The Odd Couple: The Laundry Orgy

The Odd Couple: The Laundry Orgy
ABC
September 24, 1970
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Regulars:

• Monica Evans and Carole Shelley as Cecily and Gwendolyn Pigeon (reprising their roles from stage and film)
• Larry Gelman (who I recognize more from The Bob Newhart Show) as Vinnie
• Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison
• Ryan McDonald as Roy
• Al Molinaro (yes, pre-Happy-Days) as Officer Murray Greshler
• Tony Randall as Felix Unger
• Garry Walberg as Speed

Creators Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson wrote this pilot, based on the very popular Neil Simon play.  It doesn't entirely work-- for one thing, I could've done without Oscar using "attack" as a synonym for "date"-- but it certainly shows potential.  Note that there's a line about "Greenwich Village," and the show would be plagued by concerns throughout its run, including from ABC censors, about whether the "couple" was not just odd but queer.

Jerry Paris would direct seventeen more episodes.