MovieChat Forums > The Odd Couple (1968) Discussion > Was the original play (with Carney) ever...

Was the original play (with Carney) ever captured on film?

posted 18 years ago by deontee2002
6 replies | jump to latest

I've seen an old Playbill photo with Matthau & Carney in character, but does anyone know if the play was either filmed or taped? Or are there audio clips? By most accounts from people that have seen the original play, Carney was even better in the role than Lemmon. Which wouldn't be surprising, since Carney was great in anything he did (with all due respect to Lemmon, of course). Plus, Matthau & Carney made a pretty funny team in House Calls.

[–] FelixMadison 18 years ago

I'll bump this as I don't have the answer.
Carney was great in just about everything, and so was Lemmon.

I did hear/read, though, that Matthau and Carney did not get along at all during the production, at least from Carney's perspective in his biography.

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

Three years after your post, I'll bump it again because I'd love to see or hear any footage from the Matthau-Carney incarnation. I suspect that if any ever existed, it has been lost to history and the elements, though. A lot of early television programs that were broadcast live weren't even taped.

[–] vpilutis 15 years ago

Video tape wasn't a fact till the mid 1950s and at that time wasn't used that much.

They did have something called a Kinescope camera

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinescope

Many shows back then that were done live used this process.

I'm sure a number of 007 fans in this NG know about a 1954 TV show "Climax!: which had Casino Royale with a American actor (Barry Nelson) as Jimmy Bond, Clarence Leiter (Michael Pate)
(not Felix) was English

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310853/

This show is on DVD, I have the VHS

http://worldofvbphoto.blogspot.com/

[–] dadoo4050 15 years ago

I remember seeing many photo stills of this production in my school library's copy of "The Best Plays of 1964-1965: The Burns-Mantle Yearbook" I believe those were edited by Guernsey.

The play was presented in the book in storyboard format with photos--I think. It's been many years ago.

"And me? I go on to become a big star in Italian Westerns."

[–] RichN36 15 years ago

I wish there was film of some of these old Broadway Shows. Would love to see Zero Mostel play Tevia in Fiddler on the Roof. Or Carney and Mathew in The Odd Couple. But alas They are lost to time Imortal. :(

Q: How does Soylent Soda taste?
A: It varies from person to person.
"Futurama"

[–] bradford-1 14 years ago

"The Ed Sullivan Show" often presented scenes from current Broadway hits, usually musicals, but I do recall a few dramatic or comedy scenes. That might be the only venue Matthau and Carney were seen outside of the theater.

"We're fighting for this woman's honor, which is more than she ever did."