In 1982, Garry Marshall developed 'The New Odd Couple' for television, "It's just a new 'Odd Couple' with a new cast, which happens to be black." Speaking to 'Scripps-Howard', Garry Marshall added, "The times are such that we can now (in 1982) depict blacks who are middle-and-upper-class college graduates. Hopefully, we'll be a spawning ground for other black actors who will be appearing on our show." Director Joel Zwick disclosed, "They tested almost every black actor in Hollywood but until they came up with a palatable package for the network, it was a no-go."
Speaking to Knight-Ridder Newspapers and the 'Los Angeles Times', Ron Glass as super-neat Felix Unger made the point, "Television still isn't ready for a real drama about blacks but at least this isn't one of those shows where every sentence starts with 'hey' and ends with 'man'. If every line he said began with 'hey' and ended with 'man', I would not have engaged myself with the show. Saying 'What happening!' is just not my forte. I might say an occasional 'hey' or 'man', but not in the same sentence."
Demond Wilson as the ultra-slob Oscar Madison told 'Town Talk', "We're not doing ghetto humor. The hand-slapping is out, and so is 'baby'." 'United Press International' understood initially "the network (ABC) and Paramount Television signed both actors with the understanding that all 13 of the first episodes would be based on old 'Odd Couple' scripts that starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman."
Joel Zwick maintained, "To be quite honest, a lot of situation comedy is basically the rehashing of similar stories and the differences are in the actors and what they bring to the story." 'The New Odd Couple' would be shown on Friday nights, opposite 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and 'The Powers of Matthew Star'. Demond Wilson stressed, "These two guys are divorced. We're not harping about our broken marriages, but are looking ahead. In the early shows the only comment you hear about my ex is 'Blanche got my Pinto.'" Supervising producer Mark Rothman remarked, "It's a timeless premise. Whether your odd couple is neat versus messy or earthy versus elegant, it's still two mismatched people stuck between four walls."
In the November 1995 BBC's 'Panorama' interview, Diana, Princess of Wales, described the breakdown of her fairy tale marriage, "Here was a situation which hadn't ever happened before in history, in the sense that the media were everywhere, and here was a fairy story that everybody wanted to work. It was also a situation where you couldn't indulge in feeling sorry for yourself: you had to either sink or swim. And you had to learn that very fast. I swam. People were using my bulimia as a coat on a hanger: they decided that was the problem - Diana was unstable. The cause was the situation where my husband and I had to keep everything together because we didn't want to disappoint the public, and yet obviously there was a lot of anxiety going on within our four walls."
Of 'The New Odd Couple', Demond Wilson concurred, "Of course, it's the oldest idea in the world. That's the only way to get the networks to do anything – it has to be tried and tested ... Both Laurence Oliver and James Earl Jones have done 'Othello', and I don't see anybody complaining that Shakespeare's been done to death." Mark Rothman mentioned, "But now (start of 1982-83 season) we've convinced them (the network and studio) to let us go with 7 new shows." Joel Zwick believed, "I think the biggest comment we're making is that we're not calling attention to color. Interracial dating may come up as a story area later on, but I don't think anybody felt it was the kind of story choice we wanted to make right at the beginning."
In December 1992, John Major informed the House of Commons, "It is announced from Buckingham Palace that, with regret, the Prince and Princess of Wales have decided to separate." Diana, Princess of Wales continued, "We could see what the public were requiring. They wanted clarity of a situation that was obviously becoming intolerable. So we got the lawyers together, we discussed separation - obviously there were a lot of people to discuss it with: the Prime Minister, Her Majesty - and then it moved itself, so to speak.
"We had struggled to keep it going, but obviously we'd both run out of steam. And in a way I suppose it could have been a relief for us both that we'd finally made our minds up. But my husband asked for the separation and I supported it. We, I asked my husband if we could put the announcement out before the children came back from school for Christmas holidays because they were protected in the school they were at.
"And he did that, and it came out on December 9th. I was on an engagement up north. I heard it on the radio, and it was just very, very sad. Really sad. The fairy tale had come to an end, and most importantly our marriage had taken a turn, different turn. I think the announcement had a huge effect on me and Charles, really, and the children were very much out of it, in the sense that they were tucked away at school."
