Theater News

Broadway to Dim its Marquees in Memory of Actor Jack Klugman

Stage and screen actor Jack Klugman will be honored by the Broadway community on December 28 at 8 pm.

Jack Klugman, 1922-2012
Jack Klugman, 1922-2012

On December 28, the Broadway community will mourn the loss of actor Jack Klugman by dimming the marquees of Broadway theaters for one minute at exactly 8 pm. Klugman passed away on Monday December 24 at age 90.

An accomplished film, stage, and television actor, Klugman was perhaps best known for playing Oscar Madison in the 1970 TV version of The Odd Couple and the medical drama Quincy, M.E. His notable stage work included replacing Walter Matthau as Oscar in the original production of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and creating the role of Herbie in the musical Gypsy, a performance for which he received a Tony nomination. He made his Broadway debut in the 1952 revival of Clifford Odets’ boxing drama Golden Boy.

Klugman earned two Emmy Awards for his role as Oscar on The Odd Couple and another for his role on The Defenders. He also appeared in the Oscar-nominated film 12 Angry Men.

In 2005, Klugman published Tony and Me, a memoir of his friendship with The Odd Couple costar Tony Randall, with whom he also appeared in a 1997 revival of The Sunshine Boys.

Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League, said of Klugman, “In his many stage performances, as well as on film and TV, we all felt like we knew him personally; he had that kind of approachability. As with all fine actors, he made the work look effortless.”