As you probably already heard, writer/director/TV show creator Gary David Goldberg died earlier today. Goldberg will of course be remembered mostly for being the creator of shows like Family Ties, Brooklyn Bridge, and Spin City (with Bill Lawrence).
He wrote for several other shows earlier in his career and one of them was The Tony Randall Show. Created by Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses, this was Randall’s follow-up to his successful five year run on The Odd Couple.
While Jack Klugman hit it big after Odd Couple with Quincy ME, Randall never had another hit show and The Tony Randall Show was cancelled — twice. Once by ABC and then by CBS.
Here’s Goldberg’s humorous and touching recollection about working with Randall and why the show was cancelled — both times.