Speaking to 'New York Daily News', Garry Marshall expressed, "In my view they're two of the greatest characters ever to appear on television." Ron Glass made the observation, "Whoever heard of a black Felix Unger? I'll be the only Felix in a black world." Garry Marshall theorized, "We'll play on the fact that it's an odd-ball name for a black photographer. His character, incidentally, is going to be broadened. He's not just going to be a portrait photographer like the earlier TV or movie version of the Neil Simon play.
"He'll be a commercial photographer. This will give us an opportunity to inject a glamorous element into the show. To introduce beautiful models into the episodes when he's shooting an ad. Or to have fine black artists on as guests – opera stars, actors, ballet dancers, etc. It will be in character because Felix will be part of cultural New York. He will be involved with these people, some of whom will be his friends. While Oscar, a sportswriter, will be interested in going to the track."
Ron Glass continued, "I saw less than an hour of the TV series (starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman). I never saw it on stage with any of the various casts, and I missed the movie with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau (1968). Demond and I have been told that we have a hard act to follow. But I'm no judge of that because I’m not that familiar with the other casts. This show is going to be a great deal more realistic in 1982 than the original play which Neil Simon wrote for the theater in 1965."
Demond Wilson told the Chicago Tribune Co., "The big difference is two shvartzes (African Americans) in the lead. Even if we stuck exactly to the old format, which we're not doing, and read the old scripts verbatim, it would still come out different, simply because of the look of it. Ron is very analytical. He asks questions and he's sensitive and he's a good actor. I love Ron, don't get me wrong, but he can be heavy. My basic concern is with entertainment and numbers (ratings)."
Shot at Paramount Studios, Ron Glass insisted his character would wear "European au courant" wardrobe. Speaking to 'Copley News Service', Ron Glass emphasized, "There aren't any ruffled aprons and feather dusters. I have lots of lines. This may advance me into character parts. No more starting a sentence with 'Hey', and ending with 'Man'. And my Felix is going to be active, not passive. The aprons and the feather dusters are gone.
"In the 5 years it was on (1970-75), I probably saw less than an hour of it. When I became aware 'Barney (Miller)' probably was going to end, I was approached about the possibility of doing this show. But I didn't sign until after we actually buried 'Barney'. Driving to work that last morning, I felt much like I did when I drove my mother to the cemetery. That was my family. I came to Los Angeles in 1972 and did 'Barney Miller' for eight years (1974-1982), so I don't really know how I feel about L.A. without 'Barney Miller'.
"Now I must remind myself I used to do things other than Harris (detective Ron Harris in 'Barney Miller'). This new role is challenging, exciting and at the same time scary. When I read some of the old 'Odd Couple' scripts, I felt there was a character in there interesting to do. Also I knew it had to be different from what I read since much of it was written for Tony Randall and I'm not Tony Randall and don’t wish to be. So it’s an interesting position to be in.
"I don't know what I'm getting into. But why not give it a go and see what happens. We all knew life has to go on, that we had to let go of it. We had the experience and there's no way anybody can take that away from us. Nobody wants to take a step backward. I'm terrified at being a part of something that was that successful but it ('Barney Miller') didn't start out that way, as fleshed out and as full as it turned out. Hopefully, it won't just be a series of sloppy-neat jokes."
Garry Marshall noted, "There are many slobs who speak well and he (Oscar) does have clothes." Demond Wilson offered, "If the public likes you and wants to see you, it doesn't make any difference. I don't take any of this (publicity) seriously. My priorities are God, my family and show business. I take God seriously. This (publicity) is an illusion. Fame is an illusion. I'm enjoying it but you just can't let yourself become affected by this Hollywood town.
"See, I'm from reality. I'm from Harlem. From Harlem, through a war, then out here. I'm a survivor. I feel God put me here for this reason: to entertain people. Until he says no, it doesn’t matter what the press or what I was put here for. I might not be sitting here. I could’ve easily had my black butt shot off in Vietnam. Look at Richard Pryor. He set himself aflame, but God said, 'Not yet', and blew the fire out. He wanted Richard to entertain. Yes, Virginia, there is a God … You can't make everyone in the world like you. If you try, you’re just spinning your wheels and it's an exercise in futility and you frustrate yourself and you become Sammy Davis Jr."
Of public relations, Diana told Tina Brown and Anna Wintour over lunch in June 1997 at the Four Seasons (East Fifty-second Street, between Lexington and Park), "I tried again and again to get them (the Royal Family) to hire someone like him (political strategist Peter Mandelson who helped got Tony Blair elected) to give them proper advice, but they didn't want to hear it. They kept saying I was manipulative. But what's the alternative? To just sit there and have them (the press) make your image for you? Sometimes editors at newspapers would write editorials suggesting things they could do, but instead of paying attention one of the private secretaries would ring up and give the editors a rocket."
