year of 2004.

"I'm ashamed to be here, but not too ashamed to leave..."

Celebrate 'International Tiki Day' the second Saturday in August - hau'oli la tiki!

[ Edited by: Tiki_Bong on 2004-05-19 13:01 ]

i'd like to buy an argument, please.

Okay...I'll be John Cleese. I always liked him a little better than Michael Palin.

I see your point Bong. You said it brother...bait is for fish. And yeah, the past does look better in retrospect. However, in several cases the past WAS and IS in fact better than the present. A good example might be the music industry. It could be argued that there is very little material coming out today that has any longevity comparable to any of the music that came out say, 35 years ago. I don't see Nelly OR Nelly Furtado or Jason Mraz or Fountains of Wayne doing a 35th anniversary tour. Maybe we will (unfortunately have to) see a Britney Spears or a Justin Timberlake performing 35 years down the road, but you must admit that the QUALITY of this type of stuff has gone way down hill. I mean isn't that why we're all here at TC? To mix cocktails from the past 'n stuff?

Also, to insuate that folks that look back 'on the good old days' are 'too lazy to get off their butts' is a little bit of a stretch. those jocks you talk about aren't necessarily lazy, coulda been football injuries or too much Meister Brau at homecoming.

Oh yeah the 'dumbshit' you mention could also be the same guy in 2035 debating (or baiting) someone else on how they should stop talking about how cool the past was in 2004 and look at how cool it is to have Avril Lavigne hosting 60 Minutes.

But whatever, I'll just agree to disagree. Can we get back to talking about Tony Randall now?

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-05-19 13:18 ]

Lighten up folks. Just having a little fun (people are great sport!).

"The good ol' days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems." - Billy Joel