Tony Randall, an Emmy Award-winning television and film actor, was most noted for his role as the anal-retentive Felix Unger in the ABC sitcom The Odd Couple. A popular guest on numerous variety and talk shows, Randall was connected with all three major broadcast networks, as well as with PBS.

Randall began his career in radio in the 1940s, appearing on such shows as the Henry Morgan Program and Opera Quiz. From 1950 to 1952, Randall played Mac on the melodramatic TV serial One Man’s Family. He then went on to play Harvey Weskit, the brash, overconfident best friend of Robinson Peepers (Wally Cox) in the live sitcom Mr. Peepers (1952–55). After finding a niche in films, including numerous roles in romantic comedies, Randall won the part of Felix Unger in the ABC television version of The Odd Couple (1970–75).

Randall played Unger in a Chicago stage version of The Odd Couple, but the Broadway and film versions of The Odd Couple became established hits with different stars in the role. Nevertheless, Randall lent numerous additions to the Felix character. Drawing upon his interest in opera, Randall had Felix become an opera lover. Randall also added the comedic honking noises that accompanied Felix’s ever-present sinus attacks. Much like television costar Jack Klugman’s close connection to the Oscar Madison role, Randall became synonymous with Unger.

Despite low ratings for the series, ABC, the third-place network, allowed The Odd Couple a five-season run. In 1975, Randall won an Emmy for Best Lead Actor for his role as Felix. A popular guest on numerous variety shows, Randall was present on two Emmy Award-winning variety show episodes, The Flip Wilson Show (1970) and The Sonny and Cher Show (1971). Randall’s frequent appearances as a guest on the Tonight Show won him a role playing himself in Martin Scorsese’s King of Comedy (1983).

Beginning in 1976, Randall starred in the CBS sitcom The Tony Randall Show. Randall played Walter Franklin, a judge who deliberated over his troubled family as much as he did over the cases presented to him in his mythical Philadelphia courtroom. In 1981, Randall returned to television playing Sidney Shorr in NBC’s Love, Sidney, a critically acclaimed yet commercially unsuccessful sitcom canceled in 1983. The series did attract some criticism from religious and culturally conservative communities. In Sidney Shorr, the made-for-television movie that preceded the series, Randall’s character was presented as homosexual. In the series, this aspect of the role was simply dropped.

Randall reprised his Felix Unger role in a 1993 TV-movie version of The Odd Couple. He has also hosted the PBS opera series Live from the Met and continued to appear frequently on such talk shows as The Late Show with David Letterman. However, from 1991, Randall focused his professional efforts primarily on the National Actors Theatre, a classical repertory company he founded and with which he frequently acted.