Of the success of 'The New Odd Couple', Ron Glass reasoned, "You're looking at a bonafide crossover person. I have appeal to the mass audience as opposed to performers who draw limited or racial audiences. Before accepting this part I made it clear even though we're basing the show on old scripts, they would be updated to 1982 and that Felix, whose marriage broke up, would not spend any time bemoaning the fact.
"When a marriage blows up these days (by 1982), people don't sit around crying. They get out there and find some new romantic interests. I don't play losers as a steady diet, and that's what Felix would be if he were self-pitying loser. I also made it clear how difficult it is to put actors into material written for other actors. Most of 'The Odd Couple' TV scripts were tailored to Randall and Klugman. It would be unwieldy for us to stick close to the original scripts. As a result of my insistence on making significant changes, the producers agreed to include 5 original scripts in the first 13. We're going for a sophisticated adult comedy."
Demond Wilson stated, "What I hope happens is that this show will be a catalyst and start another cycle of opportunity for black performers. The first black series was 'Julia' with Diahann Carroll. Then we did 'Sanford and Son' and that paved the way for a string of black comedies including 'That's My Mama', 'Good Times' and 'The Jeffersons'. But things go in cycles. I hope we become a spawning ground for black talent – actors, writers, directors."
In 1977, Demond Wilson decided not to renew his contract even though he was offered "more than $25,000 per episode" after Redd Foxx left 'Sanford and Son' to host 'The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour' on ABC. Speaking to 'The Sunday Constitution' in August 1977, Redd Foxx enthused, "All I can tell you is that we're in preproduction. We hope to get Idi Amin as a guest for the 4th week. The fact we’re on at 10 o’clock gives us a little leeway to do the type of humor I like to. Not Dirty. The only four-letter words on the show will be Redd Foxx. I've been on television since 1964 and I've never once gotten bleeped. It's necessary to have black writers. I'm not a white actor and it comes off like I'm trying to be white if the lines aren't right. I already got lips so thin I can hardly taste barbecue."
Of his decision, Demond Wilson clarified, "I live in Bel Air. I have 5 cars and 4 children in a private school. I haven't suffered. I like a long run, but after 6 years (1972-77) our show ('Sanford and Son') had started bordering on lunacy. When it first started out, it was legitimate. The first week Redd and I dressed in a closet. Redd drove up in a coupe de ville, and by June he had a $75,000 Rolls. I arrived in a Ford Falcon without a horn, and graduated to an El Dorado.
"'Sanford and Son' ruled the roost. Redd was a forerunner. Richard Pryor received the acclaim Redd was supposed to get. But after 5 years, it started running out of ideas. We did 'Sanford' for 6 and a half years. After that amount of time, you're tired from the inside – almost going through the motions, and that's sad. I was really exhausted and I shouldn't have done 'Baby, I'm Back' (about a husband declared legally dead returned after 7 years as his wife was about to marry another man). My mind was there but I wasn't sharp and I knew it.
"I'd said from the beginning I only wanted to do the show ('Sanford and Son') as long as Redd (Foxx) was on. When he got his ABC deal, I was offered a small raise, no creative control and no percentage to continue with the show – which I didn't want to do anyway. Meanwhile, these people from CBS ('Baby, I'm Back') were saying, 'Demond, Demond, we got money over here.' This series ('The New Odd Couple') for me is not a money series per se. I'm perfectly satisfied with the pay scale they've given me. I'm looking for a development deal, TV movies. So I'm gonna pull out all the stops with this show. Get ready, America."
In 1975, 'The Odd Couple' was made into a morning cartoon show starring a cat and a dog. In 1985, in a gender-swapped edition, Oscar Madison and Felix Unger became Olive Madison and Florence Unger. In 1998, the sequel was released and in 2015, Matthew Perry as Oscar Madison co-starred with Thomas Lennon in the CBS series, 'The Odd Couple'. In all, 18 episodes were produced in the 1982 series developed by Garry Marshall for television. However after 13 episodes were shown weekly, the network began pre-empting 'The New Odd Couple' "on a regular basis to try out limited-run sitcoms" before the remaining 5 episodes went on air. 'The New Odd Couple' (#60) did well against 'The Powers of Matthew Star' (#85) but way behind 'The Dukes of Hazzard' which finished the 1982-83 season averaging 17.2% households ratings and an estimated 14.3 million viewers.
