Yesterday we lost television legend, Jack Klugman at the age of 90.
Klugman was born in Philadelphia and lived most of his adult life in California, but Jack took one of Neil Simon’s best characters, Oscar Madison – a slovenly cantankerous sports writer for a local New York newspaper and made him into an iconic television character. Yes Walter Matthau originally portrayed Oscar on Broadway and in film, but Klugman made the character his own.
So Jack/Oscar I will always cherish that image of you with a warm bottle of suds in one hand with a fragrant cigar dangling from your mouth and of course the coupe de grace – a weather beaten Mets cap on your head.
Good night Oscar and Aristophanes !
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Original Mets pitcher, Al Jackson is 77 (1935). Al is one of the longest tenured employees in the Mets franchise.
Spot starter/middle reliever from ’66-’67, Jack Hamilton is 74 (1938).
Middle reliever from the ’65 season, Dennis Musgraves is 69 (1943).
One of the best outfielders to ever refer to himself in the third person, Rickey Henderson is 54 (1958).
Reserve third baseman from the ’89-’90 seasons, Tom O’Malley is 52 (1960).
Reserve infielder from the ’07 season, Ruben Gotay is 30 (1982).
Sadly on this date the Mets lost two members of their family, Starting pitcher from ’74- ’78, Nino Espinosa in 1987 and reserve first baseman from the ’72 and ’73 seasons, Jim Beauchamp in 2007.
Mo Vaughn left cookies out for Santa Claus – but he ended up eating them before the man in red could come bearing presents.
3 comments
srt
12/25/2012-9:58am at 9:58 am (UTC -4)
Aw….sorry to hear this.
First movie I believe I ever saw him in was Twelve Angry Men. But of course, he’s most noted for the Odd Couple series.
Just watched the 3 minute or so Turner Classic Movie tribute to all those in the film industry who passed away in 2012. So many memories…..
ColoradoMetsFan
12/25/2012-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
Oscar, Oscar, Oscar…Feel, Feel, Feel
White Christmas here in Denver. It’s a Festivus Miracle!
CharlieH
12/26/2012-1:50pm at 1:50 pm (UTC -4)
Jack Hamilton! Breaker of Tony Conigliaro’s face…
“Season’s greetings, Oscar-boy
Your alimony’s due
And if you don’t pay up right now
I’ll sic the cops on you
And you’ll spend Christmas in the clink
With other bums like you…
Signed, your former wife, Blanche Madison”
RIP Jack Klugman