Yesterday afternoon, I attended one of the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters luncheons. P.P.B. is a group of folks with extensive credits in TV and radio, and every so often, they assemble at the Sportsmen's Lodge out on Ventura Boulevard for mediocre food and good company. The honoree this time was Jack Klugman (seen above left and also at right on the cover of the one issue of the Odd Couple comic book, published by Gold Key Comics in 1971) and among those present to speak about him were Dom DeLuise, Charles Durning, Dick Van Patten and about half the cast of Quincy. Tony Randall and Garry Marshall weren't there but both sent notes to be read. Marshall's said something like, "I really love and respect you, Jack, but obviously not enough to show up at your luncheon."
He also included a plug — one of dozens heard throughout the afternoon — for "An Evening With Jack Klugman," which Guess Who is currently performing at Falcon Theatre in Burbank…a theatre run, by the way, by Garry Marshall.
I've always liked Jack Klugman, ever since I first saw him in a short-lived, utterly forgotten situation comedy called Harris Against the World. When he and Randall did The Odd Couple as a TV show, I had a friend who got me in to watch rehearsals, which I found fascinating. Jack and Tony were quite serious about acting. Even working through a script that they knew would be extensively revised, they discussed every line and what it meant, advised each other on how to read it and engaged the director and producers in extensive, wholly-constructive discussion. Or at least it looked constructive to a kid in the bleachers, A few of those producers later told me the biggest debate in the office was over which of them, Jack or Tony, was the bigger pain-in-the-butt. One said, "When it came to discussing the script, they were both Felix."
There was nothing all that quotable at the luncheon. It was just nice to see all those folks turn out to honor a guy who's been around a long time and done a lot of fine work. If I think of anything else that was said, I'll post it later.