Speaking to Knight-Ridder Newspapers and the 'Los Angeles Times', Ron Glass as super-neat Felix Unger made the point, "Television still isn't ready for a real drama about blacks but at least this isn't one of those shows where every sentence starts with 'hey' and ends with 'man'. If every line he said began with 'hey' and ended with 'man', I would not have engaged myself with the show. Saying 'What happening!' is just not my forte. I might say an occasional 'hey' or 'man', but not in the same sentence."
Demond Wilson as the ultra-slob Oscar Madison told 'Town Talk', "We're not doing ghetto humor. The hand-slapping is out, and so is 'baby'." 'United Press International' understood initially "the network (ABC) and Paramount Television signed both actors with the understanding that all 13 of the first episodes would be based on old 'Odd Couple' scripts that starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman."
Joel Zwick maintained, "To be quite honest, a lot of situation comedy is basically the rehashing of similar stories and the differences are in the actors and what they bring to the story." 'The New Odd Couple' would be shown on Friday nights, opposite 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and 'The Powers of Matthew Star'. Demond Wilson stressed, "These two guys are divorced. We're not harping about our broken marriages, but are looking ahead. In the early shows the only comment you hear about my ex is 'Blanche got my Pinto.'" Supervising producer Mark Rothman remarked, "It's a timeless premise. Whether your odd couple is neat versus messy or earthy versus elegant, it's still two mismatched people stuck between four walls."
In the November 1995 BBC's 'Panorama' interview, Diana, Princess of Wales, described the breakdown of her fairy tale marriage, "Here was a situation which hadn't ever happened before in history, in the sense that the media were everywhere, and here was a fairy story that everybody wanted to work. It was also a situation where you couldn't indulge in feeling sorry for yourself: you had to either sink or swim. And you had to learn that very fast. I swam. People were using my bulimia as a coat on a hanger: they decided that was the problem - Diana was unstable. The cause was the situation where my husband and I had to keep everything together because we didn't want to disappoint the public, and yet obviously there was a lot of anxiety going on within our four walls."
Of 'The New Odd Couple', Demond Wilson concurred, "Of course, it's the oldest idea in the world. That's the only way to get the networks to do anything – it has to be tried and tested ... Both Laurence Oliver and James Earl Jones have done 'Othello', and I don't see anybody complaining that Shakespeare's been done to death." Mark Rothman mentioned, "But now (start of 1982-83 season) we've convinced them (the network and studio) to let us go with 7 new shows." Joel Zwick believed, "I think the biggest comment we're making is that we're not calling attention to color. Interracial dating may come up as a story area later on, but I don't think anybody felt it was the kind of story choice we wanted to make right at the beginning."
In December 1992, John Major informed the House of Commons, "It is announced from Buckingham Palace that, with regret, the Prince and Princess of Wales have decided to separate." Diana, Princess of Wales continued, "We could see what the public were requiring. They wanted clarity of a situation that was obviously becoming intolerable. So we got the lawyers together, we discussed separation - obviously there were a lot of people to discuss it with: the Prime Minister, Her Majesty - and then it moved itself, so to speak.
"We had struggled to keep it going, but obviously we'd both run out of steam. And in a way I suppose it could have been a relief for us both that we'd finally made our minds up. But my husband asked for the separation and I supported it. We, I asked my husband if we could put the announcement out before the children came back from school for Christmas holidays because they were protected in the school they were at.
"And he did that, and it came out on December 9th. I was on an engagement up north. I heard it on the radio, and it was just very, very sad. Really sad. The fairy tale had come to an end, and most importantly our marriage had taken a turn, different turn. I think the announcement had a huge effect on me and Charles, really, and the children were very much out of it, in the sense that they were tucked away at school."
Speaking to 'New York Daily News', Garry Marshall expressed, "In my view they're two of the greatest characters ever to appear on television." Ron Glass made the observation, "Whoever heard of a black Felix Unger? I'll be the only Felix in a black world." Garry Marshall theorized, "We'll play on the fact that it's an odd-ball name for a black photographer. His character, incidentally, is going to be broadened. He's not just going to be a portrait photographer like the earlier TV or movie version of the Neil Simon play.
