Jack Klugman Taught Me Timing - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

comedyfreak · 01-02-2013, 01:52 PM

A Hollywood Reported Article A Penny Marshall interview:

This story first appeared in the Jan. 11, 2013 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Jack was great. He got me the part. when the show switched to multicamera — the first year it had been a one-camera show — they decided to add more characters, and Jack’s character needed a secretary. So he was talking to my brother Garry [Marshall, the show’s producer] and Jack said: “Why don’t you use your sister? She’s the one who got me involved in this.”

My brother had wanted Jack for The Odd Couple from the start and fought for him. At the time, I was doing Then Came Bronson, if you remember that show. Jack was in an episode, and I had a small part. We were shooting in Jackson Hole, Wyo. I told my brother, and he said, “Ask him if he wants to do The Odd Couple on TV.” So we were sitting by the lake, and I said to Jack, “So do you want to do The Odd Couple?” And he said, “Why are you asking me?” I said, “Because my brother is going to do it.” So that was the first time he heard of it, and he thought I was crazy altogether, but he ended up doing it, and he and Tony [Randall] were unbelievable together. Jack was more like his character, but friendlier. And on the side, he’d be on the phone making bets — just like his character. My brother loved him a lot, as did Tony.

Jack and Tony were so great together because their chemistry was great. The scripts were longer than any scripts I’ve ever seen — and I’ve done many a sitcom. Because Tony talked so fast, the scripts ran longer. But after one of Tony’s speeches, Jack just had to say, “What are you talking about?” and he’d get a laugh.

When Cindy [Williams] and I did Laverne & Shirley, she was more like Tony, and I did what I had learned from Jack. She could go to the moon and back because she was a much better actress than I was; she had a bigger range. But I’d just have to say, “What are you talking about?” and I’d get the laugh, and she’d get mad. But I’d say, “Watch The Odd Couple. That’s the chemistry for that.” I could do business good, but I didn’t care whether I had a whole monologue. I could just stare and say, “What are you talking about?” That’s what Jack taught me.

He was always so helpful and terrific to me. He would just put me on my mark because I didn’t know, I didn’t have that much experience. He would just take me and place me and continue talking. A very kind guy. Unfortunately, over the last 10 years, a lot of the writers on the show — Harvey Miller, Jerry Belson — have died, and Jack was always at all their memorials. I’ll miss him dearly.

JR1 · 01-06-2013, 08:09 PM

I loved the Oscar-Myrna interaction. Glad Penny Marshall gave us those comments.

shotzette · 01-06-2013, 08:48 PM

I'm so glad she gave that interview! IMO, both Laverne & Shirley and The Odd Couple were Garry Marshall's finest products at their peaks.

Dr. Thong · 07-05-2020, 11:34 AM

I thought it was very gracious of Penny to acknowledge Jack Klugman as a mentor and that Cindy Williams was the better actress on Laverne & Shirley.

OH Nuts! · 07-05-2020, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I thought it was very gracious of Penny to acknowledge Jack Klugman as a mentor and that Cindy Williams was the better actress on Laverne & Shirley.

I as well. was very classy of her.

01-02-2013, 01:52 PM	#1
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,058	Jack Klugman Taught Me Timing A Hollywood Reported Article A Penny Marshall interview: This story first appeared in the Jan. 11, 2013 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Jack was great. He got me the part. when the show switched to multicamera — the first year it had been a one-camera show — they decided to add more characters, and Jack’s character needed a secretary. So he was talking to my brother Garry [Marshall, the show’s producer] and Jack said: “Why don’t you use your sister? She’s the one who got me involved in this.” My brother had wanted Jack for The Odd Couple from the start and fought for him. At the time, I was doing Then Came Bronson, if you remember that show. Jack was in an episode, and I had a small part. We were shooting in Jackson Hole, Wyo. I told my brother, and he said, “Ask him if he wants to do The Odd Couple on TV.” So we were sitting by the lake, and I said to Jack, “So do you want to do The Odd Couple?” And he said, “Why are you asking me?” I said, “Because my brother is going to do it.” So that was the first time he heard of it, and he thought I was crazy altogether, but he ended up doing it, and he and Tony [Randall] were unbelievable together. Jack was more like his character, but friendlier. And on the side, he’d be on the phone making bets — just like his character. My brother loved him a lot, as did Tony. Jack and Tony were so great together because their chemistry was great. The scripts were longer than any scripts I’ve ever seen — and I’ve done many a sitcom. Because Tony talked so fast, the scripts ran longer. But after one of Tony’s speeches, Jack just had to say, “What are you talking about?” and he’d get a laugh. When Cindy [Williams] and I did Laverne & Shirley, she was more like Tony, and I did what I had learned from Jack. She could go to the moon and back because she was a much better actress than I was; she had a bigger range. But I’d just have to say, “What are you talking about?” and I’d get the laugh, and she’d get mad. But I’d say, “Watch The Odd Couple. That’s the chemistry for that.” I could do business good, but I didn’t care whether I had a whole monologue. I could just stare and say, “What are you talking about?” That’s what Jack taught me. He was always so helpful and terrific to me. He would just put me on my mark because I didn’t know, I didn’t have that much experience. He would just take me and place me and continue talking. A very kind guy. Unfortunately, over the last 10 years, a lot of the writers on the show — Harvey Miller, Jerry Belson — have died, and Jack was always at all their memorials. I’ll miss him dearly.
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07-05-2020, 11:34 AM	#4
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	I thought it was very gracious of Penny to acknowledge Jack Klugman as a mentor and that Cindy Williams was the better actress on Laverne & Shirley.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

01-06-2013, 08:09 PM	#2
JR1 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 07, 2009 Location: USA Posts: 742	I loved the Oscar-Myrna interaction. Glad Penny Marshall gave us those comments.

01-06-2013, 08:48 PM	#3
shotzette Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1,782	I'm so glad she gave that interview! IMO, both Laverne & Shirley and The Odd Couple were Garry Marshall's finest products at their peaks.