The TONY RANDALL Only I Knew

IN HIS LAST YEARS, THE ODD COUPLE ACTOR DEVOTED HIMSELF TO FAMILY, THE ARTS AND HELPING OTHERS

- Louise A. Barile, reporting by Fortune Benatar

Heather Randall recently had some home movies digitized featuring her late husband, Tony Randall. In one from 1997, Tony sings to his daughter, Julia, backstage at The Sunshine Boys, the Broadway revival he headlined alongside Jack Klugman, his co-star on The Odd Couple. “The music stopped and there was applause, and Tony said, ‘Hear that, honey? That’s for Jack! Jack just entered the stage,’” Heather tells Closer. “It was just so sweet.”

In his later years, Tony returned to the things he loved best — performing onstage, attending the opera and devoting his time to charity. He also took on a new role when he became a father for the first time, to Julia and son Jefferson, in his 70s. “He was such a loving, excited father,” says Heather. “He knew he wasn’t going to be with them for a long time, so he would make me take lots and lots of videos.”