"He'll be a commercial photographer. This will give us an opportunity to inject a glamorous element into the show. To introduce beautiful models into the episodes when he's shooting an ad. Or to have fine black artists on as guests – opera stars, actors, ballet dancers, etc. It will be in character because Felix will be part of cultural New York. He will be involved with these people, some of whom will be his friends. While Oscar, a sportswriter, will be interested in going to the track."
Ron Glass continued, "I saw less than an hour of the TV series (starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman). I never saw it on stage with any of the various casts, and I missed the movie with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau (1968). Demond and I have been told that we have a hard act to follow. But I'm no judge of that because I’m not that familiar with the other casts. This show is going to be a great deal more realistic in 1982 than the original play which Neil Simon wrote for the theater in 1965."
Demond Wilson told the Chicago Tribune Co., "The big difference is two shvartzes (African Americans) in the lead. Even if we stuck exactly to the old format, which we're not doing, and read the old scripts verbatim, it would still come out different, simply because of the look of it. Ron is very analytical. He asks questions and he's sensitive and he's a good actor. I love Ron, don't get me wrong, but he can be heavy. My basic concern is with entertainment and numbers (ratings)."
Shot at Paramount Studios, Ron Glass insisted his character would wear "European au courant" wardrobe. Speaking to 'Copley News Service', Ron Glass emphasized, "There aren't any ruffled aprons and feather dusters. I have lots of lines. This may advance me into character parts. No more starting a sentence with 'Hey', and ending with 'Man'. And my Felix is going to be active, not passive. The aprons and the feather dusters are gone.
"In the 5 years it was on (1970-75), I probably saw less than an hour of it. When I became aware 'Barney (Miller)' probably was going to end, I was approached about the possibility of doing this show. But I didn't sign until after we actually buried 'Barney'. Driving to work that last morning, I felt much like I did when I drove my mother to the cemetery. That was my family. I came to Los Angeles in 1972 and did 'Barney Miller' for eight years (1974-1982), so I don't really know how I feel about L.A. without 'Barney Miller'.
"Now I must remind myself I used to do things other than Harris (detective Ron Harris in 'Barney Miller'). This new role is challenging, exciting and at the same time scary. When I read some of the old 'Odd Couple' scripts, I felt there was a character in there interesting to do. Also I knew it had to be different from what I read since much of it was written for Tony Randall and I'm not Tony Randall and don’t wish to be. So it’s an interesting position to be in.
"I don't know what I'm getting into. But why not give it a go and see what happens. We all knew life has to go on, that we had to let go of it. We had the experience and there's no way anybody can take that away from us. Nobody wants to take a step backward. I'm terrified at being a part of something that was that successful but it ('Barney Miller') didn't start out that way, as fleshed out and as full as it turned out. Hopefully, it won't just be a series of sloppy-neat jokes."
Garry Marshall noted, "There are many slobs who speak well and he (Oscar) does have clothes." Demond Wilson offered, "If the public likes you and wants to see you, it doesn't make any difference. I don't take any of this (publicity) seriously. My priorities are God, my family and show business. I take God seriously. This (publicity) is an illusion. Fame is an illusion. I'm enjoying it but you just can't let yourself become affected by this Hollywood town.
"See, I'm from reality. I'm from Harlem. From Harlem, through a war, then out here. I'm a survivor. I feel God put me here for this reason: to entertain people. Until he says no, it doesn’t matter what the press or what I was put here for. I might not be sitting here. I could’ve easily had my black butt shot off in Vietnam. Look at Richard Pryor. He set himself aflame, but God said, 'Not yet', and blew the fire out. He wanted Richard to entertain. Yes, Virginia, there is a God … You can't make everyone in the world like you. If you try, you’re just spinning your wheels and it's an exercise in futility and you frustrate yourself and you become Sammy Davis Jr."
Of public relations, Diana told Tina Brown and Anna Wintour over lunch in June 1997 at the Four Seasons (East Fifty-second Street, between Lexington and Park), "I tried again and again to get them (the Royal Family) to hire someone like him (political strategist Peter Mandelson who helped got Tony Blair elected) to give them proper advice, but they didn't want to hear it. They kept saying I was manipulative. But what's the alternative? To just sit there and have them (the press) make your image for you? Sometimes editors at newspapers would write editorials suggesting things they could do, but instead of paying attention one of the private secretaries would ring up and give the editors a rocket."
