Tribute to Tony Randall

TRIBUTE TO TONY RANDALL -- (Extensions of Remarks - May 21, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. JERROLD NADLER
OF NEW YORK
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2004

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness to mourn the loss of award-winning actor and passionate social activist Tony Randall who passed away Monday night, May 17th. Though most remembered for his comedic role as Felix Unger in the T.V. series "The Odd Couple," Mr. Randall was a truly versatile performer with a career on stage and screen spanning over sixty years.

After serving four years in the army during World War II, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant, Mr. Randall made many radio and theater appearances, garnering numerous accolades from critics. By the early 1950s, Mr. Randall made the shift to television, with his Emmy-nominated role of schoolteacher Harvey Weskit in "Mr. Peepers." Soon after, he added movies to his resume, with principal roles in films like the Doris Day-Rock Hudson comedy "Pillow Talk," earning the title from Life magazine of "the finest ..... comedian the movies have found in decades." He crowned his career with his Emmy-award winning role as the worrywart Felix Unger in the Odd Couple, a role that brought him a legion of fans.

However, Tony Randall will be remembered as more than just an actor. He was also a devoted social activist who for 30 years held the position of National Chairman of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for the terrible neuromuscular disease, Myasthenia. Whether it was his vociferous anti-smoking lobbying, his anti-Apartheid campaign, or his attempt to save the old Metropolitan Opera house, Mr. Randall worked with passion and zeal. Mr. Randall brought this same passion to the National Actors Theater, which he founded in 1991, dedicated to bringing classic works to the public for reasonable prices.

His tireless devotion to his craft and to social justice should be an example to us all. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Randall's wife and two children. For years he has touched millions of Americans. He will be sorely missed.