Of the success of 'The New Odd Couple', Ron Glass reasoned, "You're looking at a bonafide crossover person. I have appeal to the mass audience as opposed to performers who draw limited or racial audiences. Before accepting this part I made it clear even though we're basing the show on old scripts, they would be updated to 1982 and that Felix, whose marriage broke up, would not spend any time bemoaning the fact.
"When a marriage blows up these days (by 1982), people don't sit around crying. They get out there and find some new romantic interests. I don't play losers as a steady diet, and that's what Felix would be if he were self-pitying loser. I also made it clear how difficult it is to put actors into material written for other actors. Most of 'The Odd Couple' TV scripts were tailored to Randall and Klugman. It would be unwieldy for us to stick close to the original scripts. As a result of my insistence on making significant changes, the producers agreed to include 5 original scripts in the first 13. We're going for a sophisticated adult comedy."
Demond Wilson stated, "What I hope happens is that this show will be a catalyst and start another cycle of opportunity for black performers. The first black series was 'Julia' with Diahann Carroll. Then we did 'Sanford and Son' and that paved the way for a string of black comedies including 'That's My Mama', 'Good Times' and 'The Jeffersons'. But things go in cycles. I hope we become a spawning ground for black talent – actors, writers, directors."
In 1977, Demond Wilson decided not to renew his contract even though he was offered "more than $25,000 per episode" after Redd Foxx left 'Sanford and Son' to host 'The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour' on ABC. Speaking to 'The Sunday Constitution' in August 1977, Redd Foxx enthused, "All I can tell you is that we're in preproduction. We hope to get Idi Amin as a guest for the 4th week. The fact we’re on at 10 o’clock gives us a little leeway to do the type of humor I like to. Not Dirty. The only four-letter words on the show will be Redd Foxx. I've been on television since 1964 and I've never once gotten bleeped. It's necessary to have black writers. I'm not a white actor and it comes off like I'm trying to be white if the lines aren't right. I already got lips so thin I can hardly taste barbecue."
Of his decision, Demond Wilson clarified, "I live in Bel Air. I have 5 cars and 4 children in a private school. I haven't suffered. I like a long run, but after 6 years (1972-77) our show ('Sanford and Son') had started bordering on lunacy. When it first started out, it was legitimate. The first week Redd and I dressed in a closet. Redd drove up in a coupe de ville, and by June he had a $75,000 Rolls. I arrived in a Ford Falcon without a horn, and graduated to an El Dorado.
"'Sanford and Son' ruled the roost. Redd was a forerunner. Richard Pryor received the acclaim Redd was supposed to get. But after 5 years, it started running out of ideas. We did 'Sanford' for 6 and a half years. After that amount of time, you're tired from the inside – almost going through the motions, and that's sad. I was really exhausted and I shouldn't have done 'Baby, I'm Back' (about a husband declared legally dead returned after 7 years as his wife was about to marry another man). My mind was there but I wasn't sharp and I knew it.
"I'd said from the beginning I only wanted to do the show ('Sanford and Son') as long as Redd (Foxx) was on. When he got his ABC deal, I was offered a small raise, no creative control and no percentage to continue with the show – which I didn't want to do anyway. Meanwhile, these people from CBS ('Baby, I'm Back') were saying, 'Demond, Demond, we got money over here.' This series ('The New Odd Couple') for me is not a money series per se. I'm perfectly satisfied with the pay scale they've given me. I'm looking for a development deal, TV movies. So I'm gonna pull out all the stops with this show. Get ready, America."
In 1975, 'The Odd Couple' was made into a morning cartoon show starring a cat and a dog. In 1985, in a gender-swapped edition, Oscar Madison and Felix Unger became Olive Madison and Florence Unger. In 1998, the sequel was released and in 2015, Matthew Perry as Oscar Madison co-starred with Thomas Lennon in the CBS series, 'The Odd Couple'. In all, 18 episodes were produced in the 1982 series developed by Garry Marshall for television. However after 13 episodes were shown weekly, the network began pre-empting 'The New Odd Couple' "on a regular basis to try out limited-run sitcoms" before the remaining 5 episodes went on air. 'The New Odd Couple' (#60) did well against 'The Powers of Matthew Star' (#85) but way behind 'The Dukes of Hazzard' which finished the 1982-83 season averaging 17.2% households ratings and an estimated 14.3 million